Where Is Artie Lange Now?
On the surface, Artie Lange has had a career most comedians would dream of. He started performing stand-up comedy in the late 1980s, securing a gig on "MadTV" beginning in 1995 when the show started. However, he only lasted two seasons, ultimately walking away from the show after an arrest for cocaine possession. After his stint with the law ended, his friend (the late, great Norm Macdonald) offered him a role in his 1998 movie, "Dirty Work."
Over the years, the comedian has gone back and forth between securing work and running into trouble with the law. He's also released several books, including "Too Fat to Fish" and "Crash and Burn," but many may know the comedian as being the former co-host on "The Howard Stern Show." Over the last few years, he's remained largely out of the public eye to focus on his recovery program, and a July 2021 article from The New York Post stated he was sober for two-and-a-half years. So what's the funnyman doing these days?
Artie Lange most recently did a podcast but otherwise has kept a low-profile
It's no accident that you haven't heard from Artie Lange in a while. As The New York Post article delves into, the comedian has spent much of the past few years focusing on his drug and alcohol recovery. His most recent career stint can be found in a single 2020 podcast episode for "Letters to Artie." The premise of the show was for Lange to discuss his road to recovery and answer fan emails. However, Lange pulled the plug on the project when he became concerned about how it would affect his mental health, which could further send him back to drugs (via Dark Comedy News).
The last time the actor/comedian went in-depth with his struggles was in a November 2020 interview with Nick Di Paolo. He revealed, "I took it down a couple of notches. I came back, and I've stayed clean and sober; that's like a full-time job. I go to meetings on Zoom. In the summertime, they had some AA meetings outdoors that I attended. Gotta work the program."
Artie Lange's health takes precedence over everything else. Hopefully, he comes back in the future to make us all laugh once again.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).