Ultimately, an audience wants to laugh. That's who they like, the comedian who makes them laugh.

TV is a different animal. It's not a club set. As you said, you do short sets on TV - about five minutes. So you have to get that rhythm down and also be aware of the camera so you're connecting with the viewers at home as well as the studio audience. It's a different muscle to develop.

Inherent in mourning is celebration. Mourning without celebration or some form of acceptance leaves you stuck.

Opening for Louis C.K. during his "Hilarious" tour was a great experience for me. He is the generation just ahead of me, because he started so young. So it's like he's sort of a senior and I'm a junior, in terms of the business. He's done so much - from writing on Conan and Chris Rock to writing and directing movies, having his own HBO show, "Lucky Louie," and now having "Louie" on FX.

Not that that's the goal, but sometimes these funny insights can also be deeply profound.

Hard work is a muscle that you develop, as is taking risks.

Comedy clubs are arguably one of the last bastions of uncensored, public free speech.