More than three decades after becoming the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden, Andrew Dice Clay is playing considerably smaller venues. But when he comes to the Mall of America's House of Comedy for four shows this weekend, he'll be bringing something he never had in his heyday: prestige.
Thanks to critically acclaimed roles in "Blue Jasmine," "A Star Is Born" and HBO's "Vinyl," the taboo-busting comic is being reassessed as a formidable actor, a label that seemed unimaginable back when "Saturday Night Live" cast member Nora Dunn refused to share a stage with him and MTV banned him for life.
Not that the 63-year-old performer has suddenly transformed into Jimmy Stewart. Those who catch his act in the Twin Cities will still get dirty nursery rhymes and his signature bravado, much of which was on display last month when he called during a bike ride in Los Angeles.
Q: You're one of the first headliners to get back on the road during the pandemic. What went into that decision?
A: I'm sort of glad I'm one of the firsts. I've always prided myself on being the first to do this or that. I've just been sitting around. My only creative outlet has been [the celebrity video app] Cameo. You only have to do a minute, but I've been giving people 22 minutes. So it's time. I'm trying to be as safe as possible. I miss people, even though all they do in normal times is complain. That's not going to change. Once they get out there again, forget about being nicer to each other. That's been my problem in life. I see through all this.
Q: Are you finding audiences are more appreciative than usual?
A: We did a place called SoulJoel's in Pennsylvania. It was a big tent. Twenty-seven degrees. I was in the heaviest sweater I had, a hoodie under my leather jacket, a T-shirt over a tank top, long johns, the heaviest socks money could buy, fur-lined boots and fingerless mittens. I don't smoke anymore, but I hold cigarettes. When I dropped my pack, I couldn't even bend over. That's how bundled up I was. Then there was a train 30 feet behind the stage.
The crowd was also freezing, but they were so happy to be out. I gave it as much energy as I would in a theater show. A lot of comics who have been doing this as long as I have lose the fire. I've got a big mouth. I've always said that I'm the greatest. If you say that, you owe it to your audience to get up and prove it.