'Beyond the Pale' show goes beyond expectations

It was almost midnight and exhaustion was starting to get to Jim Gaffigan. Following his show at the IU Auditorium Thursday night, Gaffigan held a meet-and-greet session for his fans. He spent more time talking to his fans than actually performing for them. After spending more than two hours shaking hands and talking, Gaffigan showed signs of being tired. For a guy who reiterates his laziness throughout his act it is surprising he lasted as long as he did.\n"I've been hanging around for a while," Gaffigan said, "and people have paid over $30 to come and see me and I think it's worth shaking their hand if they want to do it. But it is pretty exhausting. My show was an hour and 15 minutes and then the meet-and-greet was two hours and 10 minutes."\nHis show started after standup comedian Rich Brooks performed for half an hour. Incorporating new material with old, Gaffigan was well-received by the audience consisting mostly of college students.\nHe started with an unusual, high-pitched voice (the voice of a confused audience member). \n"I thought he'd be pale like on that CD where he looked like a pedophile," Gaffigan said, while playing the part of the disappointed and confused audience member.\nRight after this, a new voice was introduced. This voice, which was deeper and ruder, was only interested in Hot Pocket jokes. Eventually, the voices subsided and the real Jim Gaffigan began to discuss random, everyday topics.\n"The way he's approaching comedy is that he's taking serious issues about what's wrong with the world and making them funny," sophomore Toni Richardson said.\nLaziness, lethargy and food were themes throughout the night and most of the jokes were brand new.\nGaffigan had a way of turning everyday things into comedic gold, all without being vulgar or inappropriate.\n"He zinged me twice," said Mike Carey, former IU student and Little 500 cyclist. "I'm from Gary and I was in Little 500," he added, referring to two jokes that Gaffigan told where he said cyclists are gay and sarcastically claimed that Gary is a beautiful place.\n"There's a different kind of energy that is specific to Indiana, but I think, also, it's a combination of a bunch of good variables," Gaffigan said. "You know--Indiana, college town and a great theater--all those things are great."\nAfter his show, Gaffigan, who was born in Chesterton, Ind., seemed genuinely excited to be conversing and joking with his Midwestern fans.\n"It's always good to do shows in Indiana. There's this specific material I can do about Indiana, that I can't do, or some of the irony's lost"