Every morning, Artie Lange goes to work not sure if he’ll meet Hollywood celebrities or adult film stars or strippers.
"Meeting James Caan, Paul McCartney and Uma Thurman is awesome," Lange said. "But the strippers keep the workplace fun."
Almost two years ago, radio shock-jock Howard Stern welcomed Lange into his world. After replacing Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling, Lange, a Hoboken resident, has become part of Stern’s gang which includes lovable personalities like Fred Norris, "Stuttering" John Melendez, Robin Quivers, and Gary Dell’Abate.
Lange’s job on the Howard Stern Radio Show is simple: laugh and make jokes, he said. He has recently been poking fun of recently-troubled radio personality Rush Limbaugh with his remarkably accurate impersonation. He also enjoys the "news" section of the show.
"It’s a big goof. We just make fun of people," he said.
But the "news" isn’t just fun and games. Lange admitted the purpose of the segment is to highlight society’s follies through humor and sarcasm.
Still, Lange proclaims himself "one lucky guy" for landing the morning radio gig. He was introduced to Stern during an appearance on the show with his buddy and pseudo-mentor Norm McDonald more than two years ago. They had worked together on the film Dirty Work, and have maintained a friendship since. Stern was impressed with Lange’s demeanor and asked him to sit in on a few broadcasts after Martling’s departure from the show. Eventually, he was hired full-time.
"It’s like joining the Yankees. Howard and them worked 20 years making the show a success, and I come in the middle of the season to bust on people," he said.
Recent ratings rank the Stern show the most listened-to FM radio broadcast in the country.
"That’s the one thing that amazed me. Just how many people listen to the show," he said.
In fact, prior to his Stern days, Lange had a modest career as a stand-up comic. Nowadays he works many national comedy clubs during the year, selling out the majority of venues. His "regular guy" humor goes over well on Stern, and it translates on stage, he said.
"I basically talk about my s____y childhood," Lange said, laughing. "The jokes are very self-deprecating and I add some profanity here and there."
His recent homecoming at New Brunswick’s Stress Factory drew more than 500 people during his weekend performances, many his fellow Jerseyans. During his routines, he commented about his gambling habits, former drug problems, his days growing up in Union, and pop culture topics.
In his mid-30s, Lange began his career more than 10 years ago. He was a regular comic in the city and the tri-state area, and in the mid-’90s he became part of the original cast of Mad TV, the sketch comedy show on Fox on Saturday night.
Before being kicked off the show for allegedly punching a security guard, Lange acted with other original cast members like Nicole Sullivan, Dave Hermann and Orlando Jones. On Nov. 8 at 11 p.m., Mad TV celebrates its 200th show on Fox, and the producers asked Lange to make an appearance. His grueling weekly schedule prevented him from flying to California for the reunion, so he videotaped a message for fans.
"That show is probably the second longest sketch show besides Saturday Night Live," he said.
After Mad TV, Lange made several movies like The Bachelor, Lost and Found and Old School. He teams up with Old School co-star Will Ferrell for the Nov. 7 release of the holiday film Elf. Ferrell plays a man who was raised to believe he is an elf. Lange plays a Santa Claus at the mall who is beaten up by Ferrell’s character for supposedly disrespecting the spirit of Christmas.
"It’s a funny movie. I mean, Ferrell is a great talent, and this might be this year’s fee-good movie," Lange said.
Elf is directed by Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made).
Besides Elf, Lange is in the re-release of the independent film Mail Order Bride, starring fellow Hobokenite Robert Capelli, Jr. Originally titled The Russian Job, Mail Order was shot in Hoboken and Moscow a few years ago. It hits limited engagements at select cities this month. Capelli plays a gullible kid who has to travel to Russia and capture a woman who conned mobsters in Jersey while disguised as a mail-order bride. Ironically, in the movie, Lange acts opposite Martling, as well as Vincent Pastore and Danny Aiello.
"The movie was a blast to make," Lange said. "It was shot in Hoboken, and it’s a local effort by some good people. Go see it."
Hoboken state of mind
After filming Mail Order Bride and landing the radio job, Lange moved permanently to Hoboken. The town he used to frequent while growing up in Union is now his humble abode.
"I love Hoboken. The nightlife is cool, and the people are great," Lange said.
When asked if he would want the keys to the city or any other type of recognition, he said: "No way. That’s just too much attention."
Despite his newfound notoriety, Lange continues to do his regular activities. He loves the Yankees and football.
"I was at the stadium for Game Six," Lange said about the last World Series in the Bronx. "We just couldn’t get a hit all night."
And who does Lange predict will make it to the Super Bowl this year?
"The Chiefs and the Vikings."
The Howard Stern Radio Show broadcasts weekday mornings from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 92.3FM K-Rock. q