| Larry the Cable Guy | |
|---|---|
Larry the Cable Guy, June 10, 2007 |
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| Birth name | Daniel Lawrence Whitney |
| Born | February 17, 1963 Pawnee City, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up Television Film Radio Books |
| Nationality | 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 2 |
| Website | 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 would explore the country and immerse himself in different lifestyles, jobs and hobbies.[3] The first episode of the series aired on February 8, 2011.[4]
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According to a CMT bio, Whitney grew up on a pig farm in Pawnee City, Nebraska.[5] He went to college at the now defunct Baptist University of America.[6] He credits his roommates from Texas and Georgia for inspiring his imitation Southern accent.[7] He dropped out after his junior year after trying his hand at comedy.[7]
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.
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.
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]
A company in North Dakota developed a line of Larry the Cable Guy food products, such as boxed hamburger dinners. It is sold in Big Lots stores, and the packaging states proceeds from sales benefit his "Git-R-Done Foundation."
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.
Whitney was a radio personality on:
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[pop converts on air | US Comedy]] | US Country | US | ||
| Lord, I Apologize |
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1 | 53 | — |
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| A Very Larry Christmas |
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1 | 8 | 43 |
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| The Right to Bare Arms |
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1 | 1 | 7 |
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| Morning Constitutions |
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1 | 5 | 16 | |
| Christmastime in Larryland |
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1 | 12 | 42 | |
| On the Can |
|
7 | 50 | — | |
| Tailgate Party |
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1 | 19 | 71 | |
| The Best of Larry the Cable Guy |
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4 | 72 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
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