How Jim Gaffigan Achieved a Net Worth of $30 Million
The comedy world is cut-throat as if everyone is trying to out-shock or out-offend each other.
Then there’s Jim Gaffigan, who’s made a nice amount of money over the years with his droll, self-deprecating humor that doesn’t require much cursing or vulgarity.
Seeing as though he’s one of the most recognized comedians in North America, it would be interesting to see exactly what Jim Gaffigan’s net worth is.
Small-Minded Towns to Big-City Dreams
In an interview with NPR.org, Jim looked back at his humble beginnings in small-town Indiana. He said that he knew that he wanted to work in the entertainment industry, but that wasn’t an acceptable goal or even dream where he lived.
Jim joked that the closest thing to any connection with the entertainment world was the local marching band.
As a teen, he fell in love with Saturday Night Live and David Lettermen, planting the seed for his future career. After college, Jim couldn’t ignore his draw to show biz and moved to New York City.
He worked in advertising, sitting in a cubicle, working as an account manager.
If you know anything about Gaffigan’s career, you know he’s come a long way from that job. In fact, he worked during the day and did stand up at night until he lost his day job for falling asleep at work.
Then Jim started working full-time to achieve his goal of being an entertainer.
Commercials and Stand-up in the Beginning
Thank goodness Jim had some savings he could live off of after getting fired, so he could take stand-up classes and practice on stage. Still, the comedian recalls that fame didn’t come fast.
In fact, he didn’t see many opportunities from his shows for around eight years.
Jim started doing commercials early on in his career. Some of the brands he promoted include:
- Saturn Cars
- Kia Cars
- Rolling Rock Beer
- Maryland Lottery
- Sierra Mist
- Blockbuster (UK)
- E-bay
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Vermont Lottery
- Comcast Cable
Gaffigan still does commercials for various brands today. Between continuing stand-up and these ads, he was able to make a modest living during the early years.
Jim Gaffigan’s Big Break From a Late-Night Legend
David Letterman is known worldwide as the host of The Late Show with David Letterman. So when Jim learned there was an opportunity to audition for a spot on the show, he jumped at the chance.
At that point, Gaffigan had faced so much rejection that he gave the audition everything he had – and it paid off. In January 1999, Jim had his first national performance.
According to NPR.org, Gaffigan feels that the industry changed their minds about him once Letterman made it clear he thought he was good.
Letterman Leads the Way to More Success for Gaffigan
Letterman liked Jim’s humor and delivery so much that he had Gaffigan help to create a sitcom for World Wide Pants (a David Letterman production company). From there, the comedian’s career gained some much-needed traction.
Is There Anything Jim Gaffigan Can’t Do?
It seems as though Jim wears many different hats in the entertainment industry. He is a comedian, actor, producer, and writer, all of which add to his net worth.
Jim’s TV and Movie Career
Many comedians try to break into acting, but not everyone can transform their performance skills into acting talent. Luckily, Jim has been very successful in both television and movies.
His television presence appears to have begun back in 1997, according to IMDB.com. Some of his work includes titles like:
- Soul Man
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
- Random Play
- Third Watch
- Welcome to New York
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Sex and the City
- The Ellen Show
- Hope and Faith
- That 70’s Show
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Law & Order
- Royal Pains
- The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Gaffigan also has an impressive list of movie titles he’s been in, including:
- Chappaquiddick
- American Dreamer
- Troop Zero
- Linoleum
- Collide
- Most Wanted
- I’ve Got Issues
- The Day Shall Come
- Drunk Parents
- Them That Follow
- 13 Going on 30
Jim also has credits as a writer, director, and producer.
While Gaffigan tends to appear in smaller roles in lesser-known films, it hasn’t hurt his income. According to TheNumbers.com, he’s made $960,435,895 worldwide with just supporting roles!
Getting to the Heart of Who Jim Gaffigan Is: A Comedian
From the beginning, Jim knew that he wanted to make people laugh. His first late-night appearance made that goal a reality and kept the momentum going with comedy specials.
Starting in 2006 and all the way through until today, his comedy specials include:
- Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale
- Jim Gaffigan: King Baby
- Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe
- Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed
- Just for Laughs: Jim Gaffigan
- Jim Gaffigan: Cinco
- Jim Gaffigan: Noble Ape
- Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time
- Jim Gaffigan: Comedy Monster
As he’s repeatedly proven, the comedian can do more than tell jokes in TV specials.
He’s also written humorous books titled:
- Jim Gaffigan: Pale Tourist
- Dad is Fat
- Food: A Love Story
Although some readers may not know that comedy albums were and continue to be a favorite way to listen to an artist’s work, Jim has a few. He’s released comedy albums called:
- Luigi’s Doghouse
- The Last Supper
- Beyond the Pale
- Mr. Universe
- Noble Ape
If you’re on the go but still want to have some laughs, most of Jim’s work in television and books are available to listen to across multiple platforms.
Is Jim Gaffigan on Social Media?
Even though the comedian might not seem like someone into using social media, he’s smart enough to be available across multiple platforms. You can follow him on:
Of course, his profiles can generate some extra income. His social media is also a great way to get some laughs when you need them throughout the day.
Even More Opportunities to See Jim Perform
If you want to connect with everything Jim has to offer, you’ll want to check out his website. You can his tour dates, see the titles of his comedy specials, get his books, and see about his TV show.
You can also stock up on some Jim Gaffigan merch if you’re inclined.
Jim’s Never Too Big to Give Back
Beginning when the US was at the height of the pandemic, Jim’s family decided to stream their dinners together, titling the series, Dinner With the Gaffigans.
You know that these streamed meals were full of laughter and gave viewers a break from the reality of what was going on in the country.
It’s worth noting that the Gaffigans didn’t stream their dinners for profit. Instead, they used the opportunity to make a fundraiser to help healthcare workers. A man must be humble, generous, and financially secure to do that.
So What Does Jim Gaffigan’s Net Worth Add Up To?
Gaffigan has an estimated net worth of $30 million. He’s considered to be one of the highest-paid comedians on earth. In fact, he was named one of Forbes’ top ten comedians in 2019 alongside Jeff Dunham, Amy Schumer, Trevor Noah, Aziz Ansari, and other famous comedy stars.
Even considering the many ways he’s able to bring in money, it’s still impressive that he’s worth $30 million.
It’s worth mentioning that Jim does a lot of work with his wife, Jeannie Noth Gaffigan. She’s a comedy writer and producer for much of her husband’s work. Her contributions to his life and career will have positively impacted his overall net worth today.
You can also read:
- How Jerry Seinfeld Achieved a Net Worth of $950 Million
- How Dave Chappelle Achieved a Net Worth of $60 Million
- How Chris Rock Achieved a Net Worth of $60 Million
- How Aziz Ansari Achieved a Net Worth of $18 Million
- How Amy Schumer Achieved a Net Worth of $16 Million
