Andrew Dice Clay
A shock comic who dominated the late 80s with a deliberately offensive, leather-clad persona that made him a polarizing stadium-filling phenomenon.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American comedian and actor·Birthday: September 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Andrew Dice Clay detonated onto the comedy scene like a confrontational bomb, building a persona that was equal parts cartoon and caustic commentary. As 'The Diceman,' clad in leather and chewing gum, he delivered nursery rhyme parodies and brazenly politically incorrect material that weaponized stereotypes for laughs, sparking both fervent fandom and fierce condemnation. His rise was meteoric; he became the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden for two consecutive nights, a testament to his massive, if controversial, draw. The backlash was equally historic, with MTV banning him and his infamous appearance on 'Saturday Night Live' creating industry shockwaves. While the act faded from the mainstream spotlight, Clay's influence on the boundaries of comedy is undeniable, paving a crude road for later shock jocks and proving the commercial power of unapologetic, aggressive humor.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andrew was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first stand-up comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden for two nights in a row.
- Released the comedy album 'The Day the Laughter Died,' which went platinum.
- Starred in the feature film 'The Adventures of Ford Fairlane,' which developed a cult following.
- His 1990 HBO special 'Andrew Dice Clay: The Diceman Cometh' was a major cable event that cemented his national notoriety.
Did You Know?
His real name is Andrew Clay Silverstein.
He worked as a telephone repairman before his comedy career took off.
The character of Dice was partly inspired by tough guys from his Brooklyn neighborhood.
He is a skilled pianist and studied classical music as a child.
““Oh!””
