Jim Gaffigan on surviving the holidays reality TV-style
Well, I made it. I survived the holidays! With my family – my families. All those weirdos that I'm somehow related to. Let's just say if God is the producer of the holiday season, he tends to lean into drama.
I am truly grateful that I can spend time with these goofballs, but the amount of crisis and tension I encounter during the holiday season often makes me feel like I'm involuntarily participating in a reality show.
The entire holiday season seems like a series of rotating reality show experiences.
In early November, I always envision Thanksgiving being like "The Great British Bake Off," with everyone being supportive and polite, but often what transpires is more reminiscent of "Kitchen Nightmares" or even "Nailed it."
December has all those holiday work parties which seem to bring out behavior from co-workers more commonly found on "Jersey Shore" or "The Masked Singer." Heck, even getting to holiday destinations often has a heavy "Amazing Race" vibe.
If you go on a trip with your family during the holidays, you subject yourself to a whole other set of reality shows comparisons.
I took my family on a beach vacation, which at times felt like a never-ending "Survivor" episode where, unfortunately, nobody was voted off. I'm just grateful it didn't get to the point of "Naked and Afraid."
The holiday season officially ends with New Year's Eve, which for some reason turns normal adults into participants on "Love Island." I guess any time with family can turn into a "Real Housewives" episode, but around the holidays you really wish Andy Cohen was there to keep the peace.
Happy New Year, everyone!
For more info:
Story produced by Lucie Kirk. Editor: Emanuele Secci.
See also:
- RIP Jim Gaffigan, by Jim Gaffigan
- The horror! Jim Gaffigan on horrible kids' movies
- Jim Gaffigan on the "complex process" of keeping his kids' cellphones charged
- You have summer plans? Jim Gaffigan does not
- On Father's Day Jim Gaffigan ponders the peculiar lives of childless men
- From laughs to ZZZs
- Do you get incessant messages from politicians asking for money? Jim Gaffigan does, too
- Jim Gaffigan is baffled over the mania for pumpkins
- Jim Gaffigan's advice to parents of young kids: It only gets worse
- Super Bowl Sunday: The pageantry and the gluttony
- Jim Gaffigan on 2022: The future is here!
- What would Jesus want for his birthday?
- Jim Gaffigan on the perils of aging gracefully
- On getting the whole lockdown thing wrong
- 2020, please turn your notifications off
- Jim Gaffigan on his first drive-in standup show
- On living in a time warp
- On acquiring a green thumb
- Summer memories, '50s style
- Blondes' bad rap