He has HOW many? Celebrity Memoir Review: Dad is Fat, by Jim Gaffigan

Dad is Fat
Author: Jim Gaffigan
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Source: local library
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Jim Gaffigan is a comedian. I've seen him on TV loads of times. He's the Hot Pockets guy. He was the other half of Pale Force with Conan O'Brien. I feel like I know him. And yet he and his wife have five kids under the age of 8 and live in a two bedroom apartment in New York City. They don't have a car. I feel like I don't know anything anymore.

I have so many questions. How do you--? Where do you--? But what about when you want to--? In Dad is Fat, Gaffigan answers many of those questions, complete with maps and layouts of his tiny apartment and its various sleeping arrangements (is that a baby in the kitchen?), along with a few "None of your business, you pervert!" responses. I guess he gets the same questions a lot.

At its core, Dad is Fat is relentlessly endearing. Gaffigan is a dad. That's his true identity. He loves it, is overwhelmed by it, is annoyed by it, and is completely at the mercy of his love for his children and his love of being a dad. And I get that, because I'm lucky enough to live with a man who feels exactly the same way about being a dad.

And the title? Oh that was written by one of his kids. In fact it was the first full sentence that his son Jack ever wrote. He proudly displayed it to his father, beaming at his accomplishment. Gaffigan includes a photo of the original sentence with the explanation, "This was written by my former son."

I've already gotten this book out from the library so I don't need any more convincing to go out and get it. But if I did, this "Book Chat" with the Gaffigan kids would certainly do the trick. I want Marre Gaffigan to have her own show!

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