Improv background keys ‘Murr’s’ unique comedy

There are those entertainers, the ones who are unable — or are actually afraid — to get by on their wits, who wouldn’t dream of performing without a well-thought-out and -timed-out script. They’re the ones who haven’t had an original thought in their career and wouldn’t think of walking the entertainment high wire without a double-duty safety net.

Then there’s Murr.

That’s James “Murr” Murray, the New York-born mastermind — along with long-time buddies Sal (Vulcano), Q (Brian Quinn), and Joe (Gatto) — of surprising truTV hit “Impractical Jokers,” who’s lived his stage life so close to the edge, he’s never more than a hair’s-breadth away from stepping over that edge, into an unknown that’s rife with possibilities too scary to even mention.

“That improv background … I love that energy,” Murr, who will bring his standup act to the Albany Municipal Auditorium Dec. 10, said in an interview with The Albany Herald. “And the kind of stuff where you’re always trying to embarrass each other? I went to an all-boys Catholic high school. There was nothing else to do there.”

That kind of background has made it easy for the jokers on “Impractical Jokers,” who try to top each other in the absurdity department, to come up with fresh material on a show that’s now been on the air for a remarkable — especially by today’s standards, when shows have a tough time making it past a 10-episode season — for 13 years.

“We do have our own personal limits, but the thing that I think works best with the show is that we play ourselves,” Murray said. “Of course, I know if I go a little too far, at 10:31 on the night of the show, I’ll get a call from my mom. And, yes, I’m 47 years old, and I’m still scared of my mom.”

Murr will take a southwest Georgia audience along with him to the edge on Dec. 10. And if he goes a little beyond … well, there are just some things a mother doesn’t need to know. In advance of that show, he took some time off from his busy touring schedule to talk with the Herald about his unique brand of humor.

ALBANY HERALD: I’ve read your resume, and it’s really quite amazing. You do TV, standup, movies, books. Are you one of those Type A people who has to be working on several things all the time?

JAMES MURRAY: There’s that old expression about a “rolling stone gathering no moss.” That’s me. I’m constantly challenging myself; it’s always been that way.

AH: Standup — and comedy in general — has been a part of your career now for more than 25 years. What started you in that direction?

JM: The guys and I met in high school, and improv is something we’ve always done together. It’s just part of our DNA.

AH: Comedy is broad, but it can at times be regional. Do you change up your material for different regions — say you being a New Yorker performing down South — or is what you do pretty much universal?

JM: Our show is so interactive, the audience is a big part of how a show goes. I do some prepared material, but the whole second half of my show is make-it-up-as-you-go. There’s stuff we do with audience cellphones … We’ll send people out to the streets live. So because a lot of what we do is tailored to where we are, it’s all very specific to that city.

AH: Does that kind of seat-of-the-pants stuff ever backfire on you?

JM:♦ It can get hairy, but I love that kind of energy, not knowing how people are going to react. On the spot — in the moment — that always works. And people are great. Last night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I got the cellphone from this guy in the audience and texted his dad a message that the guy had won 130 grand. This guy works for his dad, so I texted, “Dad, I quit. You’re a great dad, but you’re a shty boss.” The three dots come up, and in no time, the dad texted back, “That’s OK. You’ve always been a shty son.”

AH: “Impractical Jokers” has become a huge part of the nation’s comedy mindset. How did it come about?

JM: We always did that kind of stuff, tried to embarrass each other. We just spun that typical hidden-camera show on its head. I always felt bad watching people look stupid on “Candid Camera,” so we kind of turned it back on ourselves.

AH: Is your standup built around certain themes, or where does your material come from?

JM: Life. A lot of these stories are from my own life. I’m married. I tour. I do a TV show. It’s just what I think about the things I experience in life. I have a whole section I do on Amazon. I have fun with things like AI.

AH: You have a very unique sense of humor. What’s funny to you?

JM: It’s the stuff I experienced growing up, movies like David Zucker’s “Airplane,” the Mel Brooks movies. I like those kinds of things that are a little stupid, a little borderline.

AH: Is there anything off-limits in your standup routine?

JM: If you watch (“Impractical Jokers”), you kind of get this idea that we have personal limits. We’ll push up to the edge of those limits, then we’ll back down. If we go too far, we know we’ll lose the episode. I also know that if we go a little too far, at 10:31 (on the night of the show) I’ll get an angry call from my mom. On the episode where we were sent out to get tattoos (Murr’s was of a skydiving ferret), I was terrified for my mom to find out.

AH: I’ve interviewed comedians before, and they ranged from throwing out bits from their acts to some of the most straight-laced commentary I’ve ever heard. Do you feel you have to always be “on,” or is there an on-off switch?

JM: Yes and no. With the relationship I have with my audience, rather than doing stuff they expect of me, people will do stuff to me. I went to dinner last night with my wife, and someone walked up and took a French fry off my plate. That’s something they’d seen me do. You get used to it.

AH: With all you do, how do you determine what project is next?

JM: It’s kind of a “crime of opportunity” thing. Like with writing, I love to read thrillers, so I’ve written eight books; the ninth will be out this month. I’ve written Sci-Fi, horror, serial killer books, three kids’ books. It’s a lot of fun. The easy part for me is the idea. I find stuff I want to do and tackle the genre. I’ve got ideas about paranormal stuff, time travel I want to get to.

AH: What’s it like for you touring, being out on the road? I’ve heard entertainers say they grow to hate it.

JM: I love it. Look, I have a fun job. My wife, my friends, my cousins are around the tour. It turns into a nice routine: I work out, do the show, have dinner and move on to the next town.

AH: It’s been a pleasure talking with you. I appreciate your time. What can the folks in Albany expect at your show here Dec. 10?

JM: All I can say is that there are surprises at every show. You just never know who might show up.

Special Photo Courtesy of James MurraySpecial Photo Courtesy of James Murray