SHELLEY BERMAN

My whole act is confession.

While you're improvising, you may come up with something which will break him up. As soon as that smile comes out, you know that, hey, we're having fun.

I believe it is important for comedians to know who came before them.

The most memorable performance was my appearance in concert in Carnegie Hall. The first standup to do so.

As a culture I see us as presently deprived of subtleties. The music is loud, the anger is elevated, sex seems lacking in sweetness and privacy.

The old problems - love, money, security, status, health, etc. - are still here to plague us or please us.

My first job was at a Chicago night club called Mr. Kelly's.

I am careful with my material and presentation.

I will always love to perform standup comedy.

I am in the Master of Professional Writing program teaching Humor Writing, Literary and Dramatic.

Incidentally, I'm still looking for acting work, my first love.

I quit smoking well over twenty years ago.

I am presently in my thirteenth year of teaching a graduate course at the University of Southern California.

As much experience, education and awareness as one can attain is important for a comedian.

Unquestionably, standup comedy is and has always been an art form.

Inside was the second LP album of a comedian's performance before an audience.

So that this thing that aired in 1963 would result a few years later in personal bankruptcy, would result in having people be on edge with me, wondering when I'm going to blow up.

Though it sold very well, I hated The Edge.

The Steve Allen Sunday night show had the right to two options after my first performance.

Outside came in '60. The Edge in '61. All three made Gold, but the biggest seller was Inside.

I was an actor before becoming a comedian.

Have a great, great marriage. Have a great time together. You know something? You'll disagree sometimes, and you'll find out how stupid it is, and then you'll be OK. You will.

I don't know the accident of still being married. I was the worst human being. But we were, I guess, in love. So much has happened to us to bring us together and keep us together.

I just sit down and write. I never know when. The most recent one is 'Sarah Still,' which is about our life, Sarah and me. It's my favorite of all my poems.

I've got these two wonderful people who run my web site and put me on Facebook. They didn't even ask me. I'm very appreciative of it.