A Literary Life

By Kate Jonuska

We don’t want to get off on a rant here, but fans of comedian and political pundit Dennis Miller  should seize the opportunity to attend a rare live performance in Colorado Springs, on Saturday at Arnold Hall Theater on the Air Force Academy. Known for his ranting and a laid-back yet cerebral style, Miller looks forward to taking the stage in such a patriotic venue.

“I revere these guys, and to be able to knock off Gitmo and the Air Force Academy in one six-month period will be an honor,” he says, speaking of his performance at Guantanamo Bay in June. “We would not have in this country the right to be half as screwed up as we are without (the troops). I often view some of these fracases that go on and I think, ‘Thank God there is a group of men and women out there to help us when we miss the point as badly as we do.’”

Miller rose to fame in the 1980s on Saturday Night Live, served as commentator for Monday Night Football and won five Emmy Awards for his talk show “Dennis Miller Live.” While he currently broadcasts the nationally syndicated “The Dennis Miller Show” and is a regular guest on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” the self-proclaimed conservative libertarian still considers himself a comedian to the bone.

“It’s sort of a sardonic, rat-a-tat delivery with obscure references and a little indignation,” he says of his comic delivery. “But I’m not a haranguer. I don’t want them walking out of there thinking, ‘What was that I was supposed to think?’ I want them to walk out saying, ‘Jesus, my ribs hurt.’”

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the Gazette’s GO! section on Sept. 18, 2009.