DX: What do you want to say that you can't say?
TM: I want to be able to say whatever I want to say! Freedom of speech! Not "Watch what you say."

DX: Go ahead.
TM: Now? [Laughter] I'm on the spot, man.

DX: You had some very dramatic scenes in this movie. Was it difficult for you to let go emotionally?
TM: Well, Lee John had dramatic scenes. I like to separate that. I don't want to end up taking pills the rest of my life. I understand reality from fiction. Like I said, you get to see the layers being pulled back, and it starts with Lee John recognizing himself in that little boy. He sees this little boy as hope, where he lost it. It's tragic when people don't care enough to even find your birth certificate. So it touches you. And people who have taken buses in this room, we all know what pain feels like. That's the only thing that's really real in this world. People act like happiness is a fantasy. So pain, it touched you.

DX: What do you do as an actor to find the character’s painful place?
TM: Most people live their lives trying to run from it, where, as an actor, you gotta be able to go do it. Maybe you lost a puppy when you was little. Maybe your puppy got hit by a car or something. You gotta be able to go there. I don't know what's in your life, but you don't want to open up this can of worms, man! You gotta sit there, and you gotta imagine what is he thinking!

DX: How much of this role was scripted?
TM: Well, what you see on the film, you're only given one take. But we could do a million takes. We would do one take of what's on the paper first, and then he lets you play. I love that! Keenan Ivory Wayans was like that, too. We’d do one or two on script, and then he said, "Let me see what you got!" And he put the batteries in your pack.

DX: How much improv is there on 30 Rock?
TM: Not much. We don't have room for that stuff. That’s TV, so if we do [have time], we'll go with it. But the writers are great.

DX: Did the writers’ strike affecting your work?
TM: See, for me it's different, ;cause I just hit the road and do stand-up.

DX: What kind of stuff are you doing in standup now that you might not have done when you first hit the road?
TM: When I first started doing stand-up, I was young. That was maybe 15 years ago. A lot of my material was based on imagination. Now I'm an adult, so a lot of my material's based on observation. Because I'm seeing a lot of stuff every day, and it's hilarious.

DX: Like what, for example?
TM: Tragedy, funny, all that stuff. What I see is what I'm saying on stage. I'm just gonna inject my sense of humor and make it funny. 'Cause if you don't laugh, guess what? You cry. And I'm tired of crying, so I'm laughing about it all.

DX: Are your kids following in your footsteps?
TM: I hope not. [Laughter] They don't gotta wear alcohol detective bracelets. Don't get caught, brother! No, these guys are gonna be great guys. One is 22, one is 20, and one is 16.

DX: Twenty-two?
TM: Yeah! Listen, in the ghetto we use sex as a sedative, man. It eases the pain of poverty. We couldn't afford a puppy. Make a baby! You need something to love in this broken house.

DX: How old were you when you had your first kid?
TM: I used to drop it like it was hot and pick it up when it was cold. I was exposed early. If it wasn't for this industry, I would have been in the porn industry. You should see me. My nickname is "Donkey." [Laughter] They call me "Manaconda." I got you! I got you! I was aiming for you. I am on target!

DX: What are you gonna do next?
TM: I don't know. People ask me what I'm gonna do next. My favorite answer is, "I'm gonna leave it all in God's hands, man." I can't call it, or I might spoil it. So I'd rather just leave it in his hands. I know he has a plan for me, and I just want to follow through. I want to do it all., but I know enough not to let my wants hurt me. I'm talking about what I need. And what I need is Jesus in my life. You all can see that. [Laughter] I'm a mess…