Over the past three decades, Dennis Miller, the stand-up comedian turned humorous conservative commentator, has cultivated a slick facade — the perfect hair, the perfect sneer, the perfect snarky comment.
But the secret to Miller’s success is really pretty simple, according to him: Just fake it till you make it, since no one wants to watch a nervous entertainer self-destruct.
“I didn’t want to appear needy,” said Miller, about the early stages of his 35-year-old career. He was on the phone from Dallas, Texas, where he was scheduled to do a stand-up show.
“It took me a lot of time to find my style,” he said. “I suppose in another career, one could be shy and be successful. But to persevere as an entertainer, you can’t get waylaid by those fears.”
Expect the pro entertainer to touch upon material such as Donald Trump, the 2020 election and our reaction to the intrusions of 24-hour news and social media at his Saturday night show in Honolulu.
“This may seem harsh, but I think the world has always been brutal,” said Miller. “We just weren’t privy to it before. …We hear about mudslides in the Philippines two hours later. In the times of yore, we might not have heard about it for weeks.”
TODAY AT 65, Miller comes across as direct, but mellow, not necessarily a far cry from his gig as the seemingly self-assured, smirky host of the Weekend Update segment on “Saturday Night Live,” where he starred from 1985 to 1991.
His hosting demeanor on the show was spoofed a lot, including one impression that former “SNL” cast member Dana Carvey perfected right down to the well-coiffed, thick black hair Miller sported.
“Carvey used to be across the hall from me,” Miller said of his time at “SNL.” “Carvey would do a wicked impression of me and would come on Weekend Update.”
Carvey wasn’t the only one. In a memorable Weekend Update segment, both Carvey and A-list actor Tom Hanks appeared alongside him at the same time dressed as multiple Millers.
Miller said he’s all for “making fun of yourself. It’s a flattering position. I told Carvey that there was so much hairspray in my hair that it wouldn’t be hard to get right.”
He also expressed gratitude that Chevy Chase, who was the original Weekend Update host, helped with Miller’s transition into the role.
IN ADDITION to Miller developing his taste for political material on “SNL,” it also was his delivery style that grabbed attention — his sarcastic quips, small head bobs and a penchant for scatting made-up sounds.
Miller describes his slightly nasal vocal delivery “as some sort of staccato, rat-a-tat-tat weirdness or directness.”
Perhaps surprisingly, he was a shy kid growing up in the Castle Shannon suburb of Pittsburgh, Penn.
Even now, Miller says he still gets a “small knot” in his stomach before performances and in doing projects, though that has subsided considerably.
Career highlights for Miller, who was an aspiring journalist straight out of college, include hosting multiple talk shows on TV, radio and podcasts and as a commentator on ABC’s “Monday Night Football.” He had a long-running gig on HBO with the “Dennis Miller Live” talk show from 1994 to 2002, a project which earned five Emmy Awards for writing.
Miller’s writing actually made it onto TV before he ever did. Another comedian at an open mic event in the Pittsburgh area whom Miller opened for when he was first trying to make it offered him $25 apiece for two jokes.
Miller recalled watching the other comedian later repeat those jokes on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.”
“It was a fair transaction,” said Miller. “I don’t recall the audience’s reaction, but I remember Johnny smacking his desk, bending over and putting his hand to his mouth in that way that he did when he liked a joke.”
Carson later gave Miller tips on air when he was set to start a late-night hosting job, the first of many.
Currently Miller hosts the “Dennis Miller Option” podcast, and is filling in as host of “Larry King Now” while King is recovering from heart-related issues. Miller also performs about two stand-up shows a month.
“I’ve worked so hard that what I want now is to do less,” he joked.
MILLER FIRST patterned his stand-up routine — which was his entry point into show business — on actor/comedian Richard Belzer’s style. Belzer likely is best known for his wise-cracking John Munch character on NBC’s Law & Order franchise, but he’s also performed stand-up comedy, mostly observational humor and political satire, which are Miller’s specialties.
Coincidentally, Belzer was an audience warm-up comedian on “SNL” before Miller joined the cast. But Miller recalled seeing Belzer during a stand-up show in New York City decades ago. Miller looked up to Belzer for his confidence and ability to take control of a stage.
As for his trademark sarcasm, Miller turned to his wife, Carolyn Espley, who was in the background during the phone call, for confirmation.
“Honey, how close am I to my sarcastic persona? She’s rolling her eyes.”
He continued, “But am I a decent chap? She said, ‘yes.’”
Miller went on to say that he has no regrets when it comes to show business.
“Regrets should be saved for real life, not show biz,” he said, “if you’ve hurt someone you shouldn’t have hurt or have things you’ve reneged on.”
DENNIS MILLER
>> Where: Hawaii Theatre
>> When: 8 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: $65-150
>> Info: 528-0506, hawaiitheatre.com
