When I first saw Steve Byrne perform stand-up on The Tonight Show last year, I knew he’d be going places from there. What sets him apart from most comedians is the fact that he doesn’t just stand when he does stand-up. He channels a lot of his comedic energy into moving around on stage. Not just on stage, but on TV and film. He has appeared on the big screen with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon in Four Christmases , Jeremy Piven and Will Ferrell in The Goods: The Don Ready Story and Vince Vaughn film Couples Retreat. In addition, he’s no stranger to popular late night TV shows and his Comedy Central special has been hailed one of the best of all time. Steve was kind enough to let me interview him!

JI: Why and how did you get into stand-up comedy?

SB: I got into stand up by accident. After college, I got a job at at stand up comedy club in NYC. I never intended to pursue stand up comedy. While working there and being exposed to stand up, I thought I’d give it a shot. I hit the stage, Sept. 30, 1997 and haven’t looked back since. I knew right after that first time, this is it for me. I’m going to do this the rest of my life.

JI: As a comedian, it’s your job to make people laugh, but what makes you laugh?

SB: My good friends are some of the funniest human beings I’ve ever been around. I love ‘em. They truly, honestly make me laugh. I have been blessed to see some great comics over the years and I do enjoy watching quite a few other comics too. Too many to list, but I do enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone.

JI: What’s the whole process behind creating your own stand-up material like?

SB: Well with my first hour special Happy Hour and anything prior I just wrote down what I observed or what I thought would be funny. I then was writing my next special and I had about a 1/2 hour of material. It may as well of been in Happy Hour. Just a bunch of silly jokes. I wanted to show some growth, so I took a trip to China for the Olympics and it changed my opinion on some things. I put pen to paper and just kept writing. I spent the next year writing about identity and how I see the world, through race, music and sex. That is it. That’s how I came up with the next special that’s coming out this spring, The Byrne Identity. I am now getting started on the next hour special and I want to have that written in a year’s time as well.

JI: Some of your sketches involve your mother — how does she feel about you using her for comedy?

SB: She loves it. She’s just so happy I make a living doing this, she’s on cloud nine. The first time I was on The Tonight Show I did a joke on her and she felt in some way, she was on the show. That made her so happy. I truly enjoy her enjoying it all.

JI: What’s one thing you want everyone to know about you?

SB: Well, I love stand up, but if I could switch with anyone for just a day, I’d be Harry Connick Jr.. I love his music and I wish I could play piano. He’s an awesome performer and I am a huge fan of standards. My ultimate idol is Dean Martin. He’s the coolest ever. EVER.

JI: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you’re working on?

SB: Well, the new hour The Byrne Identity will air on Comedy Central sometime this spring or early summer. It’s the best work I have ever done to date and it’s changed my comedy. I am hard at work writing the next one. I think I am going to call it Byrne in Hell. I want it to be out by 2012. I am currently writing a tv pilot and seeing where that goes. It’s hard work, but I have been enjoying the process of it all. Cross your fingers!!!

For more information about Steve Bryne, visit his official site here. Check out some side-splitting clips from his Happy Hour DVD: