Jim McCaffree shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Jim, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’ll play Wordle first thing while still in bed, do my morning ablutions, take vitamins and pills, make coffee and eat breakfast, turn on the radio, or the internet equivalent thereof, and journal, which is where I decide what I need to do that day and sometimes even get material for other writing or performance.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, I’m Jim McCaffree. I’m an actor in LA (sometimes), a copyeditor, and a pet sitter. Recently I’ve decided to focus on the “other” thing I’ve been good at: writing. I started writing and performing standup, freelance writing, and writing my solo comedy show, “Jim McCaffree: National Treasure,” a combination of standup comedy and character monologues. I premiered it at Whitefire Theatre’s Solofest 24 in LA (winning an Encore Award); I also performed it Off-Broadway, in the United Solo festival.
I’m working on what you might call a spin-off of National Treasure, centered on one the most popular character I did in the show. I hope to premiere it sometime in 2026.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Maybe it’s not that early, but when I first acted in high school. It was the spring variety show, and I got to be in comedy sketches, ripped off from Carol Burnett & Friends and SNL. I never felt confident about anything before, and it changed my life.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When I started doing standup a few years ago. I realized I could take my pain and suffering and turn it into gold. Or at least jokes.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
It depends on which public version we’re talking about. If I’m with a group of people, friends or strangers, I’m a total wallflower, really quiet and introverted, which isn’t the real me one on one. But then there’s the public performance version of me. I tend to feel more comfortable performing in real life. The real me is somewhere in between.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I’m funny, welcoming, mostly nonjudgmental, and would help any of my friends when they needed it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jimthewriter.com
- Instagram: jimmccaffree
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mccaffree-9581037
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosencrantz4
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jim-mccaffree
- Other: Other IGs:
jimmccaffree_national_treasure
drbrenemanhelps
Jim_mccaffree_photography
Image Credits
The headshot on the Personal Photos page was taken by Jesse Saler at https://salerheadshots.com
