LOS ANGELES 鈥� Dennis Miller is embarking on a journey of reinvention, one starting with a quick U-turn from his new standup special.
Fake News-Real Jokes, out Tuesday on Amazon, Google, iTunes and other streaming platforms and as an album, will be followed by a self-described 鈥渕ental exercise鈥� to see what it鈥檚 like to ease away from political humour and try something on the lighter side.
Miller cites the example of Orson Bean, 90, the droll actor-comedian who was a game-show and late-night staple in the Johnny Carson Tonight era, and whom Miller calls a friend.
The simple goal is 鈥渏ust be funny and not talk about the issues as much,鈥� said Miller, who turned 65 on Saturday.
That might be easier said than done for a man who made his name as a smart-aleck Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live from 1985-91 and later gained favour with conservatives sharing his post-Sept. 11 perspective in his act and in The O鈥橰eilly Factor appearances. He now hosts a podcast and a syndicated radio feature.
Miller, who describes himself as 鈥渟ocially liberal, fiscally conservative,鈥� mused that Hollywood might be eyeing a makeover of its own after the midterm elections. The five-time Emmy winner also discussed his work M.O. in an interview with the Associated Press and showed he couldn鈥檛 resist tweaking an activist-actress. Remarks were edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: It has been several years since your last standup special was released. Why is this the right time for a new one?
Miller: Well, this is my ninth, and I鈥檇 like to do 10 in my life, I think that鈥檇 be good. Nobody鈥檚 going to touch George (Carlin, who did 14). But if I did 10 I鈥檇 be close to second and that would mean something to me. Specials are hard to do 鈥� once you鈥檝e done one, you鈥檙e fried.
AP: What is it about the process of honing a routine that takes it out of you?
Miller: I don鈥檛 get to hone as much as I used to because 鈥渦sed to鈥� would be on the road 100 days a year when you were young, or in comedy clubs because you live in L.A. I don鈥檛 live near L.A. and I don鈥檛 go out that much anymore. So I have to listen to it at home, read it at home and then try to find myself a comedy club or small venue where I can go up around five times over the course of a weekend. Then I try to put a half-dozen dates together in theatres.
AP: You said we live in a time when people on the left keep a 鈥減retty tight watch鈥� on what鈥檚 being said. Does that view make you more cautious in writing your material?
Miller: I did a special and I鈥檓 proud of it. I thought it was funny, and I dabbled in the real world. But I think you better make two-thirds of the special just generically funny, funny for all, and then you can put your opinions out there. I鈥檝e been on Saturday Night Live and [audiences] know me as a current-events guy, so you have to say something. But there are certain jokes now I would excise from a show because you鈥檇 be in a complete fecal storm? Yeah, there are.
AP: There are few conservative voices heard in the entertainment industry. Why do you think that is?
Miller: I don鈥檛 know the reason, but I know the actuality. There鈥檚 a decent chance that Donald Trump is going to be the president for the next six years. Some people are going to say: 鈥極h, that鈥檚 impossible.鈥� OK, go ahead and say that, but I鈥檓 telling you, there鈥檚 a chance. You might have to find a counterintuitive way to [approach] Donald Trump if he鈥檚 the president for the next, what, 2,200 days.
