Comedian Jim Norton is known for his outspoken humor and exposing embarrassing true stories. His comedy special “American Degenerate” is currently on Netflix, and he is also a regular guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
Norton sat down with The Eagle’s Mia Miller to talk about his show, his life and strap-ons.
Eagle: Who is Jim Norton? If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be, and why?
Jim Norton: Creepy. I guess because I have so many perverted things I enjoy and I talk about it. So I think that gives people the impression that I’m kind of creepy. Sometimes the amount of time I spend online looking at websites I shouldn’t be looking at I have to agree with them, so I would say that’s a great word to describe me.
E: What is your favorite website to look at?
JN: The website I go to for news is Drudge Report. And Twitter, that’s not really a website. It’s more social media.
E: Your standup special “American Degenerate” premiered on Netflix on Nov. 21. What made you choose that title?
JN: It’s funny; it’s always weird to choose a name for your special. Degenerate just fit because I am one. “American Degenerate” because I like the way it sounds, and I was talking about these things in our culture that were driving me nuts, so I just tried to put those things together. All the language policing in our country and things like that, I wanted it to have American in the title because I’m talking about our culture a lot in that special, and the material I’m doing now as well. I just developed such a dislike for the language policing. I’ve been attacking American fakeness and American fake values, and I wanted to be attention-grabbing.
E: Can you give me an example of one thing that really bothers you?
JN: One thing that bothers me is the fake outrage over people saying things, and then the fake apology that comes after. People say things and they don’t feel bad about it, then somebody tells them they should feel bad about it then they say, “I’m sorry” just to shut everybody up. There’s not an ounce of sincerity in any of it.
E: You are known for making a lot of [dick] jokes and references. Where does this concept for your jokes come from?
JN: Well, I talk a lot about my life and being sexually driven. Every person is, but for me it just went into unhealthy areas. I talk about myself, and I make fun of the things that I experience in my life. So because I had so many of those experiences, a lot of them that were very bad, I talk about them on stage.
I don’t just talk about sex, and I try not to talk about it gratuitously. Whenever I talk about sex I try to reveal something embarrassing about myself that’s true. Whether I’m talking about prostitution, or embarrassing things I’ve done with girlfriends, or transsexuals, or any of these things I’ve done that a lot of people don’t want to talk about I feel like at least I’m being honest when I do that. Maybe that’s why I have that reputation, but some of my stuff can be very very dirty.
E: Describe to me a time when you felt that you told a joke that may have pushed the limit, or is anything off limits to you?
JN: I can’t think of any time where I pushed the limit because anything you talk about whether it’s race, sexual orientation, politics or religion. Anything you talk about that has any social weight to it at all is going to push the envelope for somebody, for whoever doesn’t agree with you. Like if you come out and say, “Hey I’m pro-choice,” you’ve immediately lost half the country. If you come out and go, “Hey, I’m pro-life,” you’ve immediately lost everyone who is pro-choice. I don’t believe in the pushing the envelope thing because I don’t believe the morality of people who have the envelope. I think it’s arbitrary, and I think their morality is kind of fake and self-serving, so I don’t think there is any subject you can’t make fun of.
E: If breaking news happens and you have a show the same day, would you incorporate that in your standup? How do you go about making fun of breaking news?
JN: It depends on how I feel about it, what angle I want to take on it, or if I can find a joke in it. A lot of times I don’t know what angle I’m going to take until I go on stage, play around with it, and see where it goes. So breaking news I don’t necessarily go, ‘OK, there was a shooting in Michigan I’m going to talk about that.’ I have to feel something, or want to address it.
E: You have a show at D.C. Improv on Feb. 6-8. What should your audience look forward to? Can you give a sneak peak of some material?
JN: I’m returning to the D.C. Improv, which is one of my favorite shows in the country. I’ll tell you some of the subjects I’m talking about: definitely Duck Dynasty, Paula Deen, Anthony Weiner and Rob Ford, everything else in pop culture that’s happened. Nothing that’s on my last special am I talking about anymore, that’s all dead. A girl tried to f**k me with a strap-on so I’ve been talking about that on stage. I’ll find some more stuff that I really haven’t got into. Some of it is going to be really filthy, some of it won’t. I talk about circumcision, my favorite person in the world who was the fake interpreter at Mandela’s funeral. I talk about how much I love him. The f**ked in the ass with a strap-on story is worth the price of admission, people will quite enjoy that.
E: Can you elaborate on the strap-on story?
JN: My ex-girlfriend used to try it, and honestly I just can’t do it. It’s not homophobia- my body will not take it. So I tried it again with a girl in LA, which I tell. I don’t want to tell it now because it will blow the joke, but it’s a true story about a girl in LA who tried to f**k me with a strap-on and I had a very embarrassing situation happen. I tell the audience and I embarrass myself. I think people like it when you reveal truly humiliating true things about yourself. It’s easy to go up and talk about sex and generic things, but if you’re confessing embarrassing truths I think people relate to it on a very real level. That situation, very few people will admit to that one.
E: Who inspired you to become a comedian?
JN: Richard Pryor. I was a funny kid, and I always liked making people laugh, but I didn’t know what you did with that. I just made my dumb friends laugh. Then I saw in 1979 “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert.” He did it in Long Beach, CA. and when I watched that I understood that’s what you do with being funny. At that moment I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life was what I watched him doing. I love George Carlin as well; he’s a very big influence, and Woody Allen as a stand-up.
E: What advice would you give to somebody trying to break into the business?
JN: I would say first of all be yourself and don’t let other comedians, the audience, or other people tell you what subject matter you can address. Be true to what makes you funny. If you’re an edgy person be an edgy comic. If you’re a goofy, silly person then be that type of comic. Be who you are, don’t try to change what makes you naturally funny because you think it will help you in the business because that’s no way to become a really good comic.
E: What sets Jim Norton apart from other comedians?
JN: The comment people have given me, and even comedians have told me that I’m very truthful on stage, and I reveal a lot of truly embarrassing things. There are a lot of comedians that do that, so my strongest point is the honest on stage, and the fact that I confess a lot of things that other people wouldn’t confess.
Jim Norton will perform at the DC Improv from Feb 6-8. Tickets subject to availability.
