Andrew Dice Clay's semiautobiographical series debuts on Showtime on April...

Andrew Dice Clay's semiautobiographical series debuts on Showtime on April 10. Credit: Showtime / Brian Bowen Smith

WHEN | WHERE Premieres Sunday, April 10, at 9:30 p.m. on Showtime

GRADE D+

WHAT IT’S ABOUT In this semi-autobiographical show, Andrew Dice Clay — playing himself — is a comic who does stand-up in Las Vegas, and who still remembers the good old days, when he could fill arenas. But he’s reasonably content. His wingman, Milkshake (Kevin Corrigan), tolerates his periodic outbursts, and — periodically — so does his live-in girlfriend, Carmen (Natasha Leggero). In Sunday’s opener, Carmen’s gay brother is to be married, and Dice must get a gift. Instead, he and Milkshake get distracted at the casino.

MY SAY The Diceman has had so many comebacks you might start to wonder where he’s coming back from. Fictionally and otherwise, “Dice” gets to the bottom of that: Living in Vegas with his girlfriend, still doing shows, hanging with friends, drinking, smoking, yelling. Lots of yelling. All lines are bellows, all bellows are setups, all setups are to jokes you can see coming for miles. Laced with signature obscenities, they hit the skull with the force of a piledriver. No wonder he’s the comeback kid. A little bit of this — of him — goes a long way.

But here’s the surprise. There’s the glimmer of a good idea here, although admittedly far more “glimmer” than fully formed “idea,” and, based on what’s here, not exactly “good” either. Showtime could have inverted the whole established notion of who Andrew Dice Clay is by turning him into someone utterly unlike the public persona — a nice guy, a mensch, maybe even a Ralph Kramden who’s constantly tripped up by the alter-ego he unleashed nearly 30 years ago. The show even evolves a bit toward that by the sixth episode, then stops.

Why? Because he’s the Diceman. He is who he is. Take him or leave him.

I guess you now know my advice.

BOTTOM LINE Hickory dickory dock, this review won’t come as a shock. The show is bad, the star a bit sad, his shtick as old as a rock.

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME