Did anyone see the profile of Larry the Cable Guy on 60 Minutes last week? It was pretty much a puff piece, talking about how Larry became the biggest stand-up comedian on the face of the planet despite the fact that his comedy isn't exactly in that "make you think" category that, say, Doug Stanhope or Dave Attell might be in. Heck, even Dane Cook's comedy seems sophisticated compared to Larry's. But Larry's successful because he tells goofy jokes that appeal to a wide range of people. He's not my cup of tea, but I've laughed at a few of his jokes. Despite his "bumpkin" image, I can definitely see how so many people like the guy.

Anyone who watched the report probably noticed that Dan Whitney, who created the Larry persona a number of years ago with the help of Blue Collar Comedy producer J.P. Williams, didn't quite have the same severe southern accent that he does on stage. Makes sense; Larry's a character and the interview was with Dan, not Larry. But in his pre-Larry days, Whitney didn't have an accent at all. How do I know this? Because of clips like the one after the jump, that shows what Whitney's stand-up routine was like before Larry came into his life.

It's a clip from A&E's old Caroline's Comedy Hour show, and judging by host Carol Leifer's hair and shoulder pads, and the high-wasted slacks on Whitney, it's probably from sometime in the late eighties. Whitney's comedy style back then was pretty similar to what he does these days as Larry; short set-ups, switcheroo punch lines, and a chuckling, easygoing stage manner. Take away the khakis and dress shirt, put some flannel, denim, and a hat on the guy, deepen his accent, and you've got Larry. Looking at the video, you can almost see how creating the Larry character was an ingenious move on Whitney's part, as this shows he was just a generic stand-up, albeit an above-average one, before he made the transformation.

[via dead-frog.com]