Up Close With PSR
Artie Lange

Artie Lange is best known as the sports-loving, gambling, Jack Daniels-drinking side-kick who replaced Jackie The Joke Man on the Howard Stern Radio Show. The comedian/actor joined the cast of the Stern show in 2001, and can be heard every day on the radio and every evening on Stern’s E! Entertainment television show. Lange began his career as a stand-up comic in New York and eventually landed a job on the sketch-comedy TV show “Mad TV.” He made several films before returning to television to co-star with Norm MacDonald on the “Norm Show” on ABC. After “Norm” finished its run, Lange returned to New York and began sitting in as a regular guest on the Stern show before eventually joining the cast fulltime. PSR Editor Tony DeFazio sat down with Lange backstage after a recent show at The Funny Bone in Pittsburgh.

PSR: Your on-air persona seems to be that of “the buddy that you have some beers with watching the football game” who somehow landed a gig on the Stern show? How accurate is that?

AL: I guess I have SOME talent, but there are a lot of comedians out there who are funnier than me who don’t have a gig this cool.

Getting up that early in the morning is the only part of it that feels like work. The rest of it is being in third grade throwing spit-balls all day. It’s a blast.

PSR: During your first appearance on the show, you talked openly about an incident that was not all that flattering – some trouble you had with the law. An extremely funny yet brutally honest story. But it played very well because it seems like nothing is sacred on the show. Is that hard to deal with?

AL: Nothing is sacred, that’s true. You gotta have a thick skin. The first time I ever went on the show, I went on with Norm MacDonald, and Norm told me it would be different that any other talk show I’ve done, he told me just to be honest.

Now I’d already been fired from Mad TV and all that, so I just said, “Screw it, what do I have to lose? Nothing, so I’ll just be completely honest about the story.”

And Howard liked it. He admires people who can tell a story in an honest, entertaining way, and that helped me get the job.

So, you do give up something, obviously, but the upside is way cooler than the downside.

The first time I was a guest on the show with Norm I was really impressed, during the commercial break, how nice Howard and Robin and Gary all were. They were really appreciative that I came on and was honest and helped the show be a little entertaining for 10 minutes.

And when I guest comes on and does a good job, we really appreciate that.

PSR: The show leaves free-radio this year and goes to Satellite Radio, a pay-service next year. Is that a gamble for you?

AL: It’s not a gamble for me. They’re going to pay me a very nice salary and they’re taking care of all of us. Hey, I’m just a side-kick. The pressure’s on Howard. But I really think Satellite Radio will go through the roof, and Howard’s going to be this big flashlight that shines on it and gets people to see it. It’s an amazing service. And I think a lot of people, when they buy cars, are just going to get it put in.

So it’s not a gamble for me at all. For me, it’s going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait. For me, it’s going to be like having a front-row seat to something great.

PSR: You were an all-county third baseman in high school – then you worked as a longshoreman in New Jersey. Today you’re a working actor in films and a co-star of the Howard Stern Show. Is this what you thought you’d be doing?

AL: I never could have predicted how crazy the ride would be. It’s been weird. There’s probably a good book in there somewhere. I’ve always dreamed of doing sketch-comedy on TV, which is what Mad TV was, and maybe doing movies. And also being on the Howard Stern Show – I dreamed of all those things and I’ve gotten the chance to do them. Along the way, though, there were a lot of screw-ups, which I’ve been completely responsible for.

PSR: Is the ride better with the screw-ups?

AL: It’s more interesting, I don’t know about better. Certainly a better story, but there are times where it wasn’t that fun.

PSR: Who was funny as hell to you growing up?

AL: Well…Howard Stern came on the radio in New York when I was 13 years old and I really listened to him a lot. Howard and Letterman. I loved Woody Allen’s old movies, and Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor. My two favorite shows were “The Odd Couple” and “The Honeymooners.” They were on back to back on channel 11 in New York. Gleason and Art Carney were tremendous. I watched them all the time.

PSR: What stand-up comic would you pay money to see right now?

AL: Brian Regan. He’s one of the best stand-up comics ever.

PSR: What’s the coolest sports interview you’ve ever done on the show?

AL: Lawrence Taylor. LT. I’m a big Giants’ fan, plus Howard really got him to open up. Lawrence Taylor, during the commercial, called O.J. Simpson on his cell phone and gave the phone to Howard. Howard talked to O.J. for about 10 seconds, it was weird. And then gave Lawrence Taylor the phone back, it was crazy.

PSR: Everyone who has bet on sports has very specific memories about games they’ve won and games they’ve lost – any Pittsburgh teams have a place in your sports betting memory?

AL: Hmmm…Interesting. God, off the top of my head, I can’t think of any Pittsburgh teams…but my biggest one was that Norwood kick in the Super Bowl was big for a couple of reasons. I had parlayed the Giants and the under. The Giants were going to cover either way ‘cause they were getting 8-1/2, but if he hits that kick it would have been enough to go over.

So him missing that kick – I’m a HUGE Giants’ fan, but I’m more excited that it stayed under than I was watching my favorite team win the Super Bowl. I mean, I just won a huge parlay. That’s probably the best moment of my gambling existence.

I did a gig in Philadelphia two weekends ago, and my first line was, “I’m a gambler. So as far as I’m concerned, the Eagles DID win the Super Bowl.”

Worst Artie Lange movie?
I’m gonna say “Dirty Work.” Actually…Gad they were all so bad…I’ll say “The Bachelor” – It was too much of a chick-movie. It was good movie for chicks, but it’s just not my taste.

Howard’s girlfriend Beth is from Pittsburgh – think we can expect Howard to show up late night at Primanti’s or courtside at a Pitt hoops game or something sometime?
You never know man…He’s really into Beth, man, and maybe she’ll talk him into coming to Pittsburgh one day. I wouldn’t rule it out.

Best place to sit poolside and sip a drink?
Pittsburgh.

I can’t let you get away with that answer, man.
I’m not really a pool guy, but of all the places I’ve been, the Delano in Miami has a great pool. In January of ’99 I went to the Super Bowl – that was the Falcons and the Broncos, the year that Ray Buchanan got pinched for picking up a prostitute the night before the game. Anyway I stayed at the Delano all week and the poolside there was breathtaking. It was Super Bowl week and the girls were unreal.

Where’s the best place to watch a Yankee’s game?
Yankee Stadium.