BOOK REVIEW: The Filthy Truth by Andrew Dice Clay with David Ritz

BOOK REVIEW: The Filthy Truth by Andrew Dice Clay with David Ritz
Simon & Schuster
November 2014
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8/10

The Filthy Truth is vintage Diceman – the story of the comic who changed the game by being a rock star telling jokes instead of playing songs. He flew too close to the sun and crashed in a burning heap – after all, he eclipsed them all, scared everyone. There’s no way they could let him win.

Young Andrew Silverstein always loved getting laughs from his family – The Brooklyn Originals, he calls them affectionately – and friends, and he worked damned hard to become original himself. He started at small comedy clubs, built up his act until it was popping, and made opportunities for himself wherever he could. It took years before he made real headway – and who knew that he started off as a drummer in a cabaret band at an oldies resort!

Clay’s story is told bluntly – like his comedy – but with a lot of feeling and honesty. He’s not trying to offend with sexist gags every two paragraphs, but he doesn’t shy away from the truth of the times he came up in either, and consequently there is plenty of sex… very little booze though, as he rarely drinks, and any drugs are only mentioned referring to others, apart from a little puff here and there. Dice’s problem, if any, was gambling, in fact. But the sex – there is loads of that, and yeah, some of it might seem a little domineering, but this is the comedian who coined the phrase, “Jack and Jill went up the hill, both with a buck and a quarter. Jill came down with 2.50 – That fucking whore.”

It’s not always politically correct but y’know what? It happened, and like my mullet in those days, in the context of the times it was perfectly cool!

What Dice makes clear throughout The Filthy Truth – more than the sex and ego and fame – is that if you want to make it big, you have to work at it. You have to work your talent, get your act perfect, find opportunities, sell yourself – BELIEVE in yourself.

When the PC wave got outta hand, the Madison Square Garden premiere for the Adventures Of Ford Fairlane movie was dropped, and he missed out on a couple of follow-up projects that had been promised, Clay didn’t sulk, he waited until the time was right, fathering his two boys and getting by with hard work and perserverence.

Now, with a lauded supporting role in the Woody Allen movie Blue Jasmine under his belt, a comeback special and Australian tour done, and a spot in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film wrapped, he’s back in a big way, unrepentant, and just as funny as ever.

The Filthy Truth is a great read, a study of the career of a true game-changer, and full of belly laughs, side by side with some special poignant moments that really endear the man to his audience.

Now, how about a sequel to Ford Fairlane that doesn’t blow balls?

Category: Book Reviews