You do a clean show and it's over and the audience have enjoyed themselves and you've enjoyed yourself, and you haven't had to resort to shock.

There's a lot of cynicism. Let's really enjoy Christmas, with all that's going on in the world.

You may not think I'm a sex symbol, but I became a father at the age of 48. Now young people think of me as a mini-folk hero because it's difficult for them to believe a man of my age is sexually active.

I was not influenced by Jack Benny, and people have remarked on my timing and Jack's timing, but I don't think you can teach timing. It's something you hear in your head.

It was a decision to work clean. I just prefer to work that way. I have no problem with comedians who don't work that way. There was a temptation in the early '70s to reconsider. I decided against it.

I think everyone probably starts out sounding like someone else, but gradually you develop your own sound.

The first time I got up in front of an audience was terror, abject terror, which continued for another four or five years. There still is, a little bit.