It didn't occur to me till Otto's death and today's show, but Jim's whole characters shtick is probably pretty inspired by Otto and George.
0 2014-04-17 by [deleted]
Probably not just being a fan of Otto's act, but knowing Otto as a close friend, Jim likely picked up on the whole ventriloquism angle of pretending the character you're creating isn't really you, to get away with things you usually couldn't. And not just for punchlines like people doing characters or impressions to tell jokes, but as a running character gag, where there's a constant suspension of disbelief that he is or is not really the character, for the gag. As well as using the characters to say much more grotesque things than you could usually go into depth about without using a villainous character, like, uncle paul and the whole child-prostitution ring thing.
10 comments
2 bu77munch 2014-04-17
Are you going to elaborate?
1 [deleted] 2014-04-17
[deleted]
1 egregis_philbin 2014-04-17
You just copied and pasted your original post.
2 spinuch 2014-04-17
This is a brilliant thought. I'd like to hear somebody call in and ask if this has any truth to it.
Edit: it makes it easier to say awful things. Maybe he saw otto doing it and realized that.
2 [deleted] 2014-04-17
Honestly, I really doubt it. It would be a nice tribute, but I don't think it has anything to do with Otto. Steve from Yellowstone was his first character, and Steve C basically made that up.
1 [deleted] 2014-04-17
[deleted]
0 [deleted] 2014-04-17
Then no, Jimmy has nothing to do with that. The closest character to that would be Uncle Paul, but it's not a dueling personality, more like him being a radio actor.
The only thing that really resembles what you're talking about that I've heard on the radio would be old Howard Stern or Ant at WNEW interviewing an impression they were doing.
2 PureHufflepuff 2014-04-17
Jim kinda says what he wants on air anyhow, but it may have very well been a large influence that even he hasn't realized yet. He might use the characters more in real life to "say what he can't say." They would afford a person the same freedom that having a mic in front of them does.
1 JMueller2012 2014-04-17
Jim doesn't let other comedians influence him
0 nolasen 2014-04-17
I don't know about Otto's inspiration, but chip is a guy who cracks terrible jokes, interrupts and derails, one-ups and tags everybody's jokes or stories, and validates how much of a bad motherfucker he is with make believe stories. Just always reminded me of someone.
2 humblebrag 2014-04-17
Well. Who does it remind you of?!
[guy who doesn't get the bit]
1 nolasen 2014-04-17
My mom.