Dennis Miller has come a long way since his early days as a budding stand-up comedian who battled stage fright and lacked confidence. Known for his deadpan sarcastic humor, Miller has made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian, talk show host, actor, political commentator, and writer. His illustrious career has seen him work on popular TV shows, including Saturday Night Live and his eponymous Dennis Miller Live. He has also appeared in such films as The Net (1995), Murder at 1600 (1997), and Joe Dirt (2001).
With an estimated net worth of $100 million, Dennis Miller has earned his place among the most successful in the industry. Television stints contributed a huge chunk of his financial success. In addition to SNL, he hosted numerous talk shows, particularly HBO’s Dennis Miller Live which was a critical and commercial success. Miller is 21st on Comedy Central’s 100 greatest stand-up comedians. Miller has also ventured into sportscasting, away from his usual comedic and political commentary gigs. Explore these six facts about the former SNL cast member.
1. Dennis Miller is of Scottish Descent
Though he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised in the Castle Shannon suburb, Dennis Miller comes from Scottish origins. Miller’s parents separated when he was young and he was raised by his mother, Norma. As such, he doesn’t speak much about his father who left when he was young. Miller grew up with four younger siblings, including Rich and Jimmy who work with him in the comedy industry. Growing up in Pennsylvania, Miller attended Saint Anne School and Keystone Oaks High School.
2. He Majored in Journalism
Despite carving a successful career in comedy, Dennis Miller didn’t see it as a career option in his formative years. He battled a lack of self-confidence even though his comedic chops were evident. Miller graduated from Keystone Oaks High School in 1971 and aspired to become a sports writer. Thus, he enrolled in Point Park University where he bagged a degree in journalism in 1976. While in college, Miller was a sports writer for the South Hills Record. His sports reporting at the time had a touch of humor but it took Miller a few more years to embrace his craft as a comedian.
3. Dennis Miller Survived On Odd Jobs After College
Before he decided to give comedy a chance, Dennis Miller did all sorts of jobs to make a living. He worked as a clerk at Giant Eagle Deli, a janitor, and delivered packages for a florist. Miller also served at the Village Dairy as an ice cream scooper and got a rude awakening when one of his customers turned out to be the most beautiful girl from his high school. Subsequently, he began nurturing dreams of going into comedy full-time. Miller sharpened his comedic skills by sharing jokes with commuters during his next job at Point Park’s Recreation Room.
4. His Earliest Inspiration Came From American Comedian Kelly Monteith
Watching a Robin Williams comedy special in 1979 triggered his interest in the art. However, Miller’s earliest inspiration came when he watched comedian Kelly Monteith perform at a Pittsburgh club. Miller was young at the time but asked Monteith some questions about being a comedian. Miller was also inspired by Jonathan Winters and Tim Conway. Though stage fright was a problem earlier, the burning desire to carve a career as a comedian led Miller to perform in open-mic nights in Pittsburgh in his budding days.
5. Dennis Miller Joined Saturday Night Live In 1985
After doing several stand-up gigs in New York clubs and later working at the Pittsburgh local television station KDKA-TV, Dennis Miller landed a career-defining spot on Saturday Night Live. He was performing at The Comedy Store when SNL creator Lorne Michaels discovered him. Subsequently, he replaced Christopher Guest as the Weekend Update anchor and was known for starting his sketches with, “Good evening, and what can I tell you?” and ending with “Guess what, folks? That’s the news, and I am outta here.” He left SNL in 1991.
6. Dennis Miller Hosted Dennis Miller Live From 1994 to 2002
Following a failed attempt to host his first eponymous late-night gig, The Dennis Miller Show in 1992, the SNL alum got another chance in 1994. He hosted 215 episodes of Dennis Miller Live on HBO, interviewing one guest on each. During the show’s run, Miller and his writing crew won five Emmy Awards for their outstanding contributions. However, HBO axed the show in 2002. Here’s what Rob Schneider has been up to.
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