On Sunday, November 24, Purdue University Northwest held the fourth session of its 2024 Sinai Forum at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City. Over 1200 individuals from all over the Region flocked to Blue Chip’s Stardust Event Center to witness the session, which was titled “Beyond Humor: An Afternoon with Jim Gaffigan.” Jim Gaffigan, an eight-time Grammy-nominated author, comedian, and actor, regaled his audience with a standup routine that featured Gaffigan’s humorous reflections on his childhood, family, and life in general.
Ever since it was established in Michigan City by Sylvia Bankoff, her husband Dr. Milton Bankoff, and Rabbi Karl Richter in 1953, the Sinai Forum has hosted town hall-style discussions between high-profile figures and members of the community. Eleanor Roosevelt, Gloria Steinem, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger and Steve Wozniak are some of the forum’s many notable speakers.
Mitch Gaffigan and Joe Gaffigan, two of Jim Gaffigan’s five siblings, opened the session with some humorous remarks about their younger brother. They shared their memories of several notable events in Jim Gaffigan’s life, including the time his front teeth were knocked out and replaced with silver bullets, the time he was badly sunburned while taking summer sailing lessons in Michigan City, and the time he successfully grew corn in the sand dunes in front of the Gaffigan home.
During the Q&A session held after his standup routine, Jim Gaffigan offered some insight into his reputation as a clean comedian.
“The main reason I don’t curse in my shows is because Jesus told me not to,” Jim Gaffigan joked. “My reputation as a clean comedian is authentic to the environment I grew up in. If you're from the Region, you might swear when you stub your toe, but you’ll generally avoid swearing in everyday conversation. However, if you’re from a place like New York, you will most likely swear in your everyday conversation, which people from the Region might consider rude. It’s fun to talk about adult topics in an inoffensive way, but it becomes a question about the science and mathematics of comedy: if you say something dirty, it won’t work when you pivot to talking about muffins. It's a tactical choice.”
A Chesterton native, Jim Gaffigan has enjoyed an illustrious career in comedy and acting. He starred on the 2006 sitcom “My Boys” and has toured with the likes of Jerry Seinfeld. Recently, Jim Gaffigan made his “Saturday Night Live” debut when he played Governor Tim Walz in a sketch. During his Sinai Forum standup routine, Jim Gaffigan commented on everything from his aversion to airports, to the challenges that come with parenting three teenagers, a 12-year-old and a 20-year-old.
During the Q&A session, Jim Gaffigan named some of the comedians who have inspired and influenced him.
“I loved Louis Anderson and appreciated the way he talked about his family,” Jim Gaffigan said. “David Letterman was another big inspiration of mine. Being on his show was bizarre because I had watched him for years and then there I was, performing on it. Getting to perform on ‘Letterman’ was a relief because I knew I had achieved my goal of making it in the industry. When the industry saw that Letterman liked me and thought I was funny, I was asked to sign a development deal. That got me started. George Carlin was another big inspiration for me. I got to see him perform live after I got started and I noticed that we both tended to meticulously plan out our material. I'm constantly learning and I always have the most fun trying out my newest jokes.”
Jim Gaffigan also shared his thoughts on how the Region has influenced him over the years during the Q&A session.
“I think growing up in Northwest Indiana was a very important factor in my development as a comedian,” Jim Gaffigan said. “Growing up in Chesterton, I’ve seen firsthand how the outside perception of Northwest Indiana compares to the reality. I remember being at a party many years ago and, while sitting on a hay bale, suggesting to my friends that we drive out to Chicago since it was only about 20 minutes away. The Region has many different elements, it’s both urban and rural at the same time. I also happen to find Northwest Indiana’s capacity to be self-facing very admirable.”For more information on the final session of the Sinai Forum’s 71st season and Purdue University Northwest’s other upcoming events, please visit pnw.edu/sinai-forum.