TV detective John Munch on living out loud, avoiding tickets and social change through parody

Richard Belzer, 68, who lives between a "little farming village" in southern France and the Upper West Side, is best known for playing the cranky detective John Munch on "Homicide: Life on the Street" and the "Special Victims Unit" edition of "Law and Order."

The author, musician and actor will be performing in "Richard Belzer's Rock & Roll Comedy Extravaganza" at Stage 72 at the Triad on Saturday, parodying Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, among others.

Belzer also just published his sixth book, "Hit List" (co-written with David Wayne) about the many mysterious deaths of witnesses to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

amNewYork spoke with Belzer.

What's up with making fun of The Boss and Dylan? It's not offensive at all. These are humorous homages! They've both seen my work and I know they're flattered.

Will you be jamming with fellow cast member Ice-T?

He'll be in the audience! We haven't played together yet, but it's not ruled out.

You play music, do stand-up, act, write books: What is your primary identity?

I'm a full-service performer. I'm an artist and I have to live out loud. I need to say all these different things in different ways, so I adapt different means of expression to do so.

Have you learned anything playing a cop that helped you research the JFK assassination?I admire the skills of the advisers to our show. You learn a lot about knowing who to interview, what to look for in answers, when someone is telling the truth.

What do you believe really happened Nov. 22, 1963?

[Lee Harvey] Oswald didn't fire a shot. He was a patsy.

What do you think of the real NYPD's performance?

[Police Commissioner Ray] Kelly is doing a terrific job. ... I've met hundreds and hundreds of police and 99.9% of them are heroic human beings.