Jim Breuer is funny. Don’t believe me? Watch him in old footage from Saturday Night Live, download the cult favourite Half Baked (Jim had a starring role alongside Dave Chappelle) or watch him live at the Fairmont Southampton or the Earl Cameron Theatre next month when he headlines Just for Laughs.

Q: Laughter. Better than medicine?

A: Laughter is the best because it touches the soul. Medicine only numbs you. The soul is always deeper than medicine.

Q: I understand you have a new Comedy Central special coming out. Excited?

A: We’ll be filming in February in [Valley Stream] the area where I grew up on Long Island in New York. It’s my fifth special and I am pretty sure it’s the best one I’ve ever put out there. It’s multi-generational; pretty relatable to every one.

It’s about the frustrations of a father with three girls and an elderly parent with dementia, trying to get by in today’s fast-paced media world. I don’t read papers or follow news so I stay away from politics.

Q: And there’s also an album on the way?

A: I’m making a hard rock album. It comes out at the end of May, beginning of June. In the late 80s I was into a lot of hard rock/heavy metal. Think AC/DC meets Van Halen meets Metallica. I grew up on that music. I love today’s music but I can’t relate to the lyrics.

Q: How old are you?

A: I’m 47.

Q: Did you write the music for your album yourself?

A: I wrote all the lyrics and a lot of the music, which is pretty cool. It’s even cooler [watching it] come to life. I have an amazing producer and he’s an amazing guitar player. He used to play in a Danish heavy metal band, Volbeat.

Q: I can’t think of many comedians who have become successful singers.

A: I think the only one who became fairly successful was Jamie Foxx.

Q: Have you ever been to Bermuda before?

A: Many, many, many years ago. In 1995 I did a golf benefit for Samuel L Jackson and played golf in Bermuda. I think I hit the only donkey on the Island.

Q: What drew you to this performance?

A: Just for Laughs always does a great job with any tour they put together so I know it’s going to be done right.

Q: What comedians do you look to for inspiration?

A: The older guys. Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy when he first came out and Sam Kinison — those were the big guys for me.

Q: What’s been your worst experience while performing? Ever had every joke fall flat?

A: The worst experience is always when I’m hired for a private party. The money is hard to resist and you show up and you’re literally at a party where they’ve been playing disco for two hours, the people are all wasted and didn’t know a comedian was coming. They’ve stopped the dancing so you can do an hour’s set. It’s brutal, brutal.

* Alonzo Bodden returns as host for the ninth annual Just for Laughs Bermuda. Local comedians Jonathan Young and Nadanja will take turns opening the event, which runs January 7 through 10 at the Earl Cameron Theatre and at Fairmont Southampton. Jim Breuer will headline; Canadians Debra DiGiovanni and Graham Chittenden complete the line-up. Tickets are available at www.bdatix.bm, Pulp & Circumstance (Washington Lane) and Fabulous Fashions (Heron Bay Plaza). There’s a $3 surcharge per ticket if ordered by phone — 232-2255. For more information visit www.comedyevent.bm or www.hahaha.com or call 232-8499.