Former ‘Saturday Night Live’ star Dennis Miller will bring his sarcastic humor to Westbury

Dennis Miller is known for a specific brand of humor. As a former anchor of “Weekend Update” on “Saturday Night Live,” the 64 year-old sharp-tongued comedian developed a signature style of sassy sarcasm that continued during his infamous rants on Fox News.

When Miller, 64, returns to NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Friday, Jan. 19, he told Newsday, he will take aim at everything from social media to the political circus.

What do you make of the current state of our world?

We don’t live in pragmatic times. We live in hysterical times. I think it’s the generation the teachers raised. The other day I got a job at the local college as a safe space lifeguard. I have to jump in when the kids are drowning in their own [expletive].

Did you ever consider running for office?

No, never once. . . . Trump might be a gaucherie and there are certain days where I just shake my head, but give him this: I believe his outer voice is an entirely accurate depiction of his inner voice. As for Hillary Clinton and the rest of those politicians, I don’t think their inner voice and outer voice have ever even had coffee together.

How would you describe the new comedy agenda?

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For me, classic comedy is being a funny, “gets it” jester. But they’ve lost the jester part. Everybody is taking themselves so . . . seriously now. It’s almost like you want to watch comedy shows for policy and Trump press conferences for comedy.

How did you develop your unique delivery?

My synapses fire in little Gatling gun bursts and that sort of translates to my act. At “Saturday Night Live,” I had this big piece of construction paper on the wall that would say: “indignation + what am I + arcane reference.” When I used to get stuck writing jokes, I’d sit there and look up at it.

Where do your metaphors come from?

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I don’t know. It’s my one monkey trick, man. I’m lucky I got that. I remember on the SATs when they’d say, “Gun is to bullet as bow is to . . . ” I wasn’t screwing up and saying “dart.” I got it right.

How would you describe your time at “SNL”?

There wasn’t a day I didn’t walk around and think, “I can’t believe this? Somewhere in an Ambien fever I pulled a sword from a stone and must not have remembered it.” The other side was it toughened you up because it was a gladiator camp. I did six years on “Weekend Update” solo. If there were two bad ones in the 150 shows I did, I would have had a co-host. I dug that action.

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.