Rise To Offend

After a time away from the spotlight to focus on his family, Andrew Dice Clay returned to what he knew and his fans were there to support him, but at first the comeback was not easy and modern day audiences weren’t on board, after trying new avenues to breakthrough the comeback and critical acclaim came from a source and casting nobody would have seen coming. Changing the course of his career, legacy, and showcasing the true talent behind the legendary foul mouth comic.

Part 3 of 3

"DiceMania” infected the world in 1989 and controversy, protestors, and boycotts followed. Fighting to maintain the audience and appeal that he earned from his decade of work in Hollywood, he would give himself the blue collar mentality, and despite fellow comics and critics telling the world he was a waste of time, and a villain to morality, his audience would demand and follow him throughout the 90’s, but at a certain stage the "Diceman" needed to find a new audience to survive, and would try to change his public persona. Part 2 of 3

Brooklyn born entertainer Andrew Silverstein found love as a drummer at the start of his career, but found a real audience through his comedic impersonation of John Travolta and Jerry Lewis, following his local success he took the big chance moving to Los Angeles and becoming a regular at the Comedy Store, he would find roles in TV and film as Andrew Clay while inventing the Diceman on the comedy circuit, and becoming the most controversial comic of the early 1990’s. (Part 1 of 3)

After the Plasmatics released their debut album Wendy O. Williams was already a larger than life cult figure in NYC, bringing her controversial stage show across the pond and the states would be a battle, but her performance art would change constantly, appealing to punk, metal, and hip hop before officially leaving the music world and discovering life outside it was not something she could adapt too. Part 2 of 2

Labeled by many as the “Queen of Shock Rock” Wendy O. Williams journey to the stage seemed more like a necessity than a calling, the first female face of the punk rock movement changed the boundaries of a violent scene, embracing sexuality and destruction nightly on stage with her band The Plasmatics, the story of her to get to the stage and embrace the rock culture was one of constantly searching for acceptance, breaking norms and laws, and representing the true foundation of an individual that would change and break boundaries for women in music. (Part 1 of 2)

Everything about Larry Clark’s Kids was debatable after its release in 1995, many considered it a honest piece of art, some would praise it for its look at a dangerous subculture in America, and many others would vilify it for exploitation of children, the film impact on culture and youth was immediate. The portrayal of children who lived for sex and drugs changed a landscape and mentality of many that found it relatable, and horrified many more who found it deplorable. The end result would launch major careers in the movie industry and remain a film that would be impossible to make in modern society. (Part 2 of 2)

A film like first time director Larry Clark’s KIDS can not be made without major barriers to be broken down in the film industry and America, this week we breakdown the films and movements that HAD to happen to allow KIDS to be made, the culture and revolution that happened before it allowing audiences to be impacted, and the mainstream Hollywood film that presented a different outlook to the world. These would just be a few stepping stones to creating a film that would exploit a counter culture and youth to the masses. Part 1 of 2

After the critical and commercial success of the film version of Borat, the next step was an obvious one to complete the trilogy of character from his hit show Ali G, and that was Bruno. Following Bruno’s success was the turning point in his career where he had to choose the next route, but his fan base demanded more of the “mockumentary” format that put him on the comedy map. Matching the success was difficult but the impact he left on the world would soon return with Who is America? (Part 2 of 2)

Taking risks in comedy is necessary to push boundaries, but the risk that Sacha Baron Cohen took could have put him in serious physical harm, influenced by a strong religious belief system, higher education, and Peter Sellers. He immortalized characters that would become cultural icons to a global audience, and receive a backlash by all he duped. All while finding an audience that considers him the greatest comic performance artist of his generation. Part 1 of 2.

“Everybody is Impacted” is a quote from Me Too founder Tarana Burke, and it truly represented the movement at this stage. Taking it to social media created the movement to reach a global scale, but also a backlash of opposing viewpoints. Keeping the spotlight and focus on the meaning behind the original movement was getting harder and harder, with it’s meaning getting debated and changing daily on media outlets, it left many with a feeling of confusion and numb to the onslaught. Regardless what it left in its wake was a legacy, and voice that will forever change the landscape of sexual violence in the world Part 2 of 2