Jim Gaffigan Jokes That Raising Kids in NYC was ‘A Huge Mistake’

Published: April 1, 2024

Photo courtesy of Jim Gaffigan on Facebook

Jim Gaffigan Jokes That Raising Kids in NYC was ‘A Huge Mistake’

By Movieguide® Contributor

Jim Gaffigan is opening up about what it’s like to raise his five children in New York City.

“It was a huge mistake,” he joked before adding that his kids—Marre, 19, Jack, 17, Katie, 14, Michael 12, and Patrick, 11—have enjoyed growing up in a big city.

The comedian did acknowledge that New York has changed, though.

“I mean, also, it’s different, right? Because now there’s — I’d love to walk a block in New York City and not smell weed. You know what I mean?” Gaffigan explained. ‘When you’re in your twenties, you’re like, ‘Yeah, there should be no rules.’ And then when you’re a parent, you’re like, ‘Hey, maybe not every block.’ And of course, I live in the East Village, so I’m kind of asking for it.”

Gaffigan has made his experiences as a father of five a major part of his stand-up routine and often talks about life as a parent.

“It’s wonderful and really, really hard,” he told TODAY. “What no one tells you is that when they get older, it gets so much harder. It’s just a different type of hard.”

Gaffigan has also talked about his thoughts on children using social media.

“Kids having access to being reached is probably a good idea, but social media is a whole other pickle,” he said in an interview with Yahoo. “I have limits for what my kids do. They are on YouTube, my younger ones, but social media is tricky. I think in 10 years, as a society, we’re going to have a different view on it.”

Movieguide® previously reported on Gaffigan’s views on the connection between fatherhood and faith:

Gaffigan also talks about how difficult bringing young children to church can be: “On Sundays, Jeannie and I haul everybody to church. Even though it’s virtually impossible to get a young child to sit still for long….we believe that the practice and exposure will benefit them, even if they are too young to understand.”

“At the core of my being I find it a relief to know that I’m not in charge,” he joked. “And dropping by church by myself, I think I’ve heard God say, ‘Thanks for not bringing your kids this time. It’s a little quieter.’”

Gaffigan continued, “People assume we have a large family for religious reasons. Not true. If anything, kids make you religious. Believe me, once you lose a kid in a New York City park, atheist or not, you start talking to God: ‘If you can help me find my son, I promise I will never ever do anything bad again.’ Kids and illness are the great gateways to faith.”