For Jim Breuer, stand-up comedy is a crass and priceless art form.
"It's probably the only thing you'll see live that's unedited and completely raw," he said. "You just don't know what you're getting when you go see live comedy, and I love that."
Breuer's breakout was his 1995-1998 stint on "Saturday Night Live," where one of his characters was the memorable-yet-slightly annoying Goat Boy.
"I was just a blue collar kid and then the next thing you know I was with the biggest stars and rock bands in the world," he said about his early success. "I always had one foot back home in awe as a fan, and then I had my other foot in waiting to get up to the plate and smash a homerun."
After "SNL," Breuer co-starred with Dave Chapelle in the cult stoner comedy Half-Baked and soon after, ventured back into stand-up. In the early 2000s, Breuer toured heavily and made various television and film appearances. When he got married and had kids he took on a hosting gig for Sirius Radio, which allowed him to stay at home with his family.
In 2008, Breuer decided it was time to return to the stand-up circuit. While on the road he filled much of his free time writing anecdotes he later compiled in his book, I'm Not High (But I've Got a Lot of Crazy Stories about Life as a Goat Boy, a Dad, and a Spiritual Warrior).
With all on his plate, however, he feels it's time to ease up on the touring once again.
"I'm getting older, my wife has breast cancer, my oldest daughter is going into high school," Breuer said. "To me, it's about being a family warrior first. You've got to set an example and you've got to be there. And if you've got to cut back, you've got to cut back."
Breuer still plans on touring, but he will be ditching small comedy clubs and bars in favor of performing arts centers and larger venues. During LaughFest he'll be performing a clean set of jokes at the Fountain Street Church. And who knows? He might break out Goat Boy or his iconic Joe Pesci impression. Remember, when it comes to comedy you never know what to expect.
