Artie Lange talks redemption in his new book

THE FIRST gig comedian Artie Lange did after his very public meltdown - it included quitting his gig on the Howard Stern Show on air and surviving a suicide attempt due to his heroin addiction - was at the Borgata in Atlantic City.

Lange has always done well in the area.

"You better be good at what you do, because [Philadelphians] don't tolerate it if you're not," Lange told me from his apartment in Hoboken, N.J. "It's a good place to test my stuff, because you won't tolerate bull----."

But at his Borgata show, Lange was testing whether he could make a comeback.

"These people were hugging me afterward like I was their cousin," Lange said. "Just to see the outcry made me want to go on, just knowing that this comeback could work."

That comeback, and the fall that preceded it, are the subject of Lange's new book, Crash and Burn, out today. Lange will sign copies at the Center City Barnes & Noble (1805 Walnut St.) on Friday at 6 p.m.

Lange told me he found the writing process therapuetic, especially after his raucous, New York Times bestseller Too Fat to Fish. It was re-reading his experiences that was the hard part.

"I've been blessed with a rebirth and I want to close those books and move on. I'm 46 years old and I went through the drugs and booze. I survived my rock bottom," Lange said. "I definitely will try not to look back on those stories as much as I can."

* After rocking out at Power 99's Powerhouse 2013 on Friday night, Nicki Minaj stayed in the area, surprising Villanova students at Hoops Mania, an annual event celebrating the beginning of 'Nova b-ball. Minaj came out in a Villanova jersey and snapped backstage photos with the men's and women's teams.

* Prince Albert II of Monaco, the son of the late, great Grace Kelly, and his wife, former Olympic swimmer Princess Charlene, attended the gala opening for the James A. Michener Art Museum's Grace Kelly exhibition.

* After the Fray played an intimate concert at the Golden Nugget's Live Bar last week, the band hit the tables for some blackjack.

"Covert Affairs" actor Hill Harper was in town to promote his new movie, "1982," with West Oak Lane-raised director Tommy Oliver over the weekend. Harper and Oliver went to speak at Oliver's alma mater, George Washington High School. Harper was appalled to learn that the high school had no library. So Harper decided to donate a library and 30 computers to the school. The library will be named in his honor.

Are you an amateur who has what it takes to handle Gordon Ramsay? Head to the Center City DoubleTree (237 S. Broad St.) on Saturday to audition for Fox's "MasterChef," featuring nonpros going head-to-head to impress the notoriously cantakerous chef. Auditions are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Go to masterchefcasting.com for more info.

At his soldout Sellerville Theater show on Sunday, former J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf raised a glass to the late Lou Reed, whom he befriended while Lou toured with the Velvet Underground and Wolf was with the Hallucinations. Wolf took a swig from his wine bottle, toasted "another friend lost" and dedicated new song "It was Fun for Awhile" to the music icon.

The Daily News' own David Maialetti was named one of the "10 Instagram Photographers You Should Follow" by Forbes magazine. And with good reason: Not only is Maialetti an excellent photojournalist, he has a keen eye for street photography as well, capturing often glazed-over moments in Philly life.

Check out Maialetti's feed (@Maialetti) and follow him to see more of his work.

* Former Fox 29 traffic reporter Jamie Shupak is engaged to Brian Stelter of the New York Times. Stelter tweeted that they're looking for Philly-area wedding venues.

* Center City's own (and former Inquirer intern) Dan Lieberman, 26, joined new network Fusion, aimed at a diverse, millenial audience, as a daytime anchor, correspondent and producer. The channel officially launched last night.

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