6 minute read
Q & A With Jimmy Dunn
Big, Loud, Boston
In their own words ... with Jimmy Dunn
By Elisa Gonzales Verdi
Comedian Jimmy Dunn has had New England in stitches since the early days of his career. From putting 70,000 miles on his car to make it to open mic nights and passing out flyers in a lobster costume to get a gig, to performing at the Kowloon on Route 1 and comedy clubs worldwide, to gigs on “Conan” and more, the Hampton resident has worked tirelessly to solidify himself as a Boston comedy legend.
Dunn’s booming voice and Boston accent have landed him two roles in Hollywood. The first was “The McCarthys,” a sitcom that debuted in 2014 and focused on a sports-loving Boston family. Dunn played the family’s loud, washed-up former athlete brother, which put his foot in the door for his current project, playing Moose, a Boston firefighter, on the recently rebooted “Frasier.” Dunn is having the time of his life on the set of the beloved sitcom, playing to live studio audiences and making the nation laugh.
New Hampshire Magazine (NHM): Both of your shows, “Frasier” and “The McCarthys,” take place in Boston. What is the difference between real Boston and Hollywood Boston?
Jimmy Dunn (JD): First of all, really bad accents. They don’t know how to do the accent. They think somebody from New Jersey is close enough sometimes. That’s how I got into this, is because in both cases, they were looking for somebody that has the authentic New England accent. And (someone that) understands that Boston brand of funny. That’s how I got my foot in the door on both of these. I kind of have a reputation on stage doing stand-up — I play this big, not so bright guy with a heavy Boston accent, which is not very far from me. It’s not a lot of acting. I play that character, and they don’t need that character in Hollywood a lot. But when they do, they know who to call. I’m in that conversation.
NHM: Would you say that you and your character, Moose, are similar?
JD: Very similar — it’s crazy. When I saw the audition, they were looking for a big firefighter. Not very bright or funny, and I checked all of those boxes. My uncle was a firefighter, and when I was a kid, I ate half of my meals in the firehouse — they would feed me all the time! There’s an episode where we’re cooking with Frasier, and that was just so cool. Like, I did this with my uncle, you know? So, I already have that authenticity.
NHM: You said in an interview with the Boston Globe in 2014 that, “playing dumb is paying off.” Would you say that still reflects who you are?
JD: 100%. It’s kind of my trademark. I’m the big, loud husband on stage when I’m doing stand-up. I’m on the radio every week, and I’m this big booming voice that comes through. People will hear me and go “Oh, hey Jimmy’s here!” I’ve always liked that, and that’s part of being a stand-up comic. I’m always playing — that’s how I develop material! When I started doing stand-up, I was more sort of the quiet wiseass. Then, I became a bit louder. When I started doing stand-up, if you weren’t loud and in charge and funny, really quick, you weren’t on stage very long. The Boston comedians were, and still are, some of the best in the world. But you had to really grab some attention. It’s the same with an audition: You gotta make an impression.
NHM: Has your stand-up changed since doing sitcoms? Sitcoms and stand-up are different kinds of comedy. Do they have an effect on each other?
JD: When you get an audition for a sitcom, even just when you’re on a sitcom, they give you a couple of lines. You know, it’s a joke. There’s a setup and a punchline, and maybe someone else is doing the setup, and then you’re doing the punchline. But, it’s a joke. Stand-up is a great way to practice those little moments, to get better at that. When you learn to become a character on stage and act more, it makes for a better performance. I love when I have a bit that I can act out a little bit more on stage, instead of just standing there telling jokes. I’m on this sitcom with people that went to Juilliard and people that went to Harvard, and people that are trained actors. I learned how to act in the back of a Chinese restaurant on Route 1. I learned how to turn a joke to make it funnier, which I think that’s why stand-up comics are great comic actors.
NHM: Is that still intimidating?
JD: It still is, but it goes away. The first scene that I got to do in the new “Frasier” was a scene in a bar. I’m in a scene with Kelsey Grammer, and they’re walking me down to get set up for the scene and playing the warm-up music. They’re keeping the audience entertained — and oh, it’s live (that’s the best part, the coolest part). There are 250 people in the bleachers, and I was like, “Wow, I am in the deep end right here, man. This is pretty amazing.”
NMH: Do you and other New England and New Hampshire comedians ever hang out? Do you have a club in LA?
JD: We used to go to Dane Cook’s house all the time, and it was a bunch of Boston guys watching ball. I have a lot of Boston friends out there, and when the Celtics play the Lakers, we’re all there. One night a few years ago on a Saint Patrick’s show at Hollywood Improv, it was Joe Rogan, Bill Burr, Greg Fitzsimmons, me and a couple of other guys from Boston, and those nights, forget it, just hanging with the boys and telling old stories. It’s a blast.
NHM: What are your upcoming goals, aspirations, ambitions? What are you hoping is next?
JD: My biggest goal is hopefully getting to do a second season of “Frasier.” I grew up watching “Cheers.” I’m a monster “Cheers” fan, and I would have never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be on a show with some of those folks. If this phone rings, and it’s Kelsey and he says, “Saddle up, Moose, we’re doing another one,” that’s the ultimate. This is, far and beyond, the coolest gig I’ve ever had. Just to be a small part of “Frasier,” and get a couple of laughs in an episode of that show? Coolest thing you could imagine.
