- Larry the Cable Guy
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Larry the Cable Guy
Larry the Cable Guy, June 10, 2007Birth name Daniel Lawrence Whitney Born February 17, 1963
Pawnee City, Nebraska, U.S.Medium Stand-up
Television
Film
Radio
BooksNationality American Years active 1991–present Genres Character comedy, redneck comedy, country comedy, observational comedy, satire Subject(s) Culture of the Southern United States, obesity, human sexuality, political correctness, self-deprecation, family, personal hygiene Influences Steve Martin,[1] Don Rickles,[1] Milton Berle,[1] Henny Youngman,[1] Jeff Foxworthy, Charlie Callas Influenced Billy the Bass Man Spouse Cara Whitney (2005–present; 2 children) Notable works and roles Blue Collar Comedy Tour
Larry McCoy in Delta Farce
Himself in Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Larry in Witless Protection
Mater in Cars and Cars 2Website Official site Daniel Lawrence Whitney (born February 17, 1963), better known by his stage name and character Larry the Cable Guy, is an American comedian, actor, and former radio personality.[2]
He is one of the co-stars of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which also includes Bill Engvall, Ron White, and Jeff Foxworthy, with whom he has starred on Blue Collar TV.
Larry the Cable Guy has released seven comedy albums, of which three have been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies. In addition, he has starred in three Blue Collar Comedy Tour-related movies, as well as in the films Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, Delta Farce, and Witless Protection. He has also provided the voice of Mater in the Disney/Pixar films Cars and Cars 2. His catchphrase, Git-R-Done!, is the title of his book.
On January 26, 2010, the TV channel History announced it was ordering a series starring Larry the Cable Guy, titled Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy, in which the comedian explores the country, immersing himself in different lifestyles, jobs and hobbies.[3] The first episode of the series aired on February 8, 2011.[4]
Contents
Early life
According to a CMT bio, Whitney grew up on a pig farm in Pawnee City, Nebraska.[5] Whitney went to college at the now defunct Baptist University of America.[6] He credits his roommates from Texas and Georgia for developing his imitation Southern accent.[7] He dropped out after his junior year after trying his hand at comedy.[7]
Career
Radio career
Whitney started his career in radio as a disc jockey in Blue Springs, Missouri. He became known in the early 1990s when he made regular radio appearances via phone on programs such as The Ron and Ron Show, The Chris Baker Show on KOOO and KEZO's The Todd and Tyler Show in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Kirk, Mark, and Lopez morning show on WIYY in Baltimore, Maryland. He was also a frequent guest on the The Johnny Dare Morning Show show on 98.9, KQRC, Kansas City. He also did appearances on WJRR in Orlando, Florida, on the Monsters in the Mid Day (presently the Monsters in the Morning), as he was a personal friend of BlackBean (Carlos Navarro) with whom he had done voice-over work. He was brought to New England on Greg and the Morning Buzz on WHEB 100.3 and WGIR 101.1 in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, respectively, doing two commentaries a week.
Stand-up career
He became famous developing the Larry character, a personality that he now maintains throughout his stage act. The Larry character has a stereotypical redneck appearance, a thick Southern accent, recounts stories about his "family," and uses, among other common expressions, his own catchphrase "Git-R-Done!" A part of Whitney's routine is his affected Southern accent. He says in interviews and in his autobiographical book GIT-R-DONE that he deliberately "turns on" the accent both on and off stage, because he may forget it if he kept his normal accent intact.[8] He uses catchphrase humor, including "Git-R-Done," "Lord, I apologize, and be with the starvin' Pygmies down there in New Guinea. Amen." and "I don't care who ya are, that's funny right there" after certain jokes. He appears in Nutrisystem commercials with Dan Marino. Marino delivers the catchphrase, "Git-R-Done," and is shown dressed in Whitney's trademark attire, including a pair of jeans, a cut off, untucked flannel shirt, and camouflage hat.
His first two comedy albums, Lord, I Apologize (2001), and The Right To Bare Arms (2005), have both been certified gold by the RIAA. A third album, Morning Constitutions, and its accompanying TV special were released in 2007.
Other work
In 2006, he was approached by Comedy Central to voice a character for an as-yet-unnamed animated series. The show would involve his character as one of two owners of a small cable channel (the other, a high-classed, high-attitude woman). A half-hour pilot was ordered by the network, but has yet to air.[9]
Whitney was roasted in a Comedy Central special on March 15, 2009.[10] During the roast he can be heard greeting roasters out of character and in his normal speaking voice, as well as being called "Dan" by Bill Engvall.
On Tuesday, February 8, 2011 the premiere of his newest travelogue series, "Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy", debuted quite successfully on the History Channel. A total of 4.1 million viewers, 1.7 million adults 25-54, tuned in, nearly doubling the total for the "Top Shot" season 2 opener.[11]
Personal life
Whitney resides in Lincoln, Nebraska. He married his wife Cara in 2005. They have two children together, a son, Wyatt (born August 2006), and a daughter, Reagan (born October 2007). In 2010, Whitney and his wife disclosed in an article that their son Wyatt has hip dysplasia.[12]
His home town of Pawnee City, Nebraska has a street named after him. Whitney also donated money to buy new theatrical equipment for the local high school.[13]
He is an avid Nebraska Cornhuskers fan and his signature camouflage hat has the Nebraska "N" emblazoned on it.
Radio shows
Whitney was a radio personality on:
- KKAR 1290 AM in Omaha, Nebraska
- KGDE 101.9 The Edge in Omaha, Nebraska
- KEZO "Z-92" in Omaha, Nebraska
- KQRC 98.9 FM "The Rock" in Kansas City
- KMYZ "Z104.5 The Edge" in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- WWRM 94.9 FM "Magic 94.9" in Tampa, Florida
- WJRR 101One in Orlando, Florida
- WDIZ in Panama City, Florida
- WPLA "Planet Radio" 107.3 in Jacksonville, Florida
- WIYY 97.9 "98 Rock" in Baltimore, Maryland
- WPYX in Albany, New York
- WHEB in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- KTPI-FM in Tehachapi, California
- WPBZ 103.1 "The Buzz" in West Palm Beach, Florida
- Blue Collar Radio on Sirius XM Radio
Discography
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)US Comedy US Country US Lord, I Apologize - Release date: October 30, 2001
- Label: Hip-O Records
1 53 — - US: Gold
A Very Larry Christmas - Release date: November 16, 2004
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 8 43 - US: Gold
The Right to Bare Arms - Release date: March 29, 2005
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 1 7 - US: Gold
Morning Constitutions - Release date: April 3, 2007
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 5 16 Christmastime in Larryland - Release date: October 3, 2007
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 12 42 On the Can - Release date: July 21, 2009
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
7 50 — Tailgate Party - Release date: September 22, 2009
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 19 71 The Best of Larry the Cable Guy - Release date: November 16, 2010
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
4 72 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart Filmography
- Larry the Cable Guy: Git-R-Done (2003)
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie (2003)
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: Rides Again (2004)
- Blue Collar TV (2004–2006) as various characters
- Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006)
- Cars (2006) as Mater
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One For the Road (2006)
- Delta Farce (2007) as Larry
- Witless Protection (2008) as Deputy Larry Stalder
- Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales (2008–2011) as Mater
- Comedy Central Roast (2009)
- Larry the Cable Guy: Tailgate Party (2010)
- Cars 2 (2011) as Mater
Notes
- ^ a b c d Biography for Larry the Cable Guy at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. http://movies.nytimes.com/person/357943/Larry-the-Cable-Guy/biography. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ "History orders Larry the Cable Guy series". Reuters. Jan. 26, 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/01/27/us-history-idUSTRE60Q0PB20100127.
- ^ "Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy – episodes". History Channel. http://www.history.com/shows/only-in-america-with-larry-the-cable-guy/episodes/.
- ^ "Cmt.com". Cmt.com. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/guy_larry_the_cable/bio.jhtml. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ Curtis, Bryan (November 2, 2005). "America's favorite redneck. By Bryan Curtis". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2129296. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ a b "Guffaw Guys". The Washington Post. September 5, 2004. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59508-2004Sep3?language=printer. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ An Interview with Larry the Cable Guy, Dead-Frog.com, June 15, 2005
- ^ "Basic Cable Guy: Pilot At Comedy Central – Network Has Ordered Half-Hour Animated TV Show Starring 'Blue Collar' Comedian", HollywoodReporter.com, December 13, 2006
- ^ "Comedy Central To Rip More Than Flannel Sleeves – Network To Roast Larry The Cable Guy". Comedycentral.com. May 26, 2011. http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2009/010709_roastannouncement_larry.jhtml. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/02/09/only-in-america-with-larry-the-cable-guy-premieres-to-4-1-million-viewers-top-shot-s2-premieres-to-2-8-million/82138/
- ^ Donaldson, Catherine (October 1, 2010). "Tiny Son of 'Larry the Cable Guy' Battled Hip Disorder". Aolhealth.com. http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/10/01/tiny-son-of-larry-the-cable-guy-battled-hip-disorder/. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ Jeff Korbelik / Gzo (July 3, 2009). "Larry the Cable Guy still has hometown pride". Journalstar.com. http://journalstar.com/entertainment/arts-and-culture/article_6815bb36-4c79-53b5-a5a1-ac6fca22b290.html. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Larry the Cable Guy at the Internet Movie Database
- Interview with Larry the Cable Guy about 'Cars 2'
Blue Collar Comedy Jeff Foxworthy · Larry the Cable Guy · Bill Engvall · Ron White · Reno Collier · Juston McKinney · Jamie Kaler · John Caparulo Blue Collar Comedy Tour · Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie · Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again · Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the RoadCategories:- American stand-up comedians
- People from Pawnee County, Nebraska
- Entertainers from Nebraska
- Warner Bros. Records artists
- 1963 births
- Living people
- American voice actors
- American video game actors
- American film actors
- American comedy musicians
- American male singers
- Actors from Nebraska
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