Jeff Foxworthy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeff Foxworthy
Foxworthy in 2001
Birth name	Jeffrey Marshall Foxworthy
Born	(1958-09-06) September 6, 1958 (age 66) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up, film, radio, television
Years active	1982–present
Genres	Country comedy, Observational, word play, sitcom
Subject(s)	Marriage, Southern culture, everyday life, family, rednecks
Spouse	Pamela Gregg ​ (m. 1985)​
Children	2

Jeffrey Marshall Foxworthy (born September 6, 1958) is a famous American comedian, actor, writer, and host for radio and TV shows. He is well-known for his funny "You might be a redneck" jokes. These jokes describe funny situations that might make you think of someone from a rural, Southern background.

Jeff Foxworthy is part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. He performs with other comedians like Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall. He has released many popular comedy albums, and his first two albums sold millions of copies. He has also written several books based on his jokes, plus a book about his own life.

You might have seen Jeff Foxworthy on TV. He had his own comedy show called The Jeff Foxworthy Show. He also appeared in special TV shows with his Blue Collar Comedy friends. Jeff has hosted popular game shows like Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? and The American Bible Challenge. He also hosted a radio show called The Foxworthy Countdown.

Early Life and First Steps in Comedy

Growing Up in Georgia

Jeffrey Marshall Foxworthy was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 6, 1958. He was the first of three children. His father, Jimmy Abstance Foxworthy, worked for IBM. His mother was Carole Linda Camp. Jeff's family had roots in England. His grandfather was a firefighter for over 30 years in Hapeville, Georgia. Jeff has two younger siblings, Jay and Jennifer.

From Computers to Comedy

Jeff Foxworthy graduated from Hapeville High School. He then went to the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. However, he left college before finishing his degree. For five years, he worked at IBM, just like his father. He helped maintain large computers.

His co-workers at IBM encouraged him to try comedy. In 1984, Jeff entered a comedy contest in Atlanta called the Great Southeastern Laugh-off. He won the contest, and that was the start of his comedy career!

Comedy Career Highlights

Popular Comedy Albums

In 1993, Jeff Foxworthy released a comedy album called You Might Be a Redneck If…. This album became very popular and started a big trend with his "You Might Be a Redneck" jokes. The album sold over three million copies.

His next album, Games Rednecks Play, came out in 1995. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album. In 1998, he released Totally Committed, which also became very successful. This album even had a special TV show on HBO. The music video for the Totally Committed song featured famous baseball players Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.

Jeff Foxworthy on Television

In 1995, Jeff Foxworthy starred in his own TV show, The Jeff Foxworthy Show. It was a comedy show based on his stand-up humor. The show first aired on ABC, then moved to NBC. Later, Jeff said that the TV networks didn't quite understand his Southern style of humor.

He hosted the "TNN Music City News Country Awards" show for three years in a row, from 1998 to 2000. In 1998, he also appeared on the cartoon talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Jeff Foxworthy became widely known as the host of the game show Are You Smarter than A 5th Grader? on Fox. He hosted the show from 2007 to 2011, and then returned as host in 2015. He also hosted The Bucks of Tecomate, a show about hunting.

In 2011, he was a guest "Shark" on two episodes of the business reality show Shark Tank. From 2012, Jeff hosted The American Bible Challenge, a game show on GSN. He also hosted The American Baking Competition in 2013. In 2019, he was a judge on NBC's comedy show Bring the Funny.

The Blue Collar Comedy Tour

Foxworthy performing in Green Bay in 2015

In the early 2000s, Jeff Foxworthy's career became even more popular because of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. He toured the country with three other comedians: Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, and Bill Engvall. They all specialized in comedy about everyday people. The tour was a huge success and lasted for three years.

In 2004, they launched a TV series called Blue Collar TV on The WB network. Jeff was an executive producer and starred in the show with Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall. The show aired reruns until 2006. Later, Jeff brought back a similar show called Foxworthy's Big Night Out on CMT.

Books by Jeff Foxworthy

Jeff Foxworthy has written many books. These include You Might Be a Redneck If... (1989) and his autobiography, No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem! (1996). He also wrote a cookbook called The Redneck Grill. Another book he wrote was "Redneck Extreme Mobile Home Makeover" (2005), which included more of his famous jokes.

He has also written several "Redneck Dictionary" books, which explain funny meanings for words. In 2008, Jeff released his first children's book, Dirt On My Shirt. This was followed by Silly Street in 2009 and Hide!!! in 2010. He also co-authored books about golf and work, like How to Really Stink at Golf.

Radio Work

In 1999, Jeff Foxworthy started his own weekly radio show called The Foxworthy Countdown. It played the top 30 country music hits. In 2001, he was nominated for "Broadcast Personality of the Year" for this show. The show ended in late 2009.

In 2006, a special radio channel called the Blue Collar Comedy channel was launched on Sirius Satellite Radio. It featured comedy from the Blue Collar group. In 2015, this channel was renamed Jeff & Larry's Comedy Roundup, focusing more on Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy.

Foxworthy Outdoors and Other Projects

In 2011, Jeff Foxworthy started Foxworthy Outdoors. This website sells hunting and outdoor products with his brand. He also hosts a web series on the site called Jeff Foxworthy: Inside & Out. In this series, he and his friends share their hunting and fishing trips.

In 2017, Jeff Foxworthy created a card game called Relative Insanity. It's a fun game with a family theme that makes people laugh a lot.

Personal Life

Jeff Foxworthy met his wife, Pamela Gregg, at a comedy club in Atlanta. They got married on September 18, 1985. They have two daughters named Jordan and Julianne. Jeff loves hunting and has enjoyed it since he was a teenager. He used to hunt on his father's farm in Georgia.

Political Views

Jeff Foxworthy tries to keep his jokes free from politics. He has said that some political jokes shared online that claim to be his are not actually from him. He has supported some political campaigns in the past. For example, he donated to the presidential campaign of George W. Bush and the Republican Party in the 2000s. In 2012, he supported Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He has also said that Donald Trump connects with the "American spirit."

Discography

• You Might Be a Redneck If... (1993)
• Games Rednecks Play (1995)
• Crank It Up: The Music Album (1996)
• Totally Committed (1998)
• Big Funny (2000)
• Have Your Loved Ones Spayed or Neutered (2004)

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Appearances

Awards and Recognition

Jeff Foxworthy has received several awards and nominations for his comedy and hosting work.