SB: I think stand-up is as legitimate of an art form as theatre and painting but it’s often thought of as just entertainment. It’s taboo to heckle symphony orchestras or a play but it’s tolerated with stand-up. What’s your take?

MH: Stand-up is an art but since it’s humor and it’s funny— a lot of guys that don’t think it’s art are probably coming from the angle that they don’t want to take it so seriously. I was working in Canada once with this kid who said that we’re nothing but salted peanuts, insinuating that we’re something to go with the drinks, y’know, of the people at the bar. I thought that was complete bullshit. I was always in this thing to express what I thought, whether it’s good or bad but I thought of it as an outlet, which more or less is an art form. I’ve always looked at it as an art but I don’t look at it as a pretentious art. I understand it has to be taken lightly because it is just comedy in the end, but the good stand-up comics are someone with something to say. Anyone I like, to me, is practicing an art form.

( read the rest of this interview at comedymoontower )