It was a series of accidents. My dream of being an actor was squashed by my parents and upbringing. “Nobody goes out and becomes an actor for a living. Get real.” That was my programming. So I became a bartender, who performed on the side. After a serious car accident I realized a normal job was not for me. Still not convinced I had a chance at show business, I wrote to a mime teacher in Boulder Colo. I went to study with him and learn about the Kabbalah. Yes, he was a spiritual Mime. I was ready to live a life of a poor mime on a mountain top. When I got to Colorado, he had booked himself a European tour and left my money with the post office. I went to LA to be a bartender, but fell in with other mimes and one thing led to another. In retrospect, I followed my dream.

While auditioning for a comedy show, I was not dismissed properly by the producers and stood there while they batted around sketch ideas. I tossed in a few and became a writer on that show for the Playboy Channel as well as a performer. Everything was sort of accidental.

The first author to make me cry was Nikos Kazantzakis’ Zorba the Greek. I finished the book in 8th grade under my desk while in class and broke down. I wanted to be that kind of a writer inspired by people who lived life richly and fully. Then, of course Norton Juster, Roald Dahl, S.J. Perelman all tickled me and entertained me. I’m more of a Roald Dahl and Woody Allen fan for writers.

I wish I was more disciplined. I don’t write every day, — yet. I do my best writing in the early morning. If I get on a tear, I can look up to see it be 8 PM or later and my body is stiff. That’s a good day of writing. I like getting caught up in it.