In show business, it takes 10 years to create an overnight success. You've heard that, right? But what you don't hear is that that's the exact same amount of time it takes to create a bitter failure.

My favorite part is being engaged with somebody's story and life, and getting a laugh with people I have a tremendous amount of respect for or not, and being challenged by the immediacy of conversation.

As a performer you are being used to keep people watching so the commercial endorsements that support the network can be seen by as many people as possible.

I'm just saying, 'Hey, throw me a bone. How about a smile, cute t-shirt? Look at me.' Nothing - unless it's a turn to their friends to go, 'Hey, why is that weird guy looking at us?'

As I became very conscious and more aware of things I got very into the beatniks and that kind of stuff. They were very important to me for a few years.

They are not testing comics for drugs. If our job is dependent on that, there would be three working comics in the country, and two of them would have puppets.

I've become less angry and a little more humble by age and by experience and by going through the ups and downs of life.