Bradley Cooper

Because, you know, I moved to New York in 97.

And then that was my introduction to any comedy world.

Other than with my dad, I used to watch Rodney Dangerfield's New Year's Eve special.

We used to watch it every year.

And it was Elaine Boosler and Sam Kinison and Dice.

Elaine Boosler.

I forgot her name.

I'm pretty sure she was on there.

And I was obsessed with Dice when I was like in eighth grade.

I memorized one of his records and I would do it in the train station with all my friends.

Because back then that's all you did, right?

You would memorize stuff.

Oh, yeah.

There was no video to look at.

You know, you wouldn't all sit around.

You would just memorize and then, you know, regale your friends with your impersonation of him.

And then Richard Pryor was my hero, hero growing up.

That was my idol.

So I had this thing with stand-up comedy, and then I moved to New York, and I'm all of a sudden immersed with these clubs, and Upright Citizens Brigade had just started, and I did this movie, What Hot American Summer, and there was all these people.

I didn't even know about the state.