Lewis Black

I kind of couldn't. My mother... My mother's effect on me was sarcasm. I mean, I really picked up, you know, and a sense of humor. She had a great sense of humor. At times, though, her sense of humor is so dark. She went across so many lines. But my father had a real good sense of the soft and the gentle. I learned from her how to use your words as a knife, and from my father,

I kind of couldn't. My mother... My mother's effect on me was sarcasm. I mean, I really picked up, you know, and a sense of humor. She had a great sense of humor. At times, though, her sense of humor is so dark. She went across so many lines. But my father had a real good sense of the soft and the gentle. I learned from her how to use your words as a knife, and from my father,

I learned that you don't stab someone with a knife. And that's really what, because my father's the one who said, and his effect on me was he said, he was reading Catch-22. I couldn't have been more than 14. And he was laughing. And you don't really normally see your father laugh. And I said, what is it? He goes, this book, it's really, it's very funny. I said, should I read it?

I learned that you don't stab someone with a knife. And that's really what, because my father's the one who said, and his effect on me was he said, he was reading Catch-22. I couldn't have been more than 14. And he was laughing. And you don't really normally see your father laugh. And I said, what is it? He goes, this book, it's really, it's very funny. I said, should I read it?

He said, yeah, it'll tell you everything you need to know about working in the real world. And it was huge. It had a huge effect on me. All of a sudden, I kind of, I went, oh, this is why high school is like.

He said, yeah, it'll tell you everything you need to know about working in the real world. And it was huge. It had a huge effect on me. All of a sudden, I kind of, I went, oh, this is why high school is like.

Yeah, I tried. And also, it's because the, I, I, uh, There's one thing about being angry, which I will at times flip out on stage and then have to tell the audience I think I've gone too far. But 95% of the time, I'm acting it. It's the only way you can do it. You have to act it. They have to have this sense of, that you're in part kidding. That you mean it, but you're kidding.

Yeah, I tried. And also, it's because the, I, I, uh, There's one thing about being angry, which I will at times flip out on stage and then have to tell the audience I think I've gone too far. But 95% of the time, I'm acting it. It's the only way you can do it. You have to act it. They have to have this sense of, that you're in part kidding. That you mean it, but you're kidding.

Because I used to, it took me a long time to learn to yell on stage. I just thought this is, you can't yell at people. And I would be on stage, especially in the small club in New York City that we worked, where I was working. I would turn around when I was going to yell something. I'd turn my back to the audience and yell at the wall.

Because I used to, it took me a long time to learn to yell on stage. I just thought this is, you can't yell at people. And I would be on stage, especially in the small club in New York City that we worked, where I was working. I would turn around when I was going to yell something. I'd turn my back to the audience and yell at the wall.

Well, it was... You know, for them, there was a real bond. I mean, those two really had that kind of real love thing. I mean, they were very much in love. I mean, it was, you know, and not, you know, not syrupy, not just a, you know, like, you know, my father comes home and says he's going to leave his job and my mother doesn't panic. whatever you want to do.

Well, it was... You know, for them, there was a real bond. I mean, those two really had that kind of real love thing. I mean, they were very much in love. I mean, it was, you know, and not, you know, not syrupy, not just a, you know, like, you know, my father comes home and says he's going to leave his job and my mother doesn't panic. whatever you want to do.

She, I think, I mean, as I grew older, I began to realize that she had been kind of, she would have preferred, I asked her, she's 60, we were having, I was 60, we were having lunch in Vegas, and I said, I never asked the question, I said, which of you wanted kids? And my mother goes, pointing at my father, he did. She said, because if it was up to me, I wouldn't have had children.

She, I think, I mean, as I grew older, I began to realize that she had been kind of, she would have preferred, I asked her, she's 60, we were having, I was 60, we were having lunch in Vegas, and I said, I never asked the question, I said, which of you wanted kids? And my mother goes, pointing at my father, he did. She said, because if it was up to me, I wouldn't have had children.

And I was like, well, I'm glad you waited until I was 60.

And I was like, well, I'm glad you waited until I was 60.

And she never got over that, I don't think. I mean, I think that was her frustration.

And she never got over that, I don't think. I mean, I think that was her frustration.

Yeah. And gave it up more so in some ways for the kids in the neighborhood because I've just- As we've grown older, friends of mine have said, you know, your mother saved my life. Your mother did things for me that were hugely important. Your mother, in a sense, was a surrogate mother. I mean, there were three or four good friends of mine who never... I knew that they...

Yeah. And gave it up more so in some ways for the kids in the neighborhood because I've just- As we've grown older, friends of mine have said, you know, your mother saved my life. Your mother did things for me that were hugely important. Your mother, in a sense, was a surrogate mother. I mean, there were three or four good friends of mine who never... I knew that they...