WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO 15 YR-OLD YOU?

So much. First I would say take more chances and do the things you want to do and are interested in doing, not what your parents or friends do. My biggest regret was not pursuing the arts at a younger age. I did not learn to play the guitar until I was 19 and didn't try comedy or acting until my 30s. I was a huge fan of music and tv as a kid, raised by both radio and TV every day and night.. Growing up first generation immigrants, a job in the arts was never really an option. I was to be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. That's it. And anything else would be a distraction from achieving success.

In addition to education being a priority for my parents, I also was not into band or theater in high school because my friends didn't think that was cool. I was hyper-focused on being popular and doing things to fit in, since I always felt different and unlike most other mostly white kids. I would do skits and re-make music videos in the privacy of my room with my dad's video camera (I still have the tapes). I wish I was able to explore that earlier in life.

And also have confidence with girls. I would also say "Ask Jen out!", one of my many crushes who I later dated hashtag#standup hashtag#comedy hashtag#advice hashtag#askmeanything