In real life, people in the most dire situations must cope through humor.

I grew up in a family of Republicans. And when I was 18 and registering to vote, my mom’s only instruction was ‘You just go in and pull the big Republican lever.’ That’s my welcome to adulthood. She’s like, ‘No, don’t even read it. Just pull the Republican lever.

Television is a runaway train that you have to get on for nine months of the year. But at the same time, it has a wonderful immediacy.

You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.

I'm still technically employed by the National Broadcasting Company.

I became immersed in the cult of improvisation. I was like one of those athletes trying to get into the Olympics. It was all about blind focus. I was so sure that I was doing exactly what I'd been put on this earth to do, and I would have done anything to make it onto that stage.

I believe in process. I believe that having a really difficult process is more valuable than a good outcome.