Comedian Jim Gaffigan is in the midst of "The Sexy Tour," a funny moniker full of irony, given that he's a self-described "average, out-of-shape, 40-something guy with a wife and two kids."

While Gaffigan, who's also an actor and writer, has been a corporate pitch man (Sierra Mist, ESPN, Rolling Rock and Saturn); appeared in numerous motion pictures (most recently "The Love Guru" with Mike Myers); and guest-starred on such television shows as "Sex And The City," "That '70s Show," "Third Watch," and all three "Law & Order" franchises, he made it crystal clear that performing this Saturday at Merrillville's Star Plaza Theatre ranks high on his list of personal accomplishments.

A Valparaiso native, Gaffigan attended shows at the Merrillville venue back when it was known as "Holiday Star Plaza."

"Never could I have guessed that one day I would be up there performing on that stage," Gaffigan said. "It's quite a thrill."

The Times spoke with Gaffigan recently to discuss his region roots, career and fondness for a certain local burger chain.

THE TIMES: Your region roots are quite extensive, covering multiple counties -- Lake, Porter and LaPorte. Give us the run down of your youth here.

JIM GAFFIGAN: My family moved to Munster when I was in the fifth grade, and I went to Wilber Wright Middle School there and used to hang out with friends at The Little Store there. We moved (to Dunes Acres), and I went to high school in LaPorte at La Lumiere High School but took my Driver's Ed classes in Chesterton, and my SATs in Gary. For a while, I also worked the Adam Benjamin train station in Gary. So, yeah, I've got roots all over the area."

Q: How long have you been out of the region, and how often do you get back these days?

A: I've been living here in New York City for about 19 years. I went to college and studied finance and just wound up here, where I started doing stand-up about 17 years ago. I get back there maybe two or three times a year, because my brother still lives out here in Chesterton. So it's usually trips home around Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Q: What do you miss the most about the region?

A: Two things. Mostly Schoop's Hamburgers. I hit Schoop's the first thing whenever I get back here. I used to eat at the one in Munster, but now thank goodness, they have a Schoop's everywhere in the region, including Chesterton!

Q: You said TWO things. What is the other?

A: The people. And I really mean that. I travel a lot, and the people in the region are very unique. Let's face it, any group of people who proudly refer to themselves as 'Region Rats,' have got to have a great sense of humor and a lot of character. The region has a great mix of people and cultures.

Q: How did you wind up going from finance studies to becoming a comedian, actor and writer? Did you get involved in Second City or any of the great comedy, improv or acting troupes here in Chicagoland while living here?

A: No. The biggest influence on me growing up as far as show business was the marching band, because Chesterton has a pretty successful marching band. As a kid, I think I always kind of secretly always wanted to do this, but it was while in college in New York that it all started. I began taking some improv classes to deal with a fear of public speaking, and a guy there dared me to take a stand-up seminar. Part of that seminar was doing a live show and by the time I did that, I was addicted to this.

Q: Your stand-up routines are always clean and family-friendly. A lot of comics tend to be at least a little 'blue' with their material. Why have you avoided that?

A: It's nothing by elaborate design. I just choose to deal with the hard-hitting issues of the world like ketchup, manatees, bean-bag chairs and Hot Pockets. I just don't feel the need to curse in my act, and that was a creative decision a long time ago. I've always felt that cursing was a little like cheating, because any comic will admit that if you throw in a curse word, you're going to get a reaction. And let's face it, if I'm talking about cake or a hammock; there's no real reason to curse. I am a clean comedian. There's not a topic in my show that would make a parent or a kid feel uncomfortable. I really like seeing teenagers out in the audience with their moms and dads. I like that families can come to my shows together, and everyone can enjoy it.

Q: You've done a lot of television and you've done a fair share of films. How does working in that kind of medium differ from doing stand-up, and which do you enjoy more?

A: Honestly, I love doing it all. There's definitely a different discipline.Stand-up has you in charge of the whole shebang and you are there face to face in a sort of conversation with your audience. The acting thing is part of an ensemble and you don't have an audience per se, you are working for the camera. Acting can also be a crap shoot; you go to auditions, but you never know what's going to happen.

Q: You also have done a lot of serious drama. But you are known for a being a funny guy. Do you like the dramatic roles as much as the comedic ones?

A: Oh I love doing drama. The great thing about acting is that you get to dip into being all these different characters. They always say that doing comedy is harder, and it's really true. I love doing drama just because it's easier for me. You don't have to be looking for the jokes. I don't know if that makes sense or not.

Q: Do you come to the area much for performances?

A: Last year, I performed last March at the Chicago Theatre downtown, but this is actually my first time performing in the region itself. I'm very excited about it. I get e-mails and Facebook and Myspace messages all the time from people that I grew up with or went to school with in the region, and they mention that they're going to the Star show, so it's pretty exciting for me. I do a meet-and-greet after each show, so it'll be a long night, but it'll definitely be worth it.

Q: Do you tap much into your region memories when it comes to your writing?

A: I do sort of have this 'outsider victim perspective' that I play against. Being from this area, there is this strange stereotype. We're in a weird place being from in the region. We're kind of Chicago, but yet NOT Chicago.

We're Indiana, but we're NOT like the rest of Indiana. We're 'the region,' and it's a very unique place.

Telling people you are from Northern Indiana gets some pretty bizarre reactions. In Chicago they say -- 'Where's that?' -- and I tell them it's only like 10 minutes away, and they just kind of stare blankly. Tell people from the rest of Indiana you're from 'the region,' and they are kind of begrudging. They act like we're some kind of crazy cousin they have to allow to come to the barbecue.

When I tell people I'm from Indiana, they say things like -- 'Oh, Indiana. I drove through there once,' and I'll say, yes I saw you, you're a great driver.

Q: Having grown up in the region, it's got to be pretty cool coming home to perform two shows at Star Plaza, which has been a landmark here since 1979.

A: Oh yeah. When I started doing stand-up in theaters, Star Plaza was one of the first ones that popped into my mind, because it has always been THE place for entertainers to perform in Northwest Indiana.

Q: You are on the weekly TBS original television series, "My Boys," which is the cable network's first original scripted comedy series. What's that all about, and do you contribute to the writing end on that?

A: It's a show about a young gal who is a sports writer in Chicago, and I play her very good-looking brother. I don't do any writing. I'm just a hired gun on that show. I was offered the role, and I liked the script and everything, but that's pretty much the extent of my involvement on that show.