I do seem like the kind of guy who'd be obsessive about Rubik's Cubes.

There are certain parts of a classic nerd's brain that can destroy that person - obsessing about things to the detriment of everything else in your life. But those are the same tools that you can use to turn everything around.

A big company is like trying to steer a luxury liner.

I made a lot of changes in my life between my twenties and thirties, and it all sort of revolves around how I think people with nerdier brains tend to problem-solve and approach things differently then "norms."

Traditionally nerd-based culture is now a big sector of pop culture.

Both my parents recognized early on that I wanted to do something in comedy, and they were really supportive. They're the ones who bought me Steve Martin records and let me watch R-rated comedies long before they probably should have.

Do you think Patrick Swayze now goes up behind people in pottery classes and hugs them just to crack up other ghosts?