The Diceman cometh twice: Andrew Dice Clay earns new Showtime series in 2016 plus stand-up special in 2015

Andrew Dice Clay is having another moment.

Showtime announced today it has ordered six episodes of Dice, a semi-autobiographical single-cam series that’ll film in Las Vegas later this year and air in 2016. The pay-cable network already is set to premiere his latest stand-up special, Andrew Dice Clay Presents the Blue Show, on April 25.

“Love him or hate him, Dice is a true original and Dice is always funny,” said Gary Levine, Showtime’s exec VP of original programming. “After a career full of ups and downs, he’s hotter today than ever. Plus, we were looking to do a semi-autobiographical comedy about a one-named icon and Cher was busy.”

Clay’s comeback began surging in 2011 with a recurring role as himself in the final season of HBO’s Entourage. His first stand-up special since 1997, Indestructible, debuted on Showtime at the end of 2012.  A plum turn in a supporting role in Woody Allen’s award-winning film Blue Jasmine followed; Clay also is appearing in the upcoming rock ‘n’ roll drama series from Martin Scorsese for HBO.

Clay’s up-and-downs since his “Dice” character and naughty takes on nursery rhymes made him a comedy superstar in the late 1980s will fuel the plotlines for Dice. As will his relationships with his kids, ex-wife and his former fiancee.

Screenwriter Scot Armstrong and Fox 21 TV Studios are behind Dice, with Clay, Armstrong, Sean Furst, Bryan Furst, Richard Shepard and Bruce Rubenstein executive-producing.

“We realized there was a lot of humor and heart in the story of a once-superstar comedian having to crawl back to have a career — a true second act,” said Fox 21 TV Studios president Bert Salke. “Sean, Bryan and Richard immediately saw the potential for a series, and we so believed in it that we asked Scot Armstrong to write and direct a homemade presentation — which David and Gary loved so much they ordered it straight to series.”

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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