Ethics

Youtube Gems: Jim Wiggins

By Ed Brayton

Jim Wiggins is a comedian's comedian. Not a comic's comic, which means someone who makes other comics laugh but bombs with the audience, but a comedian's comedian. He's one of the true old troopers, a guy who's been doing comedy for 40 years anywhere he could find an audience. He has an ease in front of an audience and an ease inside his own skin that are truly amazing to see. He is also absolutely one of the kindest, most generous and most interesting people I have ever met in my life. Some of the fondest memories of my days as a comic were just listening to Jim tell stories in that incredible voice he has. And his act is just indescribable. He tells very few jokes, he just kind of stands there and talks to the audience like a conversation. And somehow you end up laughing without any punchlines. It's really quite incredible to watch. If you ever get a chance to see him live, don't miss it.

A few years ago he got a shot on Last Comic Standing. He didn't make it to the final group, but he left a mark and finally got some well-deserved attention. Here's a Youtube clip about that experience:

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on September 27, 2008 (boomark / email).