Not many people have had as much bad luck as I have, but not many people have had as much good luck, either.

I always wonder, aside from even my name, what if my parents never split up? What if my mother never died? It swirls in my head all the time.

It was a free-for-all with music when I was growing up. My mother was a huge music fanatic so I was listening to everything from country to heavy metal to Indigo Girls to Elton John. I guess when I was really young I didn't like Willie Nelson, and she obviously loved him. Now I do too, I'm so thankful to her for playing his music nonstop.

In chaotic situations, I feel like I can take a breath and look around and assess the situation and see the big picture. Going through the traumatic time that I did in my life, that's also given me even more of a breather in life to just be like, "I know everything's going to be fine. Even if this is the worst show in the world, no matter what happens, everything's going to be fine." It's an accumulation of things.

I can't imagine just dusting my pants off and going about my life like, "Phew! I sure made it through a tough spot, now where am I headed?" I feel more of an obligation to be helpful.

In standup, you don't have anything near you except a microphone.

Life can very genuinely and realistically pile things on. It doesn't dole out the heartache and pain, or joy, perfectly.