Former Taxi Driver Putting His Comedic Skills to Work On Popular Cable Channel & In Cancel Culture Dictionary

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer

Not many comics go from driving a taxi cab to having their own show on the Fox News Channel. Jimmy Failla has become an incredible dark horse for the cable news network. In seven years since he joined Fox he's garnered millions of fans due to his daily radio show and guest spots on Fox, which lead the top rated cable news network to give him his own Saturday night show.

Earlier this year his debut book with Fox, 'The Cancel Culture Dictionary : An A to Z Guide to Winning the War on Fun' landed on the New York Times best seller list. Not bad for the 47 year old stand up comedian who says he grew up being knocked around. 

"I was raised in Levittown on Long Island New York, which is considered to be the first real suburb in America. It was built to welcome veterans home returning from World War II." He adds, "I grew up around a lot of old men who all had above ground pools. These guys would smack you around, because back then it was considered okay."

Failla's comedy comes from equal amounts of satire and his disdain for the insanity happening everyday. "Everything I talk about is real. I get to people from an angle much like that of a proctologist. My act is primal. I talk about the human element and the stupidity unfolding around us."

How did the man who has one of the loudest wardrobes on TV transition from comedy to Fox News. "Some people from Fox saw me at the Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan. It was a Sunday night gig. Before I knew it I was doing a bit on Kennedy's show on the Fox Business Network. I remember I double parked, so I left the trunk open because then they think you're loading or unloading."

Without question, an unorthodox conversion to television. "It was certainly an unconventional start." It must have been in the cards for Failla. "Not long after one of the head writers leaves the show. That was 2017 and they made me a full time offer. That started to raise my profile."

Nowadays Failla appears to be on some form of Fox format nonstop. "My days are packed. I do my radio show 'Fox Across America' from noon until 3pm everyday. But my day starts much earlier. I might be up writing material at 5am. I might do a guest spot on 'Fox & Friends' at 5:50am or again at 6:50am. I may tape a promo for my weekend show or be a guest on 'Gutfeld'." 

How did his comedy journey begin. "I got my first real taste of standup doing Caroline's in New York in June of 2001. It was like noon on a Sunday, so not a high priority gig for a comic. Soon I was doing open mike nights."

Failla admits while he was cutting his teeth in the comedy world, he kept at it to benefit his mother. "My parents were married 30 years and got divorced, so the beginning of my comedy career was more about getting mom out of the house and boosting her social life."

As for his taxi career. "I started driving a cab back in 2007, a typical New York yellow cab. Comedy wasn't paying the bills so I did it part time and then full-time. You have some long shifts as a cab driver. People who don't believe there's life on other planets have never driven a taxi cab in New York City. The amount of crazies that get in your cab is mind-boggling."

His nearly decade as a hack provided some great inspiration for comedy early on. "When I started driving a cab Facebook and Twitter weren't big. The taxi was the original social media outlet. The stories you hear, the things you see in the back seat of a cab are often not suitable for family viewing. And then there's the way patrons want to pay the fare when they have no money. "

Sharing intimate details with a cabbie is a lot like talking to an out of town bartender. "People usually want to unload all that's on their mind because they feel they'll never see you again. What's the odds of catching the same cab driver in a city the size of New York. You'd be surprised."

In this divisive country we live in Failla admits he's not particularly PC (politically correct). While he would never outright offend anyone, his comedy knows no boundaries. "We're fighting all the wrong battles, especially those that have no effect on everyday life. Do you think native Americans really care about a mascot. Whoever all these activists are today have made a mockery of activism."

Failla would encourage young comics to forge right through the middle. "Just chillout. Create your own vibe. For me I know the world is on fire, but I'm still roasting marshmallows."

He goes on to say. "Comedy is like a buffet. You have a tray and you load up on the stuff you like. Some people like the mac n' cheese, and some don't. Others just want to eat fried shrimp nonstop. Slow down, maybe enjoy a salad. At a club you have to make everyone equal. Comedy doesn't have a political party."

Failla believes comedy needs a reset button, more of a return to yesteryear. "Decades ago comedians made fun of everybody. They made fun of democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives. We need to get back to that. We need to laugh at all the stupid that is happening around us." He encourages people to follow one simple rule. "Stop trying to criticize and over-analyze comedy, and just sit back and enjoy the show."

He has a clear understanding of why some groups are put off by comedy. "They say we're more divided than ever before, but I hope otherwise. It's always a small percentage pushing the narrative. And the reason why is simple. There's currency by saying their offended. Basically they are just trying to draw attention to themselves. They are weaponizing censorship, and by doing so trying to get more likes and follows on social media."

It's the same sentiment Failla preaches in his recent New York Times best-selling book The Cancel Culture Dictionary : An A to Z Guide to Winning the War on Fun'. "I just randomly picked out 26 topics that have been canceled, and there's no rhyme or reason for it. Everybody's walking on eggshells. You have to watch what you say on the radio, on TV, and what you tweet. Several will agree with you, most will take it in stride, but there's that small group who think what you said is bad, so they go on the offensive."

The end result. "If they get enough people on their bandwagon maybe you get cancelled. It happened to Roseanne (Barr). I know he's back but, it happened to Dave Chappelle for a while." Failla's cure, "A lot of people out there are wound too tight. They need a good dose of comedy." 

Failla is a bonafide hit for Fox News. Not only does he have a three hour radio show (noon-3pm) weekdays, he hosts 'Saturday Night' a one hour show filled with political satire and his brand of standup comedy. Like several other Fox News shows, he'll entertain Fox personalities alongside some of his fellow comedians. 

As if his comedy card wasn't full enough Fox has allowed Failla to add ‘Taxi Cab Comedy' to his list of offbeat adventures, whereas he returns behind the wheel to talk with total strangers about what's happening in the world. "People relate to me. They are very honest with me because they don't feel they'll ever see me again." He jokingly adds, "The way I drive they usually they don't want to take another ride again." 

Jimmy Failla's star continues to rise. Fans can catch him on the radio weekdays or enjoy his eccentric brand of comedy 10pm Saturday night. His shows are available on Fox Nation or by downloading the Fox News app. If you want to delve further into his unconventional outlook on life I suggest his 'Cancel Culture Dictionary'. For book review visit https://charleston.com/charleston-insider/arts-culture/jimmy-failla-s-cancel-culture-dictionary-addresses-social-absurdities

He hasn't given up standup, currently bringing his 'Everybody Calm Down Tour' to cities across America. For more visit https://radio.foxnews.com/fox-news-talk/fox-across-america-with-jimmy-failla/