George Carlin on Learning How to Act Through Standup Comedy

Interviewer: Do you think being a stand up comic is one of the best acting training grounds? You’re constantly playing with crowds emotions anyway as a comedian. George Carlin: well I don’t know if that automatically follows. I do know that gives you a lot of confidence in yourself and that’s what I lacked in the beginning of what i thought of as my acting chances in the 60’s and 70’s. I didn’t have that confidence cause I didn’t have that experience on stage; of driving my own bus and being in charge and having a lot of success yet. So now I have that and it gives me confidence. Working with an audience gives me the confidence to feel I have access to myself. I know how to draw on myself.