Jim Gaffigan rose to stardom by riffing on hot pockets, not politicians.

The squeaky-clean comic poked fun at himself most of all. He parlayed his comic success into a side hustle in indie films.

And then he came down with a case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.

It didn’t overwhelm his material, but his angry Twitter rants and occasional Trump broadsides showed another side of the affable comic. Here’s betting more than a few Trump fans weren’t amused. Maybe more than a few deserted him for other comedic options.

Does that explain Gaffigan’s recent political gags?

The new “Saturday Night Live” season finds Gaffigan playing Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz. The impression is far from flattering.

Why would a diehard Never Trumper take Walz down weeks before Election Day? It’s what any comic should do, of course. We’ve learned in recent years that most satirists pull their punches when Democrats behave badly.

They understand the best comic punchlines can impact elections. Just ask Sarah Palin.

It explains why late-night TV won’t lay a glove on Vice President Harris and essentially ignored President Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline.

Yet Gaffigan did it again Thursday. This time, the stage was bigger and his satirical blows proved sharper.

He emceed the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. The event drew headlines, and some gasps, when Vice President Kamala Harris declined to appear in person at the bipartisan gala.

Instead, Trump stole the show with a blistering comic set that showcased his inimitable humor.

Trump's top 5 jokes from the Al Smith Catholic Dinner.

He saves the best for last -- for Chuck Schumer.pic.twitter.com/S1aRC33NnX

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 18, 2024

Gaffigan, a practicing Catholic and father of five, mocked Harris for being a no-show at the event. She filmed a comic sketch for the gala and sent it along in her place.

That wasn’t good enough for Gaffigan.

I’m sorry. Why is Vice President Harris not here? I mean, consider this. This is a room full of Catholics and Jews in New York City. This is a layup for the Democratic nominee. I mean, in her defense, I mean, she did find time to appear on “The View,” Howard Stern, Colbert and the long time staple of campaigning, the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. You know what I think it is? I think she doesn’t like me.

Next, he zeroed in on one of the Harris/Walz campaign’s biggest flaws. Harris was selected, not elected.

The Democrats have been telling us Trump, Trump’s reelection is a threat to democracy. In fact, they were so concerned of this threat, they staged a coup. Ousted their democratically elected incumbent, and installed Kamala Harris.

The comedian took some shots at Trump, too. That’s to be expected. His Harris jabs cut deep, and many were likely surprised by them.

Why would Gaffigan suddenly embrace bipartisanship? Doesn’t he realize a second Trump term means the end of “democracy” and the dawn of Hitler 2.0? It’s what his fellow anti-Trump stars insist, ignoring that Trump served in the Oval Office for four years and we saw nothing of the kind.

Worst. Hitler. Ever.

Perhaps Gaffigan’s ticket sales are down?

Clean comedy is a natural fit for Red State USA. Many Heartland dwellers love to laugh but prefer jokes appropriate for all ages. It’s why Dry Bar Comedy is such a hit.

That’s Gaffigan’s sweet spot. 

He had no problem selling out Denver’s Paramount Theatre over and again earlier this year. His upcoming shows in Salt Lake City are nearly all sold out, too.

Perhaps he’s course correcting for the best reason possible.

Political satire is best when it hits both sides of the aisle. Gaffigan, now 58, may realize his audiences matter more than his personal rage against Trump.