After my 1985 appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,' I was wooed by producers in Hollywood, who told me they wanted to turn my act into a sitcom.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
In 1980, when I graduated from high school, my goal was to be on 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson at least once before our ten-year class reunion. Our class reunion was in June of 1990, and I was on 'The Tonight Show' in April 1990, so I made it by a few months.
When I came out to Hollywood in 1985, I thought that I would be sitcom star. I'm a tall, skinny, goofy guy. I thought that I would make a great funny neighbor, or wacky office mate, in a sitcom.
Even before I got on 'SNL' I assumed I would do some type of sitcom; I kind of thought that was how I would start. I don't mean to sound arrogant - I just thought I would be best suited to the form.
To be honest, I would never have imagined myself acting on a sitcom that I didn't write.
I got into stand-up to get on a sitcom.
I think people have a hard time thinking that I could've done a sitcom.
My greatest hope was to get discovered as a comedian and get on a sitcom.
I did this TV show, which was my first job ever. It wasn't a real acting part. It was like this promo for this sitcom and the main actress was meeting three different real people and then she was going to decide who was going to be on the episode.
When I was younger and studying acting, I never ever saw myself in the sitcom world; it was drama that really turned me on and still does.
My first appearance as a guest on The Tonight Show was in '81.