We mentioned last week that Gallagher would appear as the co-host on a local radio show in Ohio for a week. The week has passed and his duties are over. And, judging from this video from one of the broadcasts, a lot of things are over for the comedian, who has recently gone through a string of health problems and financial woes.
In what may be one the most honest – and depressing – comedian interviews in memory, Gallagher admits to host Scott Spears that he’s just about broke, lives in hotels, isn’t legally allowed to drive, and more. I’ve transcribed some of the interview, which follows the video, directly below. Check it out tell us what you think. Do you feel bad for Gallagher?
Did you handle all your money.
Oh yeah, I lost all of it myself.
People are going to think you’re serious. Is it true?
Yeah, I lost it all—betting on America. Who thought it was gonna go from way up to way down since ’88. I’m telling you, it’s hard for me to short the market. I just can’t hope that American industry doesn’t win, doesn’t dominate. It’s typical; it’s unpatriotic and it’s hard for me, and I lost my retirement doing it.
At your height, what was your worth?
Only about $3 million. After taxes, you earn six and you pay taxes, then I had wives and I lived a high life. If you have money, you’re gonna travel around, so I spent it—rather than give it to the government.
So, what do you have today?
Well, not much. Well, I divested myself of my assets because I knew my health was bad, and I didn’t want my kids to have to go through probate. So I gave them whatever monies I had left in assets, because it’s just better. What do you want to do—leave your kids a big legal problem? I don’t know what’s the matter with my drivers license, but they’ve suspended it. So actually now, not only do I have no place to live – I have a credit card and I can stay in hotels – but I can’t drive, until I figure this out. California suspended my license.
But, you learn. I walk along the street now—I go from the old Super 8 which you just advertised right there, which is really the center of economic activity in this town—is out there, where the Super 8 and the Meijer is. And I walk over to the Buffalo [Wild Wings], and I see things on the side of the road, which, of course, I’d never see if I just drove by. And I pick up these things, because, to me, it tells me about the society, and I find parts of cars and they’re important parts—and I wonder how the car is driving without that part now. It just seems odd to me. We’re known by the things we leave behind. It’s kind of like I’m an archeologist of the society now, instead of digging deep in the dirt. You don’t find shards of pots in America these days, but you do find car parts.
