Jim David
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Jim David is an American
stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
, actor and writer. He is originally from
Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
, and lives in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. David has released five albums on
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, most recently 2021's ''Gay Jokes For Straight Cruisers'', which reached No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart.


Early life

David was born and raised in
Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
. His parents were heavily involved in local theater, and as a youth David appeared in many shows at the Tanglewood Children's Theater and Asheville Community Theater, starting as a munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz''. He graduated from
Furman University Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...
in 1976 with a degree in drama. He began graduate school at
Southern Methodist University , mottoeng = "The truth will make you free" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = SACS , academic_affiliations = , religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church , president = R. Gerald Turner , prov ...
, but left to pursue acting in New York City. Before turning to comedy full-time, David was a high school drama teacher in Long Island, sold office supplies, and, he told one interviewer, "I did singing telegrams dressed as a chicken or a pink gorilla."


Career

David began performing stand-up in 1986, after several years as an actor in mostly
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
shows in New York. Describing David's comedy style, critic Richard Lanoie of The Serious Comedy Site said that his "forte is everyday observational comedy with a penchant for the absurd", and praised him as "a bit of a chameleon" for his ability to create and inhabit different characters. While his material is not heavily political, David does not avoid political topics, such as abortion, religious fundamentalism, and LGBT issues.


Television and film

David came out onstage in the 1990s. In 2000, he became the first openly gay male comedian to have his own Comedy Central special, with his appearance on ''
Comedy Central Presents ''Comedy Central Presents'' is an American stand-up comedy television series created for Comedy Central. It is the network's main half-hour program which highlights either one or a series of stand-up comedians each episode. In 2011, the series e ...
'', which aired December 10, 2000. From 2002 to 2004, he was a regular guest on ''
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn ''Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn'' is a comedic talk show which aired on Comedy Central from 2002 to 2004. The show featured host Colin Quinn and a panel of comedian guests, discussing politics, current events, and social issues. Show history and ...
''. He was a comedy consultant in 2004 on ''
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy ''Queer Eye'' is an American reality television series that premiered on the cable television network Bravo in July 2003. Originally ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'', the title was later shortened to broaden the overall scope. The series was cre ...
''. He has also appeared on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...
'', '' The View'', HLN’s ''
The Joy Behar Show ''Joy Behar: Say Anything!'' was an American news program and talk show hosted by Joy Behar. The program had its "Preview" while Behar filled in as a week-long host on '' Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer'' on June 18, 2012, and officially premiered ...
,'' ''
Star Search ''Star Search'' was an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versio ...
'', A&E's ''Evening at the Improv'',
AXS TV AXS TV is an American cable television channel. Majority-owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it is devoted primarily to music-related programming (such as concert films, documentaries, and reality series involving musicians) and combat sport ...
's ''Gotham Comedy Live'', BBC America's ''The World Stands Up'', Bravo’s ''Great Things About Being...'', and on MTV, Showtime, and VH1. He appeared in the 1994
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
-produced film ''
Radioland Murders ''Radioland Murders'' is a 1994 American comedy thriller film directed by Mel Smith and executive produced by George Lucas. ''Radioland Murders'' is set in the 1939 atmosphere of old-time radio and pays homage to the screwball comedy films of the ...
''.


Stage

David made his Broadway debut in the 1994 musical ''
The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public ''The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public'' is a musical with a book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is a sequel to the 1978 musical ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas''. Plot Hoping to recover $26 m ...
'' as the Las Vegas emcee, listed in the credits as "Comedian." He appears on the
Varèse Sarabande Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, owned by Concord Music Group and distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums, as well as newer r ...
Original Cast Recording. David wrote most of his own part, drawing on his stand-up experience. In 2010, David wrote, produced and starred in the one-man show ''South Pathetic'', about a doomed production of ''
A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of person ...
'' at a small Southern community theater, in which David plays himself and 10 other characters. He has performed the show across the country, including the
New York International Fringe Festival The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, was a fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It took place over the course of a few weeks in October, spread on more than 20 stages across seve ...
, and the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival. The New York Times called the show "rich with Southern flavor" and David "a tirelessly gregarious trouper." David won a
Bistro Award ''Backstage'', also previously written as ''Back Stage'', is an American entertainment industry trade publication. Founded by Allen Zwerdling and Ira Eaker in 1960, it covers the film and performing arts industry from the perspective of performer ...
in 1998, honoring his work as a cabaret and comedy performer. He is a three-time winner and nine-time nominee of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets' award for best stand-up comedian.


Other work

In 2012, he released a novel, ''You'll Be Swell'' (Trumbull Press), about a struggling actress who falls off a cruise ship, which begins a chain reaction that makes her famous. He was a frequent contributor to the
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
and '' The Advocate''. From 2011 to 2014, David hosted the podcast ''Jim David's Icons'', a series of conversations with people from the worlds of theater, comedy and politics.


Albums

''Gay Jokes'' was recorded in March 2020 on a tourist cruise ship to Spain. ''The Interrobang'' called it "intimate, international, irrepressible comedy
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
stands up for comedians’ rights to say what they want." The Serious Comedy Site's Lanoie called it "an absolute blast". Bobby Patrick of
BroadwayWorld BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City covering Broadway, Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres ...
called it "a crazy quilt of hilarity" that showcased David's rapport with his audience.
Cindy Adams Cynthia "Cindy" Adams (née Heller) is an American gossip columnist and writer. She is the widow of comedian/humorist Joey Adams. Early life and education Adams was an only child raised by her mother after her parents divorced. Marriage to J ...
of New York gossip column Page Six congratulated David on the album, writing, "On a nine-day Florida to Spain ship schlep — 4,100 passengers for a last cruise last March — Jim David scratched out ''Gay Jokes for Straight Cruisers''. In quick time the comedy album’s already No. 1 on iTunes. Beats recordings Caruso ever put out." David has released four other albums on Stand Up!, including expanded versions of his self-released discs, ''Live From Jimville'' and ''Eat Here and Get Gas''. Lanoie called ''Live From Jimville'' "very enjoyable" and reminiscent of Rodney Dangerfield. Jake Austen of ''Roctober'' magazine, reviewing his first three albums, was slightly less positive, calling David "a confident, veteran comic" but stating he found his material "charmingly lame".


Personal life

David has been with his husband for more than 30 years. He lives in New York.


See also

*
Fire Island Pines Fire Island Pines (often referred to as ''The Pines'', simply ''Pines'', or ''FIP'') is a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on Fire Island, a barrier island separated from the southern side ...
*
LGBT culture in New York City New York City is home to one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the world and the most prominent. Brian Silverman, the author of ''Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day,'' wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most power ...
*
List of LGBT people from New York City New York City is home to one of the largest LGBT populations in the world and the most prominent. Brian Silverman, the author of ''Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day,'' writes that the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most ...


Discography

*Jim David, ''Gay Jokes for Straight Cruisers'' (
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, 2021) *Various Artists, ''Pride Parade Of Standup, Volume 1'', (digital download, Virtual Comedy Network, 2020) *Jim David, ''Hard to Swallow'' (
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, 2015) *Jim David, ''Notorious F.A.G.'' (
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, 2010) *Jim David, ''Live From Jimville'' (self-released 2003, re-released on
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, 2008) *Jim David, ''Eat Here and Get Gas'' (self-released 2000, re-released on
Stand Up! Records Stand Up! Records is an American independent comedy record label founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Grammy-winning producer Dan Schlissel. It has been called "the country's most respected indie comedy label." Stand Up! has released more than 20 ...
, 2007)


References


External links


Official Jim David websiteJim David at Stand Up! Records website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:David, Jim American stand-up comedians Furman University alumni Living people Writers from Asheville, North Carolina Southern Methodist University alumni 21st-century American comedians Stand Up! Records artists 1954 births 20th-century American comedians American gay actors Gay comedians American gay writers LGBT people from North Carolina Comedians from North Carolina LGBT people from New York (state) Comedians from New York (state) American podcasters American male comedians People from North Carolina People from New York (state) American LGBT comedians