i was in judi dench's dressing room when i performed my own show in england.t thinking, judi dench was in here, lawrence olivier, lawrence olivier used that toilet, that's it. constipated for months after that. >> so that your comedy ends up developing as a way to give life to the acting careers that you're trying to get off the ground. but who told you you were funny? how did you know you could do this in. >> i think, truly think, comedy is -- being funny is dna. my dad was a doctor, and a wonderful doctor, people come up to me today, your father helped my mother die, you know what i'm saying? he made her laugh until she died my father was very funny, my sister arc lawyer, very smart, youngest columbia graduate of law school. she won the cases because she was funny, made the jury laugh, smart as hell. >> laughter works. if you can make them laugh, you can make them listen. >> i wanted to be an actress. i knew i wasn't that pretty or this or that i would make secretaries laugh. if the secretary liked you, she would bring you into the agent. and one secretary s