Bobcat Goldthwait
An iconic 1980s caricature who dropped the act to tell stories.
2 specials · 1995–1996
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When Bobcat Goldthwait takes the stage, he just talks. There is no whimpering, no frantic eye-darting, no shrieking. He holds the microphone, smiles at the crowd, and speaks in a gentle, slightly raspy register. He paces an hour like a guy holding court in a diner booth. When he hits a punchline, he often lets out a soft chuckle, amused by his own memories. He occasionally addresses the tension in the room—the reality that a fraction of the ticket-buyers still expect him to have a cartoonish nervous breakdown—by explaining how exhausting it was to be that guy.
Specials
On stage
He occupies a rare space in standup: the boom-era caricature who successfully walked away from his own image. After becoming a defining face of 1980s comedy and a fixture in mainstream studio movies, he retired the screaming act. He spent years building a quiet second career as a director of bleak independent films. When he eventually returned to the microphone, he did it as himself. He tours clubs and theaters, often splitting bills with longtime peers, drawing crowds who want his actual point of view rather than a nostalgia trip.
The material relies on winding narratives about a weird life. He draws on the surreal nature of his own resume, unspooling stories about opening for Nirvana or the indignity of answering questions about his old acting roles. The laughs come from the contrast between the chaos of his anecdotes and his quiet, grounded delivery. He avoids rapid-fire joke structures, opting instead to let a long premise breathe. He gets his best reactions by playing the baffled straight man to his own bizarre past.
Turning points
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Opening Standup Act for Nirvana
Kurt Cobain, an avid fan of his comedy, personally selected Goldthwait to serve as the opening standup act on Nirvana's final North American tour, leading to a close friendship.
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Vandalism Incident on Arsenio Hall Show
Upset about the talk show's cancellation, Goldthwait stood on the couch, spray-painted 'Paramount Sucks' across a glass wall, and threw video equipment around the studio set.
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Setting Tonight Show Chair on Fire
During a chaotic appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Goldthwait lit a guest chair on fire, resulting in media uproar and misdemeanor arson charges.
At a glance
- Born
- , Syracuse, New York
- On stage
- since 1980
- Style
- anti humor, black comedy, blue comedy, character comedy, cringe comedy, politicalsatire, storytelling
- Breakout
- An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait: Share the Warmth
- Influences
- Andy Kaufman, Brother Theodore, Barry Crimmins
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Wikipedia
Fans also like
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Tom Kenny
Goldthwait and Kenny grew up together, started standup as teenagers under the monikers Bobcat and Tomcat, and have collaborated across comedy and music for decades.
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Robin WilliamsThe two were longtime friends who performed together under the pseudonyms Jack Cheese and Marty Fromage, and Goldthwait directed Williams in World's Greatest Dad.
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Barry CrimminsCrimmins inspired Goldthwait's stage moniker and early standup pursuits when Goldthwait saw him perform as 'Bear Cat' at an open-mic night.
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Dana GouldGoldthwait teamed up with Gould on collaborative comedy tracks and the joint release Joy Ride.
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Eugene Mirman
Mirman enlisted Goldthwait to release his standup album Soldier for Christ on his Pretty Good Friends comedy record label.
Also on screen
- Apt. 2C
- Shakes the Clown
- Hercules
- Maron
- –
- Police Academy
A clip to start with
Bobcat Goldthwait - Crash Landing In Cleveland