I was on a plane to the coast one time with Jan Murray and Joey Bishop, two old school comedians.

It was a six-hour flight – they kept the young flight attendant laughing on the empty wide-bodied L1011.  She likely never heard of them until then.

It is said that comedians have to keep people laughing to keep from crying.  That their need to be the source of laughter covers up other problems.

As a child I was so shy (those who know me today, stop that laughter), that my school called my parents in for a sit down and said you’ve got to get this boy into a theater group which I hated.

And here I am today – still shy in many ways but perfectly skilled in standing in front of a TV camera, before a microphone or an audience.

Being shy has made me more outgoing and learning to be outgoing has made me appreciate the many advantages of being shy.

Both are possible.