This Levy Don't Break

This Levy Don't Break

"Reverend" Bob Levy is sort of a quintessential Eastern-Seaboard comic. Rough around the edges with a heart of gold. He's never been to Austin but Combustible Entertainment has seen fit to entice him here to tell a few jokes for us.

If you're a Howard Stern fan, you can skip ahead to the interview. If not, let me catch you up a little bit. Bob, in addition to being a road comic was a player on the Howard Stern Show for eight years, was Stern's Roastmaster, and created and hosted Miserable Men on Howard's spin-off Sirius station. In January, Artie Lange, another regular Stern comic, attempted suicide. In April, Bob publicly blamed Howard and has since severed ties.

So he's got some free time. And Austin has an exploding comedy scene. Seems like a match made in... well... you figure it out. He'll be appearing at the Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse on June 4th and 5th.

CHAD WARREN: So, why Austin?

BOB LEVY: Austin? Why not! I've never been there. I mean, the Real World has been there, why shouldn't I be there. It's time to have a real man there, not the real... "people" or whatever the hell that show was. I won't phony it up for you guys out there; I'll show you the real stuff.

CW: I think that's what we're all looking forward to. You're a club owner, too, right?

BL: I just bought the club from a friend of mine. I got out of that. That was a bit of a pain in the ass, especially when you're on the road and somebody says they can't make it and you're in, uh, St. Louis. So... I don't think I can handle that...

CW: So it got to a point where you had to pick one or the other?

BL: Yeah, it was just, like... they just did it to use my name, y'know. It's one of those things.

CW: Okay. Let's get to the good question. Do you have any updates on the rift with Howard Stern?

BL: ...no. Nothin'

CW: Nothing?

BL: I mean, we're... I don't talk about him, he don't talk about me.

CW: Fair enough.

BL: He's allowed to speak his mind, I'm allowed to speak my mind and if he can't handle it, ain't my problem. I'm a comedian, I'm supposed to say things that are outrageous.

CW: And you thought it was outrageous to stick up for Artie?

BL: No, no! I mean, I'm allowed to say anything. I don't think it was outrageous to stick up for Artie, I just... I said what I said when somebody asked me a question. Uh, and that's how I felt, y'know? I felt, y'know, he was in the studio too long... the guy's passin' out... I think the guy needs help, y'know. No reason to just have somebody lying on the floor, when you're doing a show.

CW: I agree with you 100%, incidentally (I was just curious). Is Artie getting the help he needs now? Do you know?

BL: Yeah, I mean, I talked to him the other day; we had a few laughs about some road gigs n'that. It seems like it will be a long road but a long road to go where? After something like that it takes a while... he's a good guy and he's got a lot of people behind him.

CW: Well, that sounds like the news is getting better, then.

BL: Well we had a nice, good talk for some time and we just laughed. It was definitely great to hear his voice. That was like the first thing I said to him, y'know? Hopefully he's better soon; he's better than ever, better than before... when he first came on the show.

CW: Cool. Ok. I'll quit picking at you about Artie. What have you heard about the Austin comedy scene?

BL: I haven't heard much about it; I just heard that it's like an unbelievable town... to hang out and party... and the people are just so cool out there... I heard it's like really a party town. So I'm really looking forward to it.

CW: Has anybody given you any "must do" things to do while you're here?

BL: DRINK.

CW: Drinking... yes, that would be Austin.

BL: I'm sure they're going to drag me around. Most of the guys in the show are from that way. And the opener's from Dallas so I'm sure he knows everything about it; he's done shows there before. So I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be my first time coming there so... there's a lot of good things I heard about it...

CW: And we're looking forward to having you... Is there anything that somebody who's not initiated to you via Stern or Miserable Men should know or that you'd want to communicate when they come out to see you next weekend?

BL: I'm just a regular comedian, you know? I'm a little dirtier but I'm very charming. I'm like a date-rapist with a smile, y'know? That's kind of how I consider my act. And you're going to get it whether you listened to me on Stern when I was on that or Miserable men when I was on that... but it doesn't really matter. I don't talk about radio; I just go up there and do comedy. That's what I do. So you won't hear me saying, "So y'know what's funny on the show the other day"... I don't do any of that shit. I don't need time filler.

CW: And now I'm looking forward to it even more. Last thing. The promoter said, and I can't verify this because I've never gotten the chance to see you live... that you used to eat Bleu Cheese off of various parts of women to finish up your show...

BL: Yeeaaaahh... that was the old me.

CW:...the old you. You don't do that anymore.

BL: Nah... I've moved on. I'm like "I'm not doin' this no more" People did get a kick out of it but it was like, y'know... c'mon... Bleu Cheese is horrible.

CW: Could you have gone with a cheddar maybe and the gag would have lasted longer?

BL: Nah... I was even thinking, I love Thousand Island the best but I think even that would have gone bad, 'cause then you don't want it on anything else. Y'know like they make those steaks with the chips of Bleu Cheese on them...never would order 'em.

CW: I'm just going to think for a minute about the idea that eating food off a woman spoiled that food for you in other ways... aaaand we'll go ahead and wrap this up here. It's been a pleasure talking to you and we're looking forward to seeing you next weekend.

BL: Sounds Good. Take care!

 

Comments

jonwilkes's picture
by jonwilkes - Jun 1 2010 - 3:53pm

"Late in April of this year, Artie Lange, another long-time Stern comic, attempted suicide."

Correction: Artie's suicide attempt was January 2, 2010 nearing the end of the stern show's xmas hiatus and hasn't been heard on the show since.

TheChad's picture
by TheChad - Jun 1 2010 - 8:46pm

noted. thanks for the heads up