Worcester comedian and elementary school janitor Jimmy Cash makes his Wilbur debut Thursday

Boston Globe

18-02-2025

'This is definitely my biggest show,' Cash, 41, says. 'I feel ready.'
Cash has worked some two decades as a janitor for Worcester Public Schools and is now head custodian at an elementary school there. ('It's kind of like being a doctor: You put in years of doing rounds, then you become a doctor-janitor, which is what I am now,' he deadpans.)
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He's also been moonlighting as a stand-up for nine years — and became a TikTok star in 2020, amassing more than 700,000 followers to date; his bits have more than 34 million likes.
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Often donning an industrial brown paper towel scarf, Cash is known for his school-themed skits, including teacher's lounge sketches, lunch reviews, and his bread and butter: funny takes on janitorial life, and self-deprecating jokes. Saturday, for example, filming in front of a Dumpster,
He has also found a niche gig as Worcester Public School's social media
'Storm Team 2 here,' he announced Feb. 5, wearing his signature paper towel scarf. 'We got a snow day! We don't know whether it's Pat seeing his shadow, or all the teacher manifestations, but dreams do come true.'
Cash is a nickname-turned-stage name. He doesn't reveal his school for privacy reasons. We talked by phone about playing a Fenway groundskeeper, his TV pilot pitch, TikTok, and more.
Q: You grew up in Worcester. Did you love comedy as a kid?
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A: I always loved performing for my family — imitating musicians, doing impressions. I thought I'd maybe be a sketch actor. I ended up having a kid really young, and had to scramble to get a job. I took the test to become a custodian for the city when I was 19. My dad was a janitor so that was in my blood, too.
Q: Did you start at this school?
A: I actually started at my rival high school. Kids used to think I was another student. They tried to start fights with me, made fun of me for sweeping the stairs. They thought I was being a suck-up to the teachers.
Q: Classic. How did working in a school influence your comedy?
A: As my daughter got older, I was like, 'Man, I still really want to pursue something.' I started going to open-mics. They say talk about what you know— all I knew was being a janitor. Then my daughter told me I should get on TikTok. I started playing around with characters around 2020, just for fun. All while I was doing stand-up.
Q: When did you blow up on TikTok?
A: Right away in 2020. But it wasn't a complete life-changer. Then I slowly started to headline. I sold out shows at Laugh Boston last year. I do private shows for school departments. Still not steady enough for full-time. But I'm kind of married to the janitor life.
Q: Would a TikTok ban affect you at all?
A: I don't even care anymore about it. It's helped me out a lot. But Instagram does the job.
Q: You said your dad died when you were 9. Was comedy a solace for you in childhood?
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A: Absolutely. I was bounced around, kind of a rocky childhood. I think maybe that's why some of the wanting attention on stage comes from. I got sober when I was 19. Some of that's in my act, too.
Q: Were you a funny kid?
A: I don't think I was 'the funny one' — maybe a pain in the butt. I'd get in trouble in class, get my desk moved to the back of the classroom. My grandmother was a secretary in my elementary school. If she walked down the hall, she'd see my desk and shake her finger at me. I'd be like, 'Oh, no. She knows.'
Q: You mentioned 'SNL.' What else influenced you as a kid?
A: I saw 'Billy Madison' in the theater on my birthday in '94. I wanted to live in one of those movies. It was an escape. I was a big fan of Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, David Spade, The Jerky Boys. As I got older, I loved Bill Burr, Chris Rock.
Q: What will strike you for a character?
A: Some
The first time I did that sketch, my idea was to just play one teacher. Then I thought: What if I played multiple teachers? I always feel completely insane when I'm filming it.
Q: You've also got
A: Yeah! So I constantly throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. Storm Team 2 was just ridiculous. Because people always ask the custodian about the weather: 'What do you think? What do you think's gonna happen?' What do I think? I don't know. Next thing I know, I'm announcing snow cancellations for Worcester Public Schools [on social media]. So you never know what's gonna catch on.
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Q: You also do school
A: How could you not talk about the cuisine they serve? Today was beans and franks. I haven't been in the mood to review it. I have to have quite the hunger.
Q: What are your personal favorite clips?
A: I personally love the teachers lounge because I detach from myself completely when I do those. So I sometimes watch those back and I say, 'Wow, that's a masterpiece.'
Q: You also play a
A: For Plymouth Rock Insurance's '
Also, I've been working on a pilot to pitch for a TV show. We'll see what happens.
Q: What's that about?
A: It's based on my life—the early days of being a janitor, life struggles. It's more of a dramedy.
Q: Anything you want to add?
A: Just know I'll be coming out with a line of my own paper towel scarves soon.
Interview has been edited and condensed.
Lauren Daley can be reached at