Jude Angelini is a tough one to put in a box: part author, part radio host, but always a guy who keeps it real.
To truly understand Sirius XM’s “Rude Jude” Angelini, one must tune in to his All Out Show on Shade 45, Eminem’s hip-hop music channel. From porn stars sampling sex toys, to Angelini’s producer taking a kick to the nuts by a dominatrix, every weekday from 4 to 7 P.M. Eastern is a new bounty of the convoluted essence that is being human.
The 41-year-old Angelini, who hails from the rust-belt town of Pontiac, Michigan, is an advocate for free thought and a regular offender of safe spaces, saying and posting exactly what he feels without batting an eye.
For this interview, we met at Angelini’s L.A. apartment, where we sat surrounded by hundreds of classic records, from Dean Martin to Steely Dan, and talked.
What do you think of our hypersensitive culture now?
I’ve been doing radio for 14 years. What we used to do we’d never be able to do now—it’s too racy. The millennials that were 10 are now 24, and they have Twitter accounts. But the thing is, most people aren’t bitches. They’re centrists when it comes to these things. But they don’t jump on Twitter and say, “I agree!” We allow a small, loud minority to dictate what we can and cannot say, and it’s affected me in a negative way. It’s kept me from getting jobs. And there’s certain jokes I don’t crack anymore because it’s not worth the headache.
Censorship today seems so toxic to creativity. Like, I’m offended so I want you to stop creating.
I’ve never seen more close-minded people. This younger generation thinks that if you don’t agree with them, it’s a personal attack. It’s not. I’ve got family members that won’t speak to me because they don’t like the way I talk, because I say whatever I want.
Tell me about Hyena and Hummingbird, your short story collections about sex, drugs, and growing up poor in Middle America.
I knew how I was viewed—I didn’t go to college, I grew up poor. I was looked at as a “wigger.” I was a shock jock on a hip-hop station. So I decided I’d write a book and then it snowballed. I realized that most people that bought my book hadn’t bought a book in years. So I wanted to encourage people to read and to write their story.
My stories harken back to the writers of the 1970s that didn’t go to college but had something to say. I wanted to be the voice of the voiceless and I wanted people who might not write a book to have something to relate to. This is the flyover states. This is the shit town. This is Bakersfield. This is Pontiac. This is Cleveland.
How did you get into radio?
I was living in Michigan, working as a window cleaner. I saved my money doing shit jobs and moved out to L.A. to act. On The Jenny Jones Show, I was the insult comic. Everything that made me good at that show made me bad at auditioning.
The only job I ever got was for the role of a robber. I had just gotten back from Detroit where I had been robbed, so I said everything the robber said and I got the job.
We hear you have a penchant for fine-ass spectacles.
I didn’t know I needed glasses until I read the teleprompter for the Jenny Jones people. I kept squinting. They were like, “Do you know how to read?” They thought I was illiterate. Turns out I had astigmatism. I wear expensive glasses as a way to signal to people that I have money. Isn’t that what we all do, sending subtle signals to those of the opposite sex that we’re worth mating with?
You’re a fan of Penthouse Forum. Did it help you learn about the ladies?
Once when I was jerking off to Forum, I busted off to one where the dude had to give up his wife after losing a poker match. I [learned that] I like degradation. I had this downstairs neighbor and he was on welfare. He had all the 1970s Penthouses—that’s why I like hairy pussies. He never left the house except to get groceries once a week and always left the door unlocked. I would sneak down and take his porn and jerk off.
What’s your favorite drug?
Depends. I love to fuck on mushrooms. Ketamine is my favorite to do by myself. I listen to music and hallucinate. But I can’t do everything I like anymore because I broke my body.
Is it true you had trouble getting Hummingbird noticed by reviewers?
Instead of reviewers saying, “This is trash,” they just ignored it. I’d rather them be upset, at least I’d get some attention. That #MeToo shit, no literary people would review it. Finally, there was a woman who’s a reviewer, but I had to sleep with her.
Power of the D?
Yeah. I had to trade some dick to get into the website and then I had to fuck her again to get her to post it on the website. Yo, I’m a grown-up. I understand what I’m getting into. I actually have a disdain for people that fuck for parts and then go back 20 years later and complain about it. You knew what the fuck you were doing. We’re grown-ups.
Interview by Camille Todaro. Photo by Audrey Ma.
Nice article on Jude! As it was mentioned, the best way to get to know him is to check out his show. He’s one of the few people I’ve come across that can connect to an average listener and encourage them to think out a situation. He’s as real as they get.
Get the books or audio books!