I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.

My mind is always going. I'm always thinking what I need to do, what I haven't done, what I did do, what I didn't do as well as I could - I'm relentless that way with myself.

I think when I feel I'm at my best is when I'm on stage, and it's my version of jazz because it's just riffing or something.

I was always drawn to performing, but I never thought I could. I have no idea what I wanted to do outside of the old cowboy-or-fireman. When I was in college, I got serious about acting. I started examining history and then everything related to the theater. History, art, all the other studies, if I could link them into the theater, then it became alive for me. It just opened up my eyes.

I'm comfortable being old... being black... being Jewish.

At some point I stopped stand-up because I didn't have something to say on a nightly basis.

I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.