Metal and comedy -- two very disparate forms of entertainment -- found a common companion in superfan comedian Jim Breuer. Once and always known as Goat Boy on Saturday Night Live and the hippy stoner Brian who summoned Jerry Garcia's ghost in Half Baked, Breuer's obsession with music is part of what defines him past those two rightfully immortal characters.
Breuer is also a real, no-bullshit family guy who takes care of his aging father and even documented the experience in a film, More Than Me. He believes in prayer, but with no dogma attached. He has three daughters with whom he listens to Raffi. Breuer's keeping busy past standup with a slot on SiriusXM's Raw Dog Comedy channel. He recently wrote a book with a mouthful of a title, I'm Not High (but I've Got a Lot of Crazy Stories About Life as a Goat Boy, a Dad, and a Spiritual Warrior).
Recently, we had a pretty awesome conversation with Breuer -- one of those interviews that doesn't bore you when you're typing it up. In fact, upon a second listen, it's like you feel as if you've actually learned something about the world and the artist. Here's a peek into the complex life of Jim Breuer.
New Times: In a Howard Stern interview, you mentioned possibly doing a rock sketch show. What would that entail?
Jim Breuer: It would entail using rock stars. Me, actors, comedians, sports stars. Basically, everybody. But I would focus more on comedians than rockers.
Eighties metal bands are sort of your specialty. Have you learned anything from interviewing them?
Yeah, that most of them are goofballs! Most of them, they have a really funny side to them. A lot of them are family-driven that we don't know about. I really like exposing that stuff. I hate the term "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll." I always said that was a term thought up so that they could deflect some of the more powerful lyrics that need to be heard.
Is Metallica your number one? Do you have a top five favorite bands?
Absolutely. I go, Metallica, Judas Priest, old Ozzy. Hard rock was AC/DC. Dio. Then it spreads out to Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, all those guys.
What about new Ozzy?
That's too pop for me.
Did you ever watch his show?
I did watch his show. They were kind of funny. At the same time, it kind of killed the mystique about them.
Talk about normalizing a rock god. You also perform at music festivals like Bonnaroo. What's that like? Is that fun or stressful?
The best ones I performed at were Bochum open air festival in Germany each year, Sonisphere, Metallica's Orion Festival. Those are probably the, hands down, favorite shows I've ever done, because I had the crowd in the palm of my hand from the minute I walked out there. That is when I started realizing, I need to pursue this arena more. I do a lot of standup comedy, and I do well, but when I can mix that rock with comedy, it's clearly where I belong.
What makes the audiences different?
They're more in a festive... the crowds at the festivals really exert a lot of energy and have a great time. You have to understand, at a comedy club, they go there and laugh. But at a festival, they're standing, they're waiting for that big rock and cheer and body surf. So when you can bring it, there's nothing more exciting in the world.
