Atlantic City Weekly

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Attell

Sometimes a television show drops into your lap. 


That’s the way it was for Dave Attell, the veteran comic who hosts Dave’s Old Porn on Showtime, which debuted in October.


Attell actually uses footage from old VHS tapes that he has lugged from apartment to apartment in Manhattan.


“I’ve had my stash in a duffel bag,” Attell tells Atlantic City Weekly. ”I would grab that bag and tell the mover, ‘This is really heavy, I got it.’”


What Attell, who will appear at the Anti-Social Network show Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 14 & 15) at the Borgata with Jim Norton, Artie Lange and Doug Stanhope, has is a cult hit on cable TV. 


“We [Attell and guest comics on the TV show] just have fun talking over [the old porn footage],” Attell says. “It’s something different and we have a lot of laughs. I don’t think you can take those old porn films too seriously. I have people like [Jim] Norton, Chelsea Handler and Whitney Cummings on and we just riff about what we see. It’s interesting because of what we say and also what you see. The people in porn back then weren’t ripped. They didn’t have boob jobs. It was much more raw than what you see today in the porn world.”


It makes sense that Attell hosts such a show for the late-night audience since he held court on Comedy Central’s late, lamented Insomniac, which aired from 2001 to 2004. Attell would travel around the world carousing after dark.


“I had the best time doing that show,” Attell says. “It was a blast the whole time it was happening. We had genuine fun. But I think there was more fun to be had just a few years ago. Now the fun police are out there. You can’t smoke anywhere. I was in Indianapolis and I understand that you’re not allowed to smoke in the Indianapolis airport, but they wouldn’t allow anyone to smoke outside the airport. It’s getting crazy right now. There are less and less places where you can do what you want.”


One of the places where Attell reigns supreme is on stage. 


“Thankfully that hasn’t changed,” Attell says. “It’s great to have the freedom to perform when I do stand-up. It’s also good to have freedom doing the show for Showtime because I don’t have much freedom walking down the streets of Manhattan.”


Click here for a rewind to last year's Anti-Social Network Tour debut at Borgata.

Attell enjoys walking around Atlantic City. 


“It’s a fun place,” Attell says. “You can go out and smoke freely on the Boardwalk. If you want to smoke, drink or gamble, Atlantic City is the place to go. You get great crowds there. You play shows there, you get people from Philly, New York, all parts of New Jersey. The people are into it when you do shows in Atlantic City. I have no problem going down there, particularly since it’s an easy run from New York. You’re there in no time and you have a good time.”


Attell’s life is a good time. Most guys would trade places with a man going from town to town cracking wise and on the set of a show, in which the gig is watching and talking over porn flicks.


“It’s a lot of work, but I can’t complain about what I do,” Attell says. 


“It’s great doing stand-up and I love doing my show on Showtime. It’s a learning experience for many. I try to help people. I’m like Dr. Oz. I have people on like [porn star] Nina Hartley, who was nice enough to give techniques on how to deep throat. People watching learned that Seka is not from Sweden. Everybody thought that their favorite porn star was Swedish, but she is from America and is a fascinating person! Jim Norton met her and told me that she is a totally classy broad. So when you tune into this show, it’s not just fun, it’s educational. How many shows can you say that about today? What reality show is educational?”


Attell admits that he is awe of some of the old-school porn guys. 


“Men like Peter North, Eric Edwards and Ron Jeremy could just pop one, no problem,” Attell says. “That was way before there was Viagra and erections are automatic. You can’t help but watch the guys from back in the day and be impressed with these go-to guys. Guys should watch porn with their girlfriends. It’s a blast.”


Attell also believes guys should catch the Anti-Social Network tour with their girlfriends. 


Sure the material Attell, Norton, Lange and Stanhope deliver is male oriented, but women can find humor in their material. Attell in particular has a viewpoint and punchlines that should connect with most.


“I think there’s something for everyone in what I do,” Attell says. “I look out and see guys, of course, but there are women out there too. I just go out there and offer my take on things and I hope people laugh and have a good time. I’ve been doing it for a long time and people seem to like it. I think I’m on to something.”

The Anti-Social Network Tour 
(Dave Atell, Jim Norton, 
Artie Lange and Doug Stanhope) 


When: Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 14 & 15, 8pm 


Where: The Borgata, A.C.


How Much: $55. 


Click here for a rewind to last year's Anti-Social Network Tour debut at Borgata.

Click here for a look at last year's show.