What's the story with Andrew Dice Clay?

Cafe Society
1

I know he was an actor and then did raunchy stand-up. He had a handful of movie appearances, made some comedy CDs, and had a very short-lived sitcom. He’s probably planning his big comeback right now. But didn’t he at some point give an interview and say that the whole “Diceman” schtick was only a character that took over his public persona? That he’s really a nice guy who was tragically used and misunderstood, yadda yadda yadda?

I figure he’s just some working-class schmoe who wanted to be famous and got there the only way his limited talents would allow, and that he really is the racist, sexist, nasty twit he’s pretending not to be. (How could a character take over people’s perceptions of you? One television interview would set everyone straight.)

2

I believe his whole ‘The-Diceman-was-just-a-character’ schtick was around the time he was promoting his doomed sitcom. After that tanked, though, I believe he was back to ‘No, I am the Diceman!’

3

If he had just started out saying, “This is my Diceman character” he would’ve lasted longer.

He did some funny non-Diceman stuff like his camping trip with a bunch of Italian-American actors.

4

So, like, anything to stay in the spotlight, huh?

I thought I heard about this bizarre, out-of-control appearance on somebody’s talk show, where he was crying – gasping and sobbing, tears rolling down his face – desperately trying to explain to the host how he had been used.

Or maybe I’m just hallucinating.

5

That sounds like his appearance on Arsenio Hall.

He was in town two weeks ago to do a benefit for late comic Freddy Soto. To promote the benefit he made himself available for radio interviews (no personal appearance, telephone only, afternoon only and he’ll call you).
He said for the last few years he’s been sticking to the stage in Las Vegas.

6

Didn’t he appear as “Diceman” in the 80’s movie Pretty in Pink.
He was outside a club or something and Duckie called him Diceman.

7

I never liked his act, but watched the one HBO special with this bit to give him a chance. I was surprised by this bit, and it made me like the guy a little.

8

The “Diceman” schtick was/is just that. Before that, he was just Andrew Clay, run-of-the-mill standup who did solid but not brilliant material like the bit described above. In trying to clean up his act for his new sitcom, he ran into the same problem: without Dice, nobody pays attention to him. Ergo, back to the blue material.

I can’t imagine what kind of a comeback he would engineer, since he’s still doing the schtick that made him famous; it’s just that now the novelty has worn off, and once you get over the shock of nursery rhymes with the word “pussy” in them, there’s very little of interest there.

9

He had a recurring role in the 1980s cops and bad guys drama “Crime Story”.

I remember him being pretty decent in what was an admittedly small part.

The guy probably could have had a decent career as a character actor.

10

Isn’t that the same thing Eminem says about his “Slim Shady” persona- that he doesn’t really want people to do all the things he raps about in his songs?

11

The sourcing on this is a bit thin, seeing as how it was a factoid on a GSN poker show, but according to the factoid he’s the highest paid act in Las Vegas.

Then there was his gig announcing “Mr and Mrs (Year)” in one of the VH1 “I Love the 80s” series. That must have kept hiim occupied for days.

12

His character was also called “Dice Man” in the Judd Nelson classic “Making the Grade” (1984).

13

Anyone remember “Andrea Dice Clay” from In Living Color? That was funny one time.

14

His movie Brain Smasher has some amusing bits, most of which are on Teri Hatcher’s scantily-clad body.

15

More than Celine Dion? Somehow I doubt that.

16

Maybe they meant the highest-paid comedian.

17

Nope, that would be the Amazing Jonathan

18

People pay to watch The Amazing Jonathan?

19

I’d pay to see him before accepting a free ticket to Clay’s show.

20

Anybody ever see “Night Patrol*”?

He played, wait for it, a bad comedian trying to get a break.

Typical joke “Why did the monkey fall out of the tree? He was F***ing dead.”

  • Yes I know this is a stupid movie, but a love dialogue like…

Captain: This is our new Officer, Miss Perman
Kent: Oh, I’ve known Sue for years
Sue: Yes, I’ve known you ever since you were a clerk, Kent

Melvin: Did Sue make out the schedule?
Captain: No, but she will plan it daily.

Kent: Are you calling role?
Captain: No, I don’t want any of that crap tonight.
Sue: Oh, Sir, don’t say that, it make me weak
Captain: What’s the matter Sue Perman, does my language offend you. Crap tonight! Crap tonight! Crap tonight!
The above may make more sense if you read them outloud.