I do get nervous. And that's not a bad thing. What I try to do (and this sounds very cheesy, but it's helpful) is to acknowledge my fear, and then it doesn't dominate me.

I used to have terrible stage fright, the best way to get over it is to just get onstage so much that it becomes second nature and not at all a big deal.

no you just have to have the fright and do it anyway. avoiding it is rational and smart. if you have a competing desire then you'll overcome the fear. but the fear aint going anywhere.

Oh yeah. The thing is, you’re so scared, but every day you’re just dreaming of doing Conan or doing a special on Comedy Central, so when it comes, it’s terrifying but great. You know, as a guy you’re scared to have sex but you want it so bad, you do it. Also, as a comic, you realize how hard getting on TV is, that you’re not going to pass it up out of fear. When you’re at Conan behind the curtain waiting to go out, and they pull it open and say ‘you ready?’ you see the lights, the crowd—it’s crazy.

Definitely. I kind of hate when I hear a performer who says they "never get nervous." I just don't believe that.

You have to really want it and/or believe deep down you can do it. And/or hit rock bottom with your alternate career choice. I was coming apart at college, sucking as a predental student, and I heard about a standup contest. I wrote an act and went for it, and if I had bombed I may have given up right then. Fortunately I won and the validation made me unstoppable, as far as knowing what I wanted to do from then on. Not that unfamiliar a story, insecure actor/writer is self-effacing, scared to assert himself, gets a little success and shifts in animal mode. I don't know how badly you want to do this for a living, but if you do, go for it hard, take chances, and if you're not as lucky early o...[Read more]

Definitely. I kind of hate when I hear a performer who says they "never get nervous." I just don't believe that.

I do get nervous. And that's not a bad thing. What I try to do (and this sounds very cheesy, but it's helpful) is to acknowledge my fear, and then it doesn't dominate me.

I think in the presence of a monster I get a little nervous, I think that's natural. To be humbled by someone who is "better" than you. I'm sure I make other comics nervous but all they have to do is say hi and be cool and I'll be cool. I should remember my own advice.

The first minute with Frank Sinatra - Jackie Gleason had arranged the interview for me, I was nervous. It was the first time I was nervous. But I got over it in a minute. And Frank eventually became a friend.

I always go back to something Ram Dass teaches "We work on ourselves so we can help the people closest to us." I've gone through various phases of trying to "save" my friends and my attempts have at the very least been annoying and at the worst created temporary rifts. People really feel it when you've gotten to the place where you can actually listen to them without wanting to change them and paradoxically that seems to be the space that folks transform within.

the buddha said, when you're looking for water, don't dig six one foot wells, dig ONE six foot well. so, pick a practice and stick to it until it's time to shed it. i love Buddhism, Sufi, all that, but really my MAN is Ram Dass who calls himself a Christ Loving Hin-Jew!

As a Baha'i I am not political. I believe that eventually we need to ban partisan politics and write in the best person for the job who may be too humble to seek the position. What would Elon Musk or Bill Gates be like as president?

Baha'is believe that the way to be the most spiritual is to be of service! So I try to be of service in what I do. Sometimes I just really believe in the project - and want to play the character - but I believe that making great stories and entertainment is a very valuable service. Soulpancake, a for-profit company, is also a service - providing uplifting inspiring content that helps bring people together!

A lot of people seek out spiritual travel-sites without any ties to a specific religion: When they’re in Israel and they’ll go to the Western Wall and feel so spiritual there; a month later they’re in Thailand and they’ll go to a Buddhist retreat. They just glom on for a minute and play pretend.