James Gregory was billed as “The Funniest Man In America,” and after seeing his show, I quickly found out why. The Lithonia, Georgia native performed at countless comedy clubs until his death on May 9, 2024, at age 78.
Thanks to the explosion of YouTube videos, James’ fame has risen since his death. Some of his best bits have now been viewed by millions, including people who discovered him only after friends or family members shared his videos.
His longtime friend Dean Gaines, a Chattanooga native who has also carved out a solid career in comedy, wrote the foreword to “A Bushel of Beans and a Peck of Tomatoes,” the newly released book James completed just before his death. A collection of funny stories, childhood memories, and tales of life on the road, the book is now available on Amazon.
When I told Gaines that my initial impression of James was “a paycheck to paycheck comedian who drove a beat-up car to his next gig,” he laughed loudly. “James was incredibly successful, far beyond his wildest dreams. He never boasted about it, but he did quite well selling his merchandise by mail long before the internet. He literally sold a million t-shirts before most comedians ever thought about it. Still today, his catch-phrases like ‘It could be a law’ are seen all over the nation. That, and the fact that he sold out every venue he played for 50 weeks a year since the 1980s.”
Exactly, I said. So why did an elderly, wealthy comedian work so hard for so long, especially with his history of health problems? (James eventually gave up cigarettes, but his weight fluctuated between obese and skeletal at various times.) “The work kept him going,” Gaines said. “His fans loved him, and he would stay after shows and talk to them for hours. He knew they made him successful, and he never took that for granted. Whether it was the Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, Tennessee or the biggest rooms in Atlanta or Nashville, he worked his tail off every night.”
His most popular YouTube video, now seen by more than 4 million people is titled, “Everybody Has This One Relative.” The first time I saw him perform the routine live, I wanted to yell, “Stop, please stop!” because I was hurting from continuous laughter that went on for about 8 minutes. The best humor comes from real life, and James delivers a spot-on impersonation of the aunt in everyone’s family who has way too much to eat at a Sunday gathering. Packed with hilarious lines, physical comedy, and on-demand belches, this bit became James’ signature “closer” for decades, resulting in howls of laughter long after his fans were headed home. Why? Well, it undeniably funny, and he milked every moment for all it was worth. But it was also REAL. His story-telling accent was deeply Southern, but we had all shared that experience. He held up the mirror, and we laughed at ourselves.
From his videos or the book he left behind for us, you can also enjoy his takes on Southern snow days (“stock up on pork n’ beans and toilet paper”) lottery winners (“I don’t care how many millions I won, I’m still getting’ up early to work at the plant”), and why the TV news always seems to interview the same guy who just “seen” the tornado (“certain people are just more talkative.”)
James once told me, “I couldn’t write a joke if I tried. But when somebody tells me that their uncle is deathly scared of calculators and cellphones because they’re not connected to anything, that’s funny to me. That’s a story I was made to tell. I’m just me, it’s the way I talk, and the way I look. I can get laughs with my eyes, and my reactions. I have the best job in the world.”
He never intended to retire, and he never did. He often said, “Why would I do that? People need a good laugh, and that’s why I’m here.”
Thanks to his book and videos, James Gregory will be making people double up with laughter for generations to come. Yes, it could be a law.
