What is Andrew Dice Clay's Net Worth?
Andrew Dice Clay, famously known as "The Diceman," is an American comedian and actor whose net worth stands at $10 million. Renowned for his controversial and often misogynistic insult comedy, Clay became the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row in 1990. Despite his ban from MTV in 1989 for performing adult nursery rhymes, the ban was lifted in 2011. Clay's notable appearances include the series "Dice" (2016–2017), "Entourage" (2011), and the film "A Star Is Born" (2018). Since 2018, he has been hosting the podcast "I'm Ova Hea' Now."
Early Life
Andrew Dice Clay was born Andrew Clay Silverstein on September 29, 1957, in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in a Jewish household, his mother Jacqueline and father Fred (a real estate agent and boxer) supported him alongside his sister. Clay began comedic impressions at age 5 and drumming at 7. He attended James Madison High School, performing at weddings and bar mitzvahs. Post-high school, he briefly enrolled at Kingsborough Community College before dropping out to pursue stand-up comedy.
Career
In 1978, Clay auditioned at Pips Comedy Club, earning a headlining gig the following week. His act, initially impression-based, introduced the character "The Diceman," inspired by Jerry Lewis's Buddy Love from "The Nutty Professor" and John Travolta's Danny Zuko from "Grease." Performing at iconic venues like The Improv and Dangerfield's, he moved to Los Angeles in 1980. Mitzi Shore of The Comedy Store offered him late-night sets, leading to his film debut in "Wacko" (1982). By 1983, "The Diceman" became his fully-formed alter ego. Clay's success catapulted him to TV roles in "M*A*S*H" and "Diff'rent Strokes" and films such as "Making the Grade" (1984) and "Pretty in Pink" (1986).
In 1988, his performance at a Big Brother Association event led to a movie deal with 20th Century Fox. That same year, he gained national attention on HBO's "Nothing Goes Right," hosted by Rodney Dangerfield. In 1989, "Performance" magazine named him Comedy Act of the Year, following the gold certification of his debut album "Dice." In 1990, Clay made history by becoming the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden for two consecutive nights. That year, he hosted "Saturday Night Live," causing cast member Nora Dunn and musical guest Sinead O'Connor to boycott the episode. Clay also won a Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his role in "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane."
(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
In 1991, Clay founded Fleebin Dabble Productions and released the concert film "Dice Rules." Although his proposed one-hour drama with ABC was dropped due to controversy, his pay-per-view special "No Apologies" (1993) was purchased more than 250,000 times. His follow-up, "The Valentine's Day Massacre" (1994), garnered around 100,000 purchases. In 1995, he released the HBO special "Assume the Position" and secured a development deal with CBS, resulting in the sitcom "Bless This House," which ran for 16 episodes. Transitioning his comedy to include themes of marriage and fatherhood, Clay released the triple album "Filth" in 1998.
In 2000, Clay returned to Madison Square Garden, releasing the stand-up specials "I'm Over Here Now" and "Banned for Life," along with the album "Face Down, Ass Up." He starred in the VH1 reality series "Dice: Undisputed" in 2007 and appeared on "The Celebrity Apprentice 2" in 2009. Guest roles on "Entourage" and "Raising Hope" followed in 2011, leading to the 2012 Showtime special "Indestructible." He co-hosted "Rollin' with Dice and Wheels...The Podcast" from 2013 to 2015. Notably, he appeared in the award-winning films "Blue Jasmine" (2013) and "A Star Is Born" (2018), playing the father of Lady Gaga's character.
Personal Life
Clay married Kathy Swanson in 1984, divorcing in 1986 amidst a $6 million breach of contract lawsuit. He then married Kathleen Monica in 1992, with whom he had two sons, Maxwell and Dillon, before their 2002 divorce. Max follows in his father's footsteps as a stand-up comedian. Clay's third marriage to Valerie Vasquez lasted from 2010 to 2014. In 2017, Clay underwent a stent procedure after being hospitalized for exhaustion and dehydration.
Real Estate
In 2003, Clay purchased a Hollywood home for $1.179 million and a 4,461 square foot property in Las Vegas for $450,000 in 2006. He previously owned a 2,720 square foot Hollywood residence that he sold for $1.399 million in 2010.
