Unfiltered comedy comes to Annapolis
Norton appearing Friday
at Rams Head as part of big-name comic series
Comedian Jim Norton opened his 2017 Netflix special, “Mouthful of Shame,” with the two-time Oscar-winner spanking him. In the skit, De Niro reprimands Norton for being nervous before introducing the 50-year-old New Jersey native to a New York crowd.
Norton, who will appear in Annapolis in two shows scheduled for Friday at Rams Head On Stage, conceded it will be hard to top De Niro’s introduction. But he’ll try his best in a performance that’s part of the venue’s series bringing top-flight comedians to Annapolis.
In addition to Norton, “Last Comic Standing” winner Jon Reep will appear Nov. 24, T.J. Miller will perform Dec. 9, Paula Poundstone will be in town Dec. 15, Sinbad will take the stage Dec. 27 and Tom Papa will be at Rams Head on Jan. 26. For ticket information on any of the shows, go to
After nearly three decades as a standup comedian, Norton has developed a following. He was a regular guest on Colin Quinn’s “Tough Crowd.” That Comedy Central show allowed comedians such as Patrice O’Neal, Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Greg Giraldo, Judy Gold and Keith Robinson to spar verbally and showcase their quick wits.
Norton sharpened his game as a member of the “Opie and Anthony” radio show. He now has a daily three-hour talk show with Sam Roberts on Sirius XM.
When not onstage working on his next stand-up special, Norton hosts the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast with Matt Serra.
A busy schedule allows Norton to flex a variety of comedic muscles.
“I’d be bored out of my mind without them,” he said. “I like the fact that I’m moving continuously.”
The veteran comedian said mixing new material with polished bits into his live act injects spontaneity into his shows. That heightens the experience for him.
“You always want some element of unpredictability,” he said. “There’s nothing better than getting laughs on new material. It keeps the whole thing fresh.”
Norton has published two books: “Happy Endings” and “I Hate Your Guts.” He was a cast member on television shows including “Louie” and “Lucky Louie.” He made multiple appearances on “Inside Amy Schumer.” While he’d like to write another book or star in his own TV show, stand-up and radio remain his obsessions.
He has a hard time describing his stand-up style — except that he doesn’t pull punches, and there are no safe spaces in his material. His crowds get an explicit, unfiltered and intimate insight into his daily life.
“It’s ‘Clockwork Orange’ with laughs,” Norton said. It’s “my own disastrous personal life and what else is going on in the world.
“I never know how to describe my act. I’m a terrible salesperson.”
Norton’s self-promotional shortcomings haven’t curbed the rise of Chip Chipperson, Norton’s narcissistic, aggressive alter ego who hosts “The Chip Chipperson Podcast.” The podcast has been ranked in the American iTunes top 10 charts and developed a cult following. Chip has hosted live shows in Boston, New York and Long Island.
Norton has performed varying versions of Chip for more than 20 years. Chip’s popularity spiked with the podcast, perhaps surpassing his creator’s fame.
“It can only get bigger,” Norton said. “Jim Norton isn’t exactly blowing the doors off show business. I love it, it’s so much fun.”
Reality can’t derail Chip’s inappropriate and often misinformed perspectives. That character flaw provides Norton a seemingly limitless creative outlet.
“People do like the idiocy,” Norton said. “Your mind is still working at the same speed [of talk radio and standup]. It’s a different way of being funny. You’re looking for a joke that sucks as opposed to a good one. Hopefully, it will continue.”
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