People don't realize it's not just about being funny, and they don't know how perceptive a comedian needs to be about human nature. You have to really be able to read a situation and peoples' emotions.
I started going to the open mics every day in 2003. You make the comics laugh, they get you work, and you build up your reputation. It was a slow process.
New York is great because it's such a cross-section of the world, and when you're used to people being shoulder-to-shoulder all the time - in the street, on the train - you become a people person. People are very open to hearing a lot of different perspectives, and they aren't as sensitive.
My inspiration to do comedy came from many places. Saturday mornings, I would watch Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis movies. I later got into watching stand-ups like Eddie Murphy, who was my main inspiration.
