Having spent time on the Broadway stage definitely helps one's confidence in terms of feeling just validated in that world. Most people only know my voice as a country artist.
Comedy is the only profession where love from a stranger is better than love from a family member. You need to perform for strangers to see if you're really funny. If they laugh and cheer, it's the greatest thing in the world.
I come away from a gig thinking, 'Yeah, I'm worth something.' I can still do it and entertain people, and that's worth it.
With the films I've done, I've written on them, I've acted in some of them. And even ones I haven't acted in, I've acted them out just to be sure another actor can do them.
But I'd like to be taken seriously as a singer.
I know for a fact the reason I'm an actor is because one, two, maybe three people when I was younger saw something that I did, in youth theater or some small play somewhere, and said, "You're good."
If they didn't call you a tough guy, then what else would they call you? Something worse than that? I'm playing parts, and if they call you that, it's because I played the part right.
A special validates you as a stand-up by documenting your material.
I performed it all the way through for people. People would say, "We love you, we want to sign you," and then there'd always be one person who'd say, "He's just a producer."
When you play for ticket-holders, you are already validated. I have no sense that I need to be accepted. I'm already accepted.
To me, being the best means proving it in different countries and championships.
When you left this one theater in Norfolk, the actors had to walk through the lobby to get out to the street. People would see you and say nice things, tell you that you were good. So, pretty soon I'm pretending to forget things backstage, going through the lobby a couple of times.
The difference between the actor and the painter is that the actor would buy somebody a knish in order to have them watch him act.
I was an athlete. And I proved I didn't win just because I was pretty. I was good, too.
The thing about having an audience right there laughing is that critics can write what they want, but the proof is right there in front of you.
I just want to redeem myself and show the world that... it wasn't a fluke that I won at nationals. I can compete on the international stage as well.
The reason I got into acting was the audience is right there and if you did something great they were right there and you knew it.
When you play a character you have to ask yourself, 'Can I make sense of what's happening here? Is this authentic?'
