Things were very lean for me.
Executive-produced byOld Schoolscreenwriter Scot Armstrong, the series premieres April 10 on Showtime.
Scot Armstrong, this guy just let me go.
Credit: Niko Tavernise/HBO
And when a director lets me go, I can give my best.
Im off the chain!
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you get the role inVinyl?
And I said, What am I calling him for?
Im about a minute away from being introduced.
And she goes, Dont you check your texts?
And I go, Why?
And she goes, Im not supposed to say, but you got the part.
I go, What part?
I havent even gone up for anything?
And she goes, The Scorsese pilot!
It just blew my mind, because I didnt read for it.
Marty just wanted me for it.
And for the first minute I was onstage I was in shock.
I had to tell the crowd what just happened.
And thats how that came about.
But he did know about you?
Whats funny is, Marty wanted me to come in a day early, just to hang out.
And he goes, Yeah, whats the question?
You know, he talksfast.
One of the funniest guys I ever met.
And he goes, Yeah, that was me.
And I go, So, why didnt we ever work together before?
He goes, You had to grow into it.
He would say, Its Marty Scorsese.
Like, Whys this guy calling me?
And we would laugh for a half-hour.
But I never had it confirmed that it was really him till I asked him face-to-face.
Because I was never sure.
Because itcouldhave been somebody posing as him.
But I went with it.
I wasnt going to question it till I met him one day.
What was it like to work with Scorsese?
We just started laughing, and thats all we did through the entire shoot.
Just the greatest guy ever.
I mean, honestly, the Woody thing was a giant thing for me.
I really couldnt believe how journalists were writing about it, in a very positive light.
And now, with this thing, Im going, Are you kidding?
Because, really, all the way back, it was about acting.
I did comedy because I just wanted to be onstage and act every night.
Im guessing youve met your fair share of dubious or shady or crazy folks in the entertainment business.
Did you base your character inVinylon anyone in particular?
Youre like, How do they get any work done?
Theyre out of their fing minds!
Tell us more about your show,Dice.
I wanted to start rebuilding my career.
When I went through the divorce, both my sons lived with me.
I felt [the responsibility] to bring up my boys, and bring them up the right way.
So, they got a chance.
You got to have parents that teach you stuff.
And, so, I didnt really care about my career.
When I went through that divorce, it was all about my sons.
What good is a career if youre bringing up two idiots?
If you have kids, bring them up!
Then, I went to Vegas and started rebuilding.
I make fun of myself in the show.
I know the stupidity that I lived, so Im not afraid to put it out there.
Years ago, when I first hit, I wouldnt show that side of me at all.
I was a lot younger, and Dice was just a brick wall onstage.
Now, I like making fun of my age.
I never have a problem with age.
Its fun to make fun of everything falling off.
You know what I mean?
I get the gist.
What about your costars on the show?
Natasha (Leggero)?
On the set, if we wanted to change a scripted line, shes just game.
She gets the joke.
Shes the live-in girlfriend, with my sons, and Kevin Corrigan is my best friend.
In the trailer for the show, you have a funny moment with Adrien Brody.
Do you know him?
I never met him before, but we became also instant friends.
Hes just hysterical in this thing.
Hes becoming this macho he used me to become this guy, and of course its a problem.
you’ve got the option to see trailers forVinylandDice, below.
