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Jeff
Foxworthy
by Beth Hering
Most of us know
Jeff Foxworthy as a comedian and as the host of the popular
television show “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?”
But did you know that before Jeff was humoring contestants
about answering elementary-school questions, he was known
as the funny guy around the water cooler at computer giant
IBM?
While growing
up in Hapeville, Ga., teachers and students pegged Jeff as
a class clown. But like the kids on “Are You Smarter
than a 5th Grader?,” he also was a good student. After
attending college at Georgia Tech, Jeff followed in his father’s
footsteps and took a job with IBM. He discovered, however,
that he enjoyed telling jokes to his co-workers more than
he liked working on computers.
Jeff went on to
great success in a variety of areas. One of the top-selling
comedy-recording artists in history, his 11 CDs have sold
more than 14 million copies. He is also a best-selling author
of books such as “You Might Be a Redneck If . . . .”
With a group of other Southern comedians, Jeff formed the
Blue Collar Comedy Tour in 2000. Originally scheduled for
ten shows, audiences loved the performances so much that the
group ended up touring together for three years. The comedians
also performed together on television in the series Blue Collar
TV.
While Jeff has
certainly made a name for himself in Hollywood, he remains
true to his Southern roots. Before he accepted the job of
hosting “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?,”
he told the producers that he wanted to dress and act like
himself on the show. And while he answers “no”
when fans come up to him and ask if he is smarter than a 5th
grader, his past suggests otherwise.
Fun Facts
about Jeff Foxworthy
- Jeff’s
future wife was in the audience when he made his first attempt
at stand-up comedy at a club called The Punch Line in Atlanta
in 1984.
- Jeff is a fan
of “clean” comedy and tries to find ways of
saying things without resorting to foul language.
- American Greetings
hired Jeff in 2000 to come up with a line of humorous cards
for birthdays and other occasions.
- Jeff lent his
vocal talents to the character Reggie the Rooster in the
2005 film “Racing Stripes.”
- When first
asked to host “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?,”
Jeff said no. He later agreed, but only if he could have
$150,000 per episode and if the whole season could be taped
in two weeks so that he could return home quickly to his
wife and two daughters.
- The first episode
of “Are Your Smarter than a 5th Grader?” in
February 2007 drew 26.5 million viewers--making it the best
series premiere in FOX history.
- Jeff wrote
a children’s book called “Dirt on my Shirt”
that is due out this year.
- Jeff is a big
supporter of the Duke University Children’s Hospital
in Durham, N.C., and helps the facility raise money for
treating children with cancer.
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