After going "Loco", Carrington plans Christmas album

(Editors Note: Possibly offensive language in fifth paragraph.)

By Ken Tucker

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Comedian Rodney Carrington, whose "El Nino Loco" is No. 3 on Billboard's Top Comedy Albums chart for the second straight week, is a man with a plan. He describes his latest album as "a way to write novelty songs that could potentially get played on the radio and also make music videos."

The comedian is no stranger to visual media. His 2004 sitcom, "Rodney," ran for two seasons on ABC. Since then he has appeared in a music video for Trace Adkins' 2007 single, "I Got My Game On," and starred alongside country superstar Toby Keith in the 2008 film "Beer for My Horses." (Carrington co-wrote the movie with Keith.)

"El Nino Loco" (Capitol Nashville), produced by Keith and Steve Dorff, is Carrington's eighth album. He has sold 2.2 million albums, according to Nielsen SoundScan, with 2000's "Morning Wood" his best seller at 517,000.

The new album is decidedly less "blue" than earlier releases. The video for the lead track, "If I'm the Only One" -- about a cheating spouse -- stars Carrington and Keith with guests Jennifer Aspen and Nick Searcy, who are both from the "Rodney" show.

The album is also an indication of Carrington's maturation. "I think different as I get older," the 40-year-old says. "I've done 'Letter to My Penis' and 'I Think I'm Dancing With a Man.' How many songs can you write about your d--k? At some point you realize you're 40 and you have teenagers now. I don't think that way anymore. That's what they think about."

Carrington's immediate plans include releasing a Christmas CD in August. "It ain't got a funny song on it," he says. "It's a big-band, Frank Sinatra-type Christmas record; something I've always wanted to do."

"Make It Christmas," which includes the holiday classics "Mary, Did You Know?," "O Holy Night" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," was recorded earlier this year in Los Angeles with Dorff. And while Carrington knows people might be surprised when they hear it, he says he's "never pigeonholed what I've thought about doing. I've just said, 'I'll try that.'"

Still, Carrington notes that a straight singing career isn't in his future. "The Christmas record is as serious as I'm going to get," he says. "I'm still touring, still telling jokes, still doing my thing."

The Christmas album will be his last for Capitol Nashville. "You're never going to own your own stuff unless you hang on to it," says Carrington, who has been with the label since 2000. "I'm going to do a stand-up record again but not until I can own it myself. I own the first record I ever did, and it's very valuable to me."

But touring and live performance remain at the heart of Carrington's plan. "Records, TV, books: They're all just kindling on the fire. I've always wanted to build my career brick by brick. I have a simple plan. I want a million people who really like what I do to give me $10 a year for the rest of their lives. I'm not greedy."

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)

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