Artie Lange talks drugs, Bruce, Shore mansion

Artie Lange has experienced it all — fame, fortune, drug addiction and two suicide attempts.

When you break it down, though, he's just a regular Italian guy from Jersey with a very colorful past — and a beautiful bayfront mansion at the Shore.

Lange, who grew up in Union before moving to Los Angeles, struck gold with a gig on "The Howard Stern Show" from 2001 to 2009 — but that's not how his story began.

"My dad became quadriplegic after a roof-climbing accident," he tells me. "We were on welfare. He died when I was 22, and we were looking at hard times. I was partying, working at the Port Authority in Newark as a longshoreman, but my dream was to do comedy."

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His mother, who was working as a secretary, told him to take a chance.

"I told my mom, 'I am gonna roll the dice. Gimme four years, the time it would take to go to college.'

She was very supportive.

"Even though we're broke," she told her son, "we'll make it work. I don't want you to give up on your dream."

Three and a half years later, Lange was on MAD TV making $1 million a year, and he bought his mother a house in Roseland.

"I got her out of Union," he says. "I made sure she could retire."

When Lange started on "Howard Stern," he bought a beautiful Hoboken penthouse with the "best view in the world," he tells me, referring to the Empire State Building.

"I bought it for $620,000 in summer 2001," Lange says. "I was making $3 million a year on 'Howard Stern,' and I paid off a 30-year mortgage in three years. I've lived with two different women there (separately) and I watched the Freedom Towers being built."

In 2007, Lange bought his Jersey Shore dream home for $2.5 million. It's currently on the market for $1.9 million.

(SEE A FULL PHOTO TOUR OF HIS HOME AT THE END OF THIS STORY)

"I was looking down the Shore — I love the bay more than the ocean," Lange says. "It's so serene — Cattus Island is in the background. There's a huge dock, double lot, it was brand new. It's 7,000 square feet. It was just a dream place. There's a big beautiful pool, jacuzzi."

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Lange had a man cave built for free by the people from "Man Caves" for an episode featuring the funnyman. He says this is his favorite room in the house — it's filled with career memorabilia and tons of New York Yankees and Giants fan gear.

Lange, who's a huge local sports fan, adds that he used to like Gov. Christie, "but he's gonna have to win my trust back — plus he's a Cowboys fan."

There have been plenty of celebrity sightings inside and around his property. Lange threw a huge birthday bash for "Howard Stern" co-star Robin Quivers during which Howard himself was among the guests.

One of his neighbors is Piper Parabou, who starred in "Coyote Ugly" and worked with Lange on 2003's "Perfect Opposites."

What's his favorite part about having a place at the Shore?

"I just love walking the Seaside boardwalk," Lange says. "A slice at Maruca's, Midway for a cheesesteak. I shot a whole day of 'Beer League' on the boardwalk there."

He also cites Rivoli's and the Four Seasons Diner as top choices for dining in Toms River.

"If my mom's there, though," he says, "she's willing to cook. That's the best."

Heading up the coast, Lange's a big fan of Monmouth Park racetrack in Oceanport, hot dogs at Max's and the WindMill in Long Branch and, of course, Asbury Park.

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"I love the Stone Pony," he tells me. "I know Bruce Springsteen personally. He called me when I was going through hard times and said, 'Take care of yourself.' He talked to me for an hour after I got out of rehab, and he helped save my life. He said, 'If you need anything, let me know.' He's just as cool as it gets."

The tough times Lange refers to are two suicide attempts and a heroin addiction.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself," he says. "My dad told me to take care of my mom. As an Italian man, I took it so seriously. I wish I was there emotionally."

I ask him about the heroin epidemic in Ocean County and his advice for people going through the struggle.

"As hard as it sounds, you absolutely have to hang with the right people," he says. "As an adult, there is no excuse for hanging out with the wrong people. If you concentrate on that, you will stay clean. It really is about the people you are with. I don't judge ... but it screws you up."

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"My advice to the young people is watch the pills," Lange says. "If you take them and it feels good, really think about the consequences. You get dope sick, and you need something cheaper. It can get really awful, really quick. Let the good take over the bad. It's easier said than done."

I ask him how long he's been sober, and he tells me his last run has lasted more than eight months.

At the moment, Lange seems to be doing better than ever.

He does a podcast out of his Hoboken penthouse and "still makes, to the normal person, great money — last year I made $1.4 million."

Lange gets to dress how he wants — inside his closet, you'll find two suits: one for a funeral, one for a wedding, he says.

Lange counts his blessings every day.

"I'm not even 50, I have two best-selling books — I wrote both in the Toms River house, in the man cave at the poker table, longhand," he tells me. "I'm very grateful for the life I have led."