Larry the Cable Guy

Larry the Cable Guy

Larry on June 10, 2007
Birth name Daniel Lawrence Whitney
Born (1963-02-17) February 17, 1963
Pawnee City, Nebraska, U.S.
Medium Stand-up comedy
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, food, heartburn
Influences Milton Berle[1]
Steve Martin[1]
Don Rickles[1]
Henny Youngman[1]
Influenced Billy the Bass Man
Spouse Cara Whitney (m. 2005)[2][3]
Children 2
Notable works and roles Blue Collar Comedy Tour
Larry McCoy in Delta Farce
Himself in Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector and Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy
Larry in Witless Protection
Mater in Cars, Cars 2, Cars 3, Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, and Mater and the Ghostlight
Website Official site

Daniel Lawrence Whitney (born February 17, 1963), known professionally by his stage name Larry the Cable Guy, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, former radio personality and comedian.[4]

He was one of the members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which included Bill Engvall, Ron White, and Jeff Foxworthy (with whom he has starred on Blue Collar TV).

Larry 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 films, as well as in Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, Delta Farce, and Witless Protection, as well as voicing Mater in the Cars franchise. Whitney's catchphrase "Git-R-Done!" is also the title of his book.

On January 26, 2010, the TV channel History announced that it was ordering a series starring Whitney called Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy, in which he would explore the country and immerse himself in different lifestyles, jobs, and hobbies.[5] The first episode of the series aired on February 8, 2011.[6] The series finale aired August 28, 2013.

Early life

Whitney was born Daniel Lawrence Whitney in Pawnee City, Nebraska on February 17, 1963, where he was raised on a pig farm.[7] He is the son of Tom Whitney, a guitarist, entertainer, and Christian minister, and Shirley Whitney.[8] Whitney attended high school at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the late 1970s through 1980[9][10][11] where his father was The King's Academy's elementary school principal.[12]

Whitney graduated from Berean Christian School in West Palm Beach in 1982.[13] He went to college at Baptist University of America, and the University of Nebraska. He credits his roommates from Texas and Georgia for inspiring his imitation Southern accent.[14] He dropped out after his junior year after trying his hand at comedy.[14]

Career

Radio career

Whitney started his career in radio in the early 1990s when he made regular radio appearances via phone on the nationally syndicated program, The Ron and Ron Show, as well as other radio shows such as "The Bob and Tom show" The Chris Baker Show on KDGE 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 Johnny Dare Morning Show on 98.9/KQRC, Kansas City.

He also appeared on WJRR in Orlando, Florida. He was brought to New England on Greg and the Morning Buzz on WHEB 100.3 and WGIR-FM 101.1 in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, respectively, doing two commentaries a week.

Stand-up career

He became famous after developing the Larry character, a personality that he now maintains throughout his stage act. The Larry character has a stereotypical redneck appearance and a thick Southern accent, recounts stories about his "family," and uses, among other common expressions, his own catchphrase "Git-R-Done!".

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.[15] He uses catchphrase humor, including "Lord, I apologize, and be with the starvin' Pygmies in New Guinea. Amen" after telling jokes of questionable taste; and, "I don't care who ya are, that's funny right there" after jokes that evoke roarious laughter.

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.

Other work

Whitney was roasted in a Comedy Central special on March 15, 2009.[16]

On February 8, 2011, the première of his newest travelogue series, Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy, was broadcast 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.[17] During season two in the episode "Larry Goes To Washington", Whitney was the first on-air talent from a non-news crew allowed in the War Room, also known as the Command Center, as he explained during the program.

June 2012 Disneyland's California Adventure theme park's "Cars Land" features a ride called "Mater's Junkyard Jamboree" that features Whitney's voice as his character Mater from the Disney/Pixar Cars movies.[18]

Bektrom Foods of North Dakota developed a line of Larry the Cable Guy food products, such as boxed hamburger dinners, with some of the proceeds from its sales benefiting the "Git-R-Done Foundation".[19][20]

Personal life

Whitney resides in Lincoln, Nebraska, on a 180-acre (73 ha) farm. On July 3, 2005, he married his wife. They have two children together: a son (born August 2, 2006) and a daughter (born October 29, 2007). His hometown of Pawnee City, Nebraska, has a street named after him. Whitney also donated money to buy new theatrical equipment for the local high school.[21]

Whitney is an avid Nebraska Cornhuskers football fan. His signature camouflage hat has the University of Nebraska-Lincoln nickname "HUSKERS" emblazoned on it which can be seen in the 2007 film Delta Farce. He is also frequently seen with a gold Nebraska "N" on a chain around his neck.

In September 2010, Whitney donated $5 million to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida. The gift was for further development of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute at the Orlando hospital. After Dr. Chad Price at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children helped cure their son, Wyatt, of his dysplasia when he was an infant, Whitney and his wife, Cara, made private donations to the hospital and Whitney raised money through appearances on Family Feud and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?.

The hospital opened a new wing called the "Wyatt Whitney Wing" in May 2012.[22]

Whitney is close friends with contemporary comedian Lewis Black, despite dissimilar political views, background, and material they perform in their stand-up routines.[23]

Radio shows

Whitney was a radio personality on Blue Collar Radio on Sirius XM Radio.

Discography

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US Comedy US Country US
Law and Disorder[24]
  • Release date: 1995
  • Label: Self-released
Salutations and Flatulations[25]
  • Release date: 1997
  • Label: DJT Records
Lord, I Apologize
  • Release date: October 30, 2001
  • Label: Hip-O Records
1 53
A Very Larry Christmas
  • Release date: November 16, 2004
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 8 43
  • US: Gold
The Right to Bare Arms
  • Release date: March 29, 2005
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 1 7
Morning Constitutions
  • Release date: April 3, 2007
  • Label: Warner Bros. Rec
1 5 16
Christmastime in Larryland
  • Release date: October 3, 2007
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 12 42
On the CanA
  • Release date: July 21, 2009
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
7 50
Tailgate Party
  • Release date: September 22, 2009
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
1 19 71
The Best of Larry the Cable Guy
  • Release date: November 16, 2010
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
4 72
Them Idiots: Whirled Tour
(with Bill Engvall and Jeff Foxworthy)
  • Release date: March 13, 2012
  • Label: Warner Music Nashville
1 45
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie Himself Documentary
2004 Larry the Cable Guy: Git-R-Done TV movie
Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again TV documentary
2004–2006 Blue Collar TV Various 46 episodes
2006 Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector Larry Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Cars Mater Voice
Mater and the Ghostlight Short film; voice
Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road Himself TV movie
2007 Delta Farce Larry
2008 Witless Protection Deputy Larry Stalder Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Jenny McCarthy)
2008–2012 Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales Mater 11 episodes; voice
2009 The Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy Himself
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Episode: "3.13"
Larry the Cable Guy's Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau TV movie
2010 Larry the Cable Guy: Tailgate Party
2011 Cars 2 Mater Voice
2011–2013 Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy Himself
2012 Them Idiots: Whirled Tour
Tooth Fairy 2 Larry Guthrie
2013 A Madea Christmas Buddy Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Tyler Perry)
2013–present Cars Toons: Tales From Radiator Springs Mater 2 episodes; voice
2014 WWE Raw Himself 1 episode
Nominated-Slammy Award for Raw Guest Star of the Year
2014 Jingle All the Way 2 Larry Phillips Direct-to-video
2017 Cars 3 Mater Voice
As producer
Year Title Notes
2007 Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular TV movie
2011–2012 Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy 19 episodes

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Cars Mater Voice
2007 Cars Mater-National Championship
2009 Cars Race-O-Rama
2011 Cars 2
2012 Kinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure
2013 Disney Infinity
2014 Cars: Fast as Lightning
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Biography for Larry the Cable Guy at the Internet Movie Database
  2. "Larry the Cable Guy gives $5 million to hospital". Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  3. "Cara Whitney Biography". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  4. "Larry the Cable Guy". The New York Times. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  5. "History orders Larry the Cable Guy series". Reuters. January 26, 2010.
  6. "Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy – episodes". History Channel.
  7. "Larry The Cable Guy Biography". Cmt.com. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  8. "For Pig Farmer-Turned Superstar, Life is All About Faith, Family and Football - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site". Huskers.com. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
  9. "5 Reasons to See Larry the Cable Guy at the Kravis". Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  10. "The King’s Academy 1980 Yearbook, page 59" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  11. "The King’s Academy 1979 Yearbook, page 63" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  12. "The King’s Academy 1980 Yearbook, page 23" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  13. "Larry the Cable Guy brings football back to alma mater". Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  14. 1 2 William Booth (September 5, 2004). "Guffaw Guys". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  15. An Interview with Larry the Cable Guy, Dead-Frog.com, June 15, 2005
  16. "Comedy Central To Rip More Than Flannel Sleeves – Network To Roast Larry The Cable Guy". Comedycentral.com. May 26, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  17. ‘Only In America with Larry the Cable Guy’ Premieres to 4.1 Million Viewers; ‘Top Shot’ S2 Premieres to 2.8 Million. Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com (February 9, 2011). Retrieved on 2012-07-23.
  18. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. Disneyland.disney.go.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-23.
  19. "Bektrom Foods, Inc.: Larry the Cable Guy". Bektrom Foods, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  20. Hatt, Elizabeth Louise (January 4, 2012). "Store Brands Stay Strong". Grocery Headquarters magazine (New York, NY).
  21. Jeff Korbelik / Gzo (July 3, 2009). "Larry the Cable Guy still has hometown pride". Journalstar.com. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  22. Taylor, Gary. (September 26, 2010) Larry the Cable Guy gives , million to hospital – Orlando Sentinel. Articles.orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-23.
  23. "Interview with comedian Lewis Black - Albany Student Press - University of Albany". Albany Student Press. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
  24. "Law and Disorder". Discogs. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  25. "Salutations and Flatulations". Discogs. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  26. "American album certifications – Larry the Cable Guy – The Right to Bare Arms". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

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