Inspired by Louis CK’s pioneering experiment in self-producing and distributing, Jim Gaffigan will be offering a one-hour comedy special exclusively as a DRM-free download on his website.
Gaffigan is keeping the price in the impulse range, just as Louis CK did with his Live at the Beacon Theater. Each download of Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe will cost $5, after which the buyer is able to put it on digital players, burn it to disc or enjoy it any other way they choose.
Of course, he runs the risk that some people may share illicit copies of the special. “If no one buys the special or if lots of people steal it then I suppose I will lose a lot of money and have egg on my face,” Gaffigan said. “But then again I have four kids, so I am always losing money and usually have egg or some kind of food on my face so it might just feel normal.”
Gaffigan currently is in the middle of his 50-city Jim Gaffigan: The America Tour. The special, which will be produced and funded entirely by Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan, will be taped on Feb. 25 at his Washington DC show and released in April.
Louis CK was so stunned at the incredible success of his project that, when payments reached $1 million, he donated $280,000 to charity. Gaffigan is proactively including a charity in his project – he will donate $1 of every purchase to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which provides resources and support to injured service members, veterans and their families. Gaffigan hopes that this donation, coupled with the low price, will dissuade fans from pirating the video.
“On my last visit to Walter Reed Hospital I was struck by the reality that young men half my age with twice my courage, severely injured in service to our country, were not receiving the thorough assistance they desperately needed,” said Gaffigan. “I found that the Bob Woodruff Foundation directly addresses the needs of injured service members and their families. I am proud to partner with them.”
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