A good comedian is the one who makes you laugh.
A great joke is the one that comes from a deep understanding of reality… so you can twist it, bend it, fold it; and come up with it.
If you have five kids you really understand what is like to be a father. The challenges, rewards, financial cost, time cost, and all there is to know about being a father. If you add to the mix that the father of this afore mention five kids is a comedian, then you have a Jim Gaffigan.
Jim Gaffigan is a Family friendly comedian, he laughs a lot about himself, a really funny person and a great dad (in spite of all of his limitations). Truly devoted to spend time with his wife and kids. Jim is an actor, writer, stand up comedian, Twitter celebrity and a Catholic.
I discovered Jim while he played a small role in the “That 70's Show” series. Some years later, browsing in iTunes I found a movie called “Mr Universe”. The joke was right there. I remember start watching the preview, to stop after just 10 seconds to rent it. It was really good. I laughed so hard watching it that I felt renting it wasn’t enough, that I end up buying it.
I forgot about him for some time, until one day I looked for him on Twitter. Turn out to be a good idea, and a bad one. Good, well, you should follow him. Bad: It is hard to buy his material in México. I discovered his book "Dad is Fat" while he started promoting it on Twitter. Based on my previous experience with the movie, I decided to buy the book at the first opportunity. Since I'm not very fond of reading on the iPad (or iPhone or Mac), I had to buy the book. The problem was that it is not in stores in Mexico. So, after a few months, gave up on it.
Later that year I went to Las Vegas and bought Dad is Fat at a Barnes and Noble.
Once I started to read, I come to realize that this is the kind of book that was not done by one person. Dad is Fat is the result of a team work. After a little research (meaning I read the book dedication and acknowledgment) I discovered the great and positive impact Jim’s wife, Jeannie, has on his work. She helps him, work together and produces his shows. They are a team, they are... well, married. This team work can be seen on the book and on what the book talks about: their kids. They truly love them, and care about them. Their kids are part of the “Team Gaffigan”.
Dad is Fat is not a novel, it is more like a reference book. Each Chapter tells about a situation of the reality of having kids… in an exponential level, because they have five (5, cinco) kids. This is a true testimony of the substance of the book. They are not making up or forcing situations, they really lived those situations. Another great thing about this chapters is the convenience of going back to them. You can open the book, find the chapter you want, and read it. Because each chapter open and close the topic it is about. For example, there are chapters like: "You're going to miss this", "We need bread" or "Naps are payday loans".
This truly understanding of life with kids was particularly special for me on the chapter "Are you done yet?". He compared the constant questions of wanting to know if they will have another kid, to when people ask childless matrimonies, when they will have their first kid. He mention some friends that could not have kids, and what a bother those questions might have been. Well, my wife and I went through the same. And we never liked those questions. I know people meant well when they asked, but they still were out of place. It was very interesting to read that on Dad is Fat.
Important to mention this: You will laugh a lot while reading it. In my case, I don’t have five kids (I have one). But I do have 4 sisters and one brother, so the stories about McDonalds and Disneyland were specially funny remembering our family trips.
Another characteristic of the book is that you feel like you were sitting at a place were Jim would have a standing up routine or show. The book feels as if Jim is talking to you. I could hear his voice in my head while I read it. I know it sounds weird, but it really happened to me.
Dad is Fat is a great book. The best part about it might be the fact that it gets better as you read it. Final chapters are the best of the book.
Greetings!
Ficha técnica
Título completo: Dad is Fat
Autor: Jim Gaffigan
Editorial: Crown Archetype
Año: 2013
Páginas: 273
ISBN: 978-0-385-34905-5
