Eddie Murphy - for his energy and rawness Patrice O'Neal - for his honesty Dave Attell - for his incredible economy of language

I don't mind speaking my mind, some questions are important others are just lazy journalism. I admire many women but I think growing up I looked up to men because there were more men in comedy - I think my fearlessness comes from modeling myself after guys like Chris Farley or just male comedians.

Late night with David Letterman, certainly. I still use a lot of the techniques in writing taught by Bob on Mr. Show, even though they're tonally very different shows.

Jerry Lewis movies...Stanley Myron Handleman, Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Steve Martin, Andy Kaufman, Albert Brookes

My comedic role models are guys like Groucho Marx, George Carlin, Chris Rock, Bill Murray and Colin Quinn. But as I get more into comedy I’m starting to dig more intellectual types.

I’d say the biggest influence was probably anything religious. I was raised Catholic. And in the South, there’s such a wealthy amount of Southern Baptists. I look at [religion] a little more skeptically through the lens of someone who is from the South. It gives me the confidence to do jokes about being brought up religiously, or any kind of religion, because I feel like I kind of grew up in the thick of it. Not that any of that has anything to do with the voice I put on. That voice definitely just grew out of me needing to do something new on stage. I was like, “Oh, I know this.” And it was a combination of family members and [that] I love doing this voice. Over time I started to figure out...[Read more]

steve martin, bill cosby was big before all the awfulness, seinfeld, brian regan!

bill cosby george carlin steve martin. The rest is a long answer. they made me want to be a comedian.

Jonathan Winters! And Peter Sellers. Dr. Strangelove was the greatest dark comedy ever made.

Richard Pryor, Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Buster Keaton, Whoopi Goldberg (of course), Redd Foxx, Louis C.K. and Bill Burr.

Bill Murray

That’s a hard one to answer, but living legends… Don Rickles. Present Eddie Pepitone.

Don't know. Maria Bamford is great. Tig Notaro. Laura Kightlinger. Kathy Griffin. Sarah Silverman. Jessica Kirson KILLS. Marina franklin can be inspired in moments. she's not a comedian but Mellissa mccarthy is hilarious. I know i'm leaving some out. Going back Joan Rivers. Carol Brunette Phillis Diller Lilly tomlin. Margaret Smith had great jokes. Rosanne had some great stuff. Moms Mabley. I used to open for Paula Poundstone who is a phenomenal performer. Joy Behar, used to work with her in clubs in new york. She was GREAT in the clubs. Um... There's a woman named Laura House who i don't think does standup anymore. Susie Essman. Lots of great women comedians. Lots of shitty ones. More shitt...[Read more]

Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.

Richard Pryor, me, Steve Martin, Brian Regan.

I'm a big fan of Chris Morris. When I first began doing comedy a friend of mine introduced me to Brass Eye and I was blown away. It was so dense and visual. The pedophilia episode with the guy dressed as a school... oh man. So hilarious. He's definitely been an influence on the stuff I do. Among many others.

I think Chris Rock's album Roll With the New was a gamechanger for me

Maria Bamford is my favorite comedian, but there are so many comedians pivoting during this time in ways that inspire me.

Dave Attell, Doug Stanhope, Patrice O'Neal, Maria Bamford, Sarah Silverman, Louis CK (he funded my special), Andy Kindler, many more who I'll think of later.

mel brooks steve Martin. the unknown comic.