Andrew Dice Clay(born Andrew Dice Silverstein) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and producer of films and television. He was born on September 29, 1957, in the Sheepshead Bay neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York City. He and his only sister were born and brought up in Brooklyn by his parents, of the Jewish faith, Jacqueline and Fred Silverstein. Clay is also a follower of the Jewish faith. Clay’s father was a boxer and a real estate agent.
Clay’s affinity for entertainment began at a young age. At the age of five, he developed a strong interest in performing and would regularly entertain his family by doing impressions and impersonating others. And at the age of seven, he embarked on the path of music and learned to play the drums after being inspired by the sounds of big band music. He graduated from James Madison High School in Brooklyn and was also employed as a drummer on the Catskill Mountains Circuit in the 1970s, where he played at bar mitzvahs and weddings under the alias Clay Silvers.
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Back in the Big Apple, Clay made an attempt to kickstart his own big band. After failing to do so, he sought higher education, but left school soon after to focus exclusively on becoming an independent comedian. Clay has frequently addressed Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Elvis Presley, and Fonzie as his inspirations and idols.
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In 1978, Clay performed his debut stand-up comedy at the Pips comedy club in Sheepshead Bay after passing an audition there. The following week, he performed as the main act there under the name Andrew Clay. He began the performance by doing impressions, which is what he does best, and a few other acts, one of which was a character called “The Diceman” based on Jerry Lewis as Buddy Love from The Nutty Professor, who later changed into John Travolta in Grease. He spent three weeks prepping for his opening act.
During one of his early performances at the Pips Comedy Club, a photo was taken of him on stage sporting a loose white shirt, pants rolled up to his knees, and a pair of thick glasses: he was also donning a black leather jacket underneath the shirt so that he could quickly change into his Travolta character when the lights went out.
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With the help of his new act, Clay gained popularity, success, and notoriety and began performing at larger, more renowned comedy clubs, including The Improv, Catch a Rising Star, and Dangerfield’s. After witnessing his acts, he recounted his father supporting him, adding, “He knew it was different right off the bat […] He saw it worked”. The persona was more of a shock to his mother, but she got used to it and he recalled her laughing at his jokes.”
Around 1980, Clay had settled in Los Angeles and was employed by Mitzi Shore’s Comedy Store. Due to Mitzi’s refusal to have other comedians advocate for him and his foul jokes and crude style, his gigs did not become an immediate success. She scheduled Clay to appear as the last act when the crowd would be inebriated and uninterested in the morality of his humour.
Clay was cast in Wacko for his debut movie appearance in 1982. In 1983, Clay added the stage name “Diceman” to his identity and halted doing impersonations of famous people in favour of moving ahead with an alter ego based on his inspirations.
A total of 38,000 people attended Clay’s two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City in February 1990, making him the first comedian to accomplish this feat. On May 12, 1990, Clay made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, which received the fourth-highest rating of the season. Security personnel escorted protesters out of the theatre during the opening remarks. Cast member Nora Dunn declined to participate in the episode because she felt Clay’s stand-up routine featured discriminatory and homophobic material.
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In 1991, he was awarded the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his performance in the film “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane”.
In 2018, he co-starred with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in the musical drama film “A Star is Born” as Lorenzo, portraying the father of Gaga’s character. Clay was chosen for the role over a number of well-known actors, including Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro, and both the movie and his performance received favourable reviews.
Clay underwent a stent implant in a partially clogged artery in November 2017. In August 2021, Clay was reported as having Bell’s palsy; nevertheless, the ailment was ruled minor, and he is still able to perform live.
1. “I loved my family so much when I was growing up, my parents, my sister. I wanted to be able to give them everything they ever dreamed of.”
Clay has a close relationship with his family members. Despite the fact that he hasn’t spoken much about his wives or kids, Clay is close to his parents and sisters. Clay, like every other young person, had a genuine desire to provide for his family in every way. He worked hard to look after his parents and sister and to make them feel proud. He wanted them to enjoy their lives vicariously through him.
2. “I never go see a comic. The only one I’d ever really want to see is Don Rickles. He might be 80 years old, but he blows everyone out of the water.”
Clay lauds Don Rickles and says he was always looking forward to Don’s performance. Don Rickles was a stand-up comedian best known for his forte—insult comedy. Clay and Don Rickles shared almost the same genre and level of hilarity. He regards Don Rickles as a genuine artist who remained true to his craft despite the barrage of criticism.
3. “I do whatever I do. And I go to the club. I work on material. While other people are sleeping, I’m awake. I always liked that. I like being able to drive when there’s no traffic. It’s almost like you own the street at night.”
In essence, Clay views himself as a nocturnal creature. He prefers to finish his work and household duties at night. He enjoys driving in the moonlight since there are fewer people outdoors at night and he can drive in tranquillity with the cold breeze sweeping over his face. When no one is around to keep an eye on you at night, you are liberated and almost feel as though you own the street, allowing you to express yourself truthfully and confidently while having a great time.
4. “Anybody can go onstage and be dirty. You have to be funny, that’s the key. And You can say anything as long as it’s funny. You can’t take it too seriously up there. And people coming to see you can’t take it too seriously.”
Ironically, no matter what material he used, Clay’s quips were always thought to be coarse and vulgar. However, a sizable portion of his admirers felt his jokes were amusing enough without pushing too far. Humour is subjective. If he had cracked appalling jokes, he wouldn’t have sold out so many of his venues. While performing, Clay was known for having fun and engaging the audience. His jokes were always intended to be enjoyed in good humour.
5. “The whole world has changed, so you just stay current with the world. There’s nothing different in my language of how I say things.”
Every comic must have experienced what Clay has so succinctly put into words. Particularly in the present day and age, when every comic instantly faces criticism for either offending someone’s sentiments or lacking the courage to come up with audacious jokes. Clay maintains that he has always been sincere and that his comedic approach won’t ever waver. He will stay true to what made him successful, even if the world may have changed and some of the jokes he used to tell decades ago would now be frowned upon.
6. “I always just loved women, but more important than loving women, more important than s*x*al stuff, is I always believed in romance.”
If you’ve ever read any of Clay’s other remarks regarding women. It could be hard for you to fathom this one. He has widely used crude. And vulgar language to describe women. Has never stopped short of explaining. How a woman ought to be treated. In a graphic manner.
But in this instance, he makes it clear. That he is a romantic. And would rather spend quality time. On a date than engage in any form of sexual activity.
7. “Comics, a lot of them, are really depressed people, and I happen to be somebody that does have a lot of confidence. That’s the odd thing about my stand-up. I am very confident. I always was.”
Clay has forthrightly addressed the psychological status of many comedians. It is a well-known fact that many comedians who are highly regarded for their comedic abilities, comedians who often sell out venues, or those who like making other people laugh in general, are typically bleak about their own lives. They often have mental health issues and believe that making others laugh is a viable way to cope.
Nevertheless, Clay has always been a fairly confident individual who is absolutely certain of his jokes and performances, which has encouraged him to perform in front of big audiences.
8. “Even as a stage performer, I have my garb which is leather jackets and black jeans to make me feel a certain way. The wardrobe is really important to feeling the character you’re playing.”
Readers are being given insight by Clay into the processes involved in creating a compelling character. His onstage presence required much more time to develop than what the audience is aware of. It’s sound advice from Clay that your attire makes you feel more confident. It is undeniable that when you dress up, your confidence soars, which contributes to the achievement of your target. On stage, he portrays a variety of characters. His character, “The Diceman,” calls for a lot of mental effort. As well as the ideal attire to live up to that persona.
9. “Being onstage and performing, the high of that, and people coming to see you, and getting to make them laugh – that’s what gets me hyped up. It’s a nervous excitement.”
What drives Clay and gets him out of bed has indeed been highlighted. He delivers better acts, writes better lines, and works on his performance because of the appreciation that is tied to the audience’s waves of laughter. Clay is conscious of the fact that admiration and appreciation for one’s work are essential to the success of every artist, performer, and entertainer.
10. “I’m not the greatest husband – I’ve got a girlfriend. It doesn’t really please my wife, but then if I was looking to please her I wouldn’t have a girlfriend. I mean she knows about it, and I guess she’s okay with it. Plus my kids like both of them.”
Clay has two children and has been married three times. He prefers a casual approach to monogamy and maintains a rather open relationship. He chooses to live his life autonomously. No matter what people’s opinions are of him. His family, or his eccentric lifestyle. Clay does not give it a second thought. He is unconcerned as long as his new girlfriends are acceptable to his children.