Andrew Dice Clay to perform outdoors at Governor's Comedy Club
Andrew Dice Clay performs at the Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) Credit: Amy Harris/Invision/AP/Amy Harris
Comedian Andrew Dice Clay can’t quarantine anymore so he’s coming to Long Island to perform.
“I’ve got to do something. I can’t take it,” says Clay, 62, who grew up in Brooklyn. “My only creative outlet has been doing birthday messages on Cameo. I give people like a 12-minute show on there. After three Cameos I’m exhausted, I feel like I’ve headlined a club.”
The King of Shock comedy will headline Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown on August 13-15 where he will perform on the outdoor patio.
“My crowd now is a real mixed demographic because of the crazy career that I’ve had,” he says. “I get the young married couples and a lot of fathers and sons. The kids grow up and their parents want to take them to see the animal.”
For years Long Island has always been a fan stronghold for the Diceman.
“Long Islanders and I love each other. I don’t really know everyone but I remember faces,” says Clay. “Plus a lot of Long Island people came from Brooklyn.”
In fact, Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale is where his comedy career shot into the stratosphere in 1989 when he sold out his first of 300 arena shows.
“I called up my agent Dennis Arfa and said, ‘What’s a place like Madison Square Garden that’s not Madison Square Garden?’ He said, ‘Well, you’ve got Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. But Billy Joel plays there, not comedians.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but what if one did?’ ” Clay recalls. “The show sold out in less than an hour. It really blew my mind.”
On Sept. 16, 1989, Clay took the stage to a wall of cheers.
“I ran up the stairs, put my fist in the air, went out on stage and the place just exploded,” recalls Clay. “It was like a heavyweight fight. That was the beginning of it all.”
However, he feels his comedy is even better today.
“When I go on stage now, I’m more myself. I’m not as robotic as I was 30 years ago,” says Clay. “I created this rock-n-roll leather jacketed character on stage. Now I’m just myself giving the crowd what they want to hear.”
Despite cancel-culture and political correctness, Clay has no fear when he gets behind the mic.
“I went through that 32 years ago,” he says. “Why the comics have to worry today is because if they have off-color material networks aren’t going to put them on which could ruin their career. I don’t care if they put me on. My career took off already. I can use whatever language and talk about what I want to talk about. I don’t hold back at all. No one is going to tell me what I can say EVER. It’s what I’m known for. I already took all the heat. Now I do what I want.”
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
