Even though it’s a comic’s job to crack jokes that make people laugh as hard as possible, it’s much harder than what it looks like. Becoming a comedian is a path that’s not for everyone, but for Larry the Cable Guy, it something he does better than many others in the profession. But it wasn’t always so from the start. Larry performed under his real name but was met with little success. A regular on radio stations, his comedy routines included making calls to said stations in different characters. It was from one of these characters that the comedian chose and built him up to be Larry the Cable Guy; a stereotypical redneck with the face cap, sleeveless flannel, and Southern accent who tells stories about his family and has his own catchphrase, “Git-R-Done!”
Who Really Is Larry The Cable Guy?
Larry the Cable Guy, whose real name is Daniel Lawrence Whitney, was born on February 17, 1963. He grew up on a pig farm owned by his parents in Pawnee City, Nebraska. Larry was born to Shirley Whitney and Tom Whitney—a guitarist, Christian minister, and former high school counselor. He’s the only child of his parents. When he was sixteen, his family moved to Palm Beach County, Florida. There, he attended high school at The King’s Academy, a private Christian school with preschool, elementary, and secondary schools in West Palm Beach, Florida. His father was the principal of the elementary school.
Larry the Cable Guy didn’t finish from here though, but switched to Berean Christian School, also in West Palm Beach, and graduated in 1982. He worked at Wendy’s for a spell before moving around a spell to attend college at the Baptist University of America, Georgia, and then the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After trying his hand at comedy, Larry the Cable Guy eventually dropped out of college in his junior year. He does credit his Texas and Georgia-native roommates for inspiring his comedic Southern accent.
A Deeper Insight Into What He Does For A Living
Larry the Cable Guy started his career path in comedy in the early ‘90s with regular appearances on radio shows like the nationally syndicated The Ron and Ron Show. He was also a regular on The Bob and Tom Show, KDGE’s The Chris Baker Show, and KEZO’s The Todd and Tyler Show in Omaha, Nebraska. He frequently showed up as a guest for The Johnny Dare Morning Show on KQRC, Kansas City.
Larry leveled up in 2000 when fellow comedian and friend Jeff Foxworthy invited him to be a part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe created by Foxworthy. Together with other comedians Bill Engvall and Ron White, the troupe toured for six years. Their tour began at Omaha, Nebraska in January 2000 and ended at the Warner Theater, Washington D.C. in 2006. The tour was a stunning success and a live DVD was released, which sold over a million copies. The troupe went on to release three films; Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie (2003), Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again (2004), and Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road (2006).
Larry the Cable Guy released his first comedy album, Lord, I Apologize, on October 30, 2001, to critical acclaim. The album is certified gold by the RIAA. On March 29, 2005, he released his second album, The Right to Bare Arms, also to critical acclaim and a platinum certification by the RIAA. His third, Morning Constitutions, was released in 2007 with a TV special. Larry has three Christmas-themed comedy albums; both of which were released by Warner Bros. Records. A Very Larry Christmas, released in November 2004, is certified platinum by the RIAA, and Christmastime in Larryland was released in October 2007.
Larry’s laurels from his comedic ventures saw him land the role of Tow Mater in the Pixar animated movie Cars, a role he reprised in Cars 2 (2011) and Cars 3 (2017). He also got his own TV show on the History Channel, Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy. The documentary series debuted on February 8, 2011, and followed Larry as he explored the country and immersed himself in different jobs, hobbies, and lifestyles. The series finale was broadcast on August 28, 2013.
Not only is he a comedian, but he’s also a writer. In 2005, he published his autobiography, GIT-R-DONE, in which he talked about his comedic process, including how he has to deliberately switch on the Southern accent both on and off stage so he wouldn’t forget it.
What You Should Know About Larry The Cable Guy’s Net Worth
Thanks to his time with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, Larry was catapulted to celebrity status. The success of the comedy troupe’s tours, as well as the success of his various shows, stand-up performances, and DVD sales, have also made him quite the millionaire. Larry’s net worth is estimated at a value of $80 million, showing just how lucrative making people laugh can be. According to Forbes, Larry was able to earn $20 million in 2007 alone. From May 2010 to May 2011, reports claim Larry earned $20 million from his stand-up and DVD sales. His role in Cars, as well as being a Prilosec rep helped him earn a cool $18 million from May 2011 to May 2012. In 2013, he was able to earn $13 million by the year’s end. He was listed in Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List in 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2012.
Larry the Cable Guy bought a house in Arizona worth $3.6 million in 2014. The four-bedroom house sits on 4,073 square feet of land and also includes an air-conditioned garage, a fire pit, an outdoor TV, security cameras, a marble bath, a guest casita, two guest suites, and a lot of mountain views. He also has a 180-acre farm in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Besides his comedic ventures, Larry is also a charitable man at heart. He created the Git-R-Done Foundation, which has raised millions in donations for other charities. After his son was cured of hip dysplasia as an infant by Dr. Chad Price, the Git-R-Done foundation donated $5 million to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children’s International Hip Dysplasia Institute in September 2010. He has also donated money privately to his high school. For his various deeds, Larry was honored by his hometown of Pawnee City with a street named after him.
What Do We Know About His Wife?
Larry the Cable Guy is happily married to Cara Whitney, a Wisconsin-native who was born and raised on a cattle farm. She’s a radio DJ who has also authored a book titled Unbridled Faith: 100 Devotions from the Horse Farm. The couple met in 2004, sparked a romance, and ended up tying the knot on a Nebraska field on July 3, 2005. Even though by this time the comedian was already on his way to becoming a millionaire, he shared in an interview that their wedding cost just $180. Cara dressed up in shorts and a camo tank top while Larry donned a cut-off sweatshirt and camo shorts for the occasion.
The couple’s marriage is blessed with two children. Wyatt Whitney, their first child, and son was born on August 2, 2006. Reagan Whitney, their daughter, and second child, was born on October 29, 2007.
