Andrew Dice Clay on his "Roller Coaster" Career: "I'm All the Way Up Again, So I'm Happy"

Clay has been in comedy so long, he's seen it all. Back before Twitter and podcasts, comedians lived and died on their jokes. And while Mr. Hickory Dickory Dock has seen waves of new comics sparkle and fade, he's been taking notes and plotting a major comeback. But before he heads down to South Florida for a string of gigs, we sat down with the Dice Man to discuss his yo-yo comedy career, his kids' band, and how he plans on making it to the top and actually stay there.

New Times: You have been doing standup for so long that during that amount of time, there have been lots of changes. What do you think about the new DIY route where comics are creating their own specials on their own dime and putting them online themselves for $5?

Andrew Dice Clay: Well I think for younger comics, just to get their stuff out, it's not a bad idea. You get exposure that way. But I don't think it's a smart business move for a seasoned pro. Normally, if it's a big name, you have somebody like HBO or Showtime behind it, so it really wouldn't work for those guys. I mean, Louis CK did it just as his star was coming up, and it was a cool idea, but I don't know if it works for everybody.

Speaking of Louis, I loved both of you in Blue Jasmine. It was great to see you in a different type of role. How did that come up? Did Woody contact you directly or did you have try out?

He got in contact with my management. He saw me on Entourage and just wanted me in on it and that was it. Woody sort of knows who he wants for different roles when he writes a movie. He has two or three people in mind and that's how he writes. Louie also read for the part that I got, but he didn't think he was tough enough in the role. He likes authenticity and that's why Louis ended up doing his part and I got my part.

You mentioned Entourage. Were you a fan of that show too before you got that call?

100 percent. Watched just about all the seasons. So it was very strange going from the couch to the television for a show I'm a fan of. It was very surreal.

They are reviving it right now. Are you going to be involved in that?

It's going to be a film, yeah. Most probably I'll be in it. I don't know to what extent, but I met with Doug Ellin last week about it.

You quit smoking, right?

Nah, I'm smoking right now.

I was going to ask how you quit.

When I decided to quit I just quit, I didn't use anything. And I didn't smoke for 10 years. And I am going to quit again in the New Year. Sometime after January, I'm just going to quit. I had my fun with it.

I know your sons are musicians. How long have they been playing?

I support them 100 percent. they are incredible. They have been playing since they were really young. Their band [L.A. Rocks] is pretty phenomenal. And then they started getting some exposure through my Showtime special and their appearance on Artie Lange recently. They play in LA at all those famous clubs like Whiskey A Go Go, they just did their first concert in New York. So it's fun to watch them grow up into it.

I loved listening to you on The Artie Lange Show. Are you two buddies or did that just happen to be a great interview?

I've known Artie for years. We worked together, he's a great guy, I love him. And I love his show. I always have his show on at night in the background because it's like another conversation going on. He's great.

He just came out with a book, I read that you are working on a book too. What can we expect from it?

It's called The Filthy Truth; it's autobiographical. I am actually writing it now because I want it to really be from my mouth and the truth of different things that went on and stories that people wouldn't know. You know an autobiography is almost like cliff notes of your own life so I have been enjoying writing it. I think it will inspire a lot of people. My carer has been a roller coaster, I was all they way on the top, all they way on the bottom and now I'm all the way up again so I'm happy. And I am the one that put me in all of those spots, so it will be interesting.