NEAL BRENNAN

Whoever is saying the joke is my biggest priority.

I think anyone can write about anything that they have knowledge of and exposure to.

I just don't believe in the old definition that a fan of music is: I find a band, I listen to all of it and I pretend to like stuff that I don't like. Now if I don't like it, I just go, 'I don't like this.' It's way fairer.

I don't really have a process. I just get agitated or aroused by an idea in the world, and then I want to give my rebuttal.

I had people think I was brilliant, then 'Half Baked' bricked. They literally look at me like a homeless person.

People don't like doing podcasts.

You're supposed to not like the 'Austin Powers' movies because people ruin the catchphrases. 'Austin Powers' is so funny.

You know, when I was a kid, I used to cry every day, like, when I was like, you know, 7 through 11 or 6 through 11, to the point where my brother and sisters would like - there was an ongoing joke where they would make me cry to keep my streak alive of crying every day.

I think the thing I had going for me is a good pedigree and joke-writing ability. But a good pedigree, for the audience, doesn't matter past the first 90 seconds.

Honestly, I've always thought that Charles Barkley is the best guy on TV because he will really tell you what he thinks. But it's all well thought out.

There's nothing worse than trying to be funny and not being funny.

'Jersey Shore' is one of the best shows of all time. They had so many hooks.

I think the biggest influence on my stand-up would be Chris Rock, in that I love that Chris is basically an essayist, in that he'll take a subject and just try and attack it from as many different angles as he can.

But my problem was that I did an hour for Comedy Central and nobody seemed to care.

I think the future belongs to the comedic polymath. It belongs to the person who can generate the most good material in the biggest variety of ways, whether it's sketches or stand-up or songs or tweets or television or films.

I'm obsessive, I'm a control freak, I get snappy with people.

You can say whatever you want, but there's going to be consequences to it.

America doesn't have poor people, they have temporarily embarrassed millionaires: meaning there are people who are poor for now but that's all about to end when 'blank' happens, or when the number comes in, or when the invention takes off.

Being able to write jokes is great, but you still have to get used to performing them and being on stage - and enjoying being on stage, not just like tolerating it.

I love the fact that I can make a podcast in my house and tens of thousands of people will hear it. I also like that it's gotten rid of a lot of gatekeepers.

If you're into social justice it's hard not to be on black people's side.

I get that money is important, and it's scary to think that you won't have enough. At the same time, we can set up reasonable social safety nets and take care of everybody.

With '3 Mics', there's nothing I'm talking about that's too hot button.

I just love well-organized, very serious nonsense.

With most specials, even the best comedians will tell you they could have cut 15 or 20 minutes out of it.