Because I was good at it. And I thought I wanted to be an actress, but I didn't have a passion for it. But the first time I did stand up, I knew it was... the one.

I didn't plan on getting into comedy, but in high school and grade school I was interested in comedy. I PLAYED CHRISTOPHER ROBIN IN WINNE THE POOH WHEN I WAS IN 3RD GRADE MOTHERFUCKERS. Decided comedy was a real option sophomore year of college. receSs was the crew.

I'd love to have a shitty job. I couldn't hold any down. Standup was the only thing I could stick with. I'm an idiot that way. seriously this is the real answer.

Feeling like there wasn't a job out there that felt right. I tried a lot of them and it was clear I couldn't fit into society like a normal human being. Get the fuck out of Iowa! Go find your tribe and start living your life the way you secretly wish you could. Stop being afraid of what other people will think of you and do the thing you want to do. Above all, leave Iowa :)

I never thought about "being" in comedy when I grew up because I didn't know it was a real job. But looking back, it's the only thing I ever really cared about.

I was funny from an early age. I remember saying something when I was like, 9, that was legit funny. My family was cool with it. My older brother, Kevin Brennan is a comedian, so he was massively helpful.

This is how much I wanted to be a comedian and didn’t realize it: I had a paper route for years when I was a kid, and when I was on my route I used to recite George Carlin bits, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy — I used to recite his “Hit by a Car” bit word-for-word. I would fantasize about doing it in front of my entire grade in the school auditorium. But I still wasn’t able to make the connection of maybe that means you want to be a comedian. It didn’t seem possible. But I know the exact moment when it seemed possible. I was working in a warehouse with this guy and he was into comedy — first time I’d ever met somebody who was into comedy the way I was. And I used to go over to his house to drin...[Read more]