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Git-R-Done Larry the Cable Guy has returned to the stage BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Now that concerts and appearances have resumed, Larry the Cable Guy is getting it done, touring the United States. He hits the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino’s Ovations Live stage at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, December 11. “Live performing is fun and it’s good to get back on stage,” says Daniel Whitney, his real name. “It just seems like yesterday I was knocking old women over trying to get the last roll of toilet paper and here I am on stage.” Some have seen the pandemic as a way to reevaluate their lives. Whitney says not much has changed about his performance. He touches on similar subjects with a slight injection of pandemic-inspired material. “It’s good to see some normalcy especially in Florida,” Whitney says about recent shows. “It was like the good ol’ days
in 2019. It’s good to see people out and being American, that’s what’s awesome about it. “Obviously if you are a comedian, you’re going to have to do jokes about lockdown and social distancing and all kinds of stuff. I do a lot of jokes about that. A lot of new material came out of that and then the rest of it is new takes on the regular topics: family, kids, Walmart, flying, shopping weather. You name it, I do it. County fairs, rodeos, doctor visits, health issues, all of that kind of stuff.” The pandemic’s quarantine was hard on some. The running joke is the COVID-19 15, referring to weight gain from sitting around, not being able to exercise. Whitney’s weight fluctuated, but he said it was hard “going out looking the way I do.” “Most people had a rough time with the pandemic putting on so forth and so on,” Whitney says. “I got younger, more
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muscular. “I don’t want to feel like I am showing off or bragging, I’ll wear a fat suit a little extra 35-pound fat suit so you can’t really tell I lost weight, so I look kind of the same,” he adds jokingly. Whitney is well known for his observational comedy among his other work as part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour with Bill Engvall, Ron White and Jeff Foxworthy. He also voiced Mater in the “Cars” franchise. “I’ve been doing this a long time and still my favorite thing to do is just get on stage in front of people that like to come and watch me,” Whitney says. “I’m just a bunch of goofy one liners, and I like making people laugh. Just the fact that they are coming out is awesome.” These days, Whitney is cutting back on shows. He only performs about 22 times a year as he wants to be around his family. “This is the best part of their school years — eighth to 12th grade,” he says about his kids. “I just love performing but I have a regular life. I’m a dad, I’ve got a couple of kids and an awesome wife. Once I get off the stage, I’ve got a regular life like everybody else so it is kind of cool to get out there and play star for a weekend and I enjoy it.” That said, Whitney is excited to be back on stage and making people laugh. “There is just something about telling a joke and people are laughing,” Whitney says. “You write a joke and rework it and go on stage and people are laughing at it. “I like people. I enjoy making people laugh. I always have.”
Looking ahead 24
During the November 12 Disney+ Day, the company announced that Whitney|
DECEMBER 2021
Larry the Cable Guy returns to Arizona for two performances on Saturday, December 11 at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino’s Ovations Live stage. (Submitted photo)
and Owen Wilson will return as Mater and Lighting McQueen, respectively, for a new series for the streaming network called “Cars on the Road” slated for a fall 2022 release. “It is really cool and I’m glad about that,” Whitney says about the new project. “Pixar has been good to me. Everybody there is so awesome to work with and I’m not hard to work with.” He also says he was working on a Christmas “Cable Guy advent calendar.” “We’ve got 19 but I need five more shirtless pictures,” Whitney says. “I have me laying in a thing of pumpkins shirtless with the American flag shortie shorts and just different poses.” Rest assured, he made it a point to say “I hope you know I’m kidding about the calendar. I’m just doing the ‘Cars’ thing and hanging out with my family and that’s about it and making people laugh.”
MORE INFO
What: Larry the Cable Guy When: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, December 11 Where: Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino Ovations Live Showroom, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler Cost: Tickets start at $37 Info: playatgila.com, larrythecableguy.com www.LovinLife.com
