Icon vs. Icon

Actor, comedian, sidekick on the world’s most celebrated radio show, bestselling author and all around wildman, there are few trails that Artie Lange hasn’t blazed over the past few years. We have all been on the edge of our seats as the roller coaster ride that is the Artie Lange saga has unfolded on The Howard Stern Show and in the press. Even in the darkest chapters of Lange’s story, two things that have never been in question are the way he relates to the common man and the plethora of razor sharp material that he brings along when he hits the stage. Now, this comedic legend is giving back to the fans who paved the way to his superstardom by giving them something that they have been clamoring for several years — a live comedy album.

Jack and Coke is best described as the perfect mix of Lange’s material from the past several years on the road blended seamlessly with his unique brand of storytelling that fans have grown to love. Totally uncensored and unapologetic, Lange unleashes a powerful 80+ minute set of his best material to the crowd at New York City’s Gotham Comedy Club. During the fast paced set, Lange leaves no stone unturned as he tackles topics ranging from drugs, hookers, sports legends and his troubled past. The beauty of this album is the way in which it captures the true essence of his live performance and showcases how at home he is when he walks onstage. Even if you may already be familiar with some of his material, Lange still manages to leave you spellbound as he masterfully weaves his way in and out of each topic.

No matter how you may feel about Lange’s tumultuous times over the past few years, this powerful performance shows that the gifted comedian is truly a master of his craft and clearly still at the top of his game!

Score: 5/5

Artie Lange’s Jack and Coke hits stores on November 17th, 2009 and is available as on CD, DVD and Blu-ray.

The Blu-ray version features these bonus features:

Special Features:
• Artie’s Fans
• Behind the Scenes
• Song by ReSurch
• Hecklers and Extra Jokes
• Pete Dominick
• John Matarese

Track Listing
1. Gay Cowboys
2. Drugs And Hookers
3. Fattest Cokehead, The
4. Tom Brady
5. Lawrence Taylor
6. Swine Flu
7. Oscar Host
8. Hiking
9. Afghanistan
10. Mike Tyson
11. YouTube
12. Over/Under
13. Eagles Fans
14. Special Olympics
15. A-Rod And Uecker
16. Italian Mother
17. Chris Rock
18. Political Correctness

Be sure to keep up with the latest news and appearances at Artie Lange’s official website, located at www.artie-lange.com.

Artie Lange's 'Too Fat To Fish'

Outrageous, raw, and painfully funny true stories straight from the life of the actor, comedian, and much-loved cast member of The Howard Stern Show—with a foreword by Howard Stern.

When Artie Lange joined the permanent cast of The Howard Stern Show in 2001, it was possibly the greatest thing ever to happen in the Stern universe, second only to the show’s move to the wild, uncensored frontier of satellite radio. Lange provided what Stern had yet to find all in the same place: a wit quick enough to keep pace with his own, a pathetic self-image to dwarf his own, a personal history both heartbreaking and hilarious, and an ingrained sense of self-sabotage that continually keeps things interesting.

A natural storyteller with a bottomless pit of material, Lange grew up in a close-knit, working-class Italian family in Union, New Jersey, a maniacal Yankees fan who pursued the two things his father said he was cut out for—sports and comedy. Tragically, Artie Lange Sr. never saw the truth in that prediction: He became a quadriplegic in an accident when Artie was eighteen and died soon after. But as with every trial in his life, from his drug addiction to his obesity to his fights with his mother, Artie mines the humor, pathos, and humanity in these events and turns them into comedy classics.

True fans of the Stern Show will find Artie gold in these pages: hilarious tales that couldn’t have happened to anyone else. There are stories from his days driving a Jersey cab, working as a longshoreman in Port Newark, and navigating the dark circuit of stand-up comedy. There are outrageous episodes from the frenzied heights of his coked-up days at MADtv, surprisingly moving stories from his childhood, and an account of his recent U.S.O. tour that is equally stirring and irreverent. But also in this volume are stories Artie’s never told before, including some that he deemed too revealing for radio.

Wild, shocking, and drop-dead hilarious, TOO FAT TO FISH is Artie Lange giving everything he’s got to give. And like a true pro, the man never disappoints.