Laughing In the Face of Change

And on that night, I decided that I wasn't going back to school, and I was quitting my job. It wasn't about money. It wasn't even about the laughs. It was the fact that I told a joke that made people see something stupid in the world and made them go, "Oh, my God. You're right!"

Two weeks later, my mom realized that I wasn't going back to school or the insurance company. She actually had an intervention for me. She called all the family together and said, "OK. We are here to tell you what is good for you." I understood where they were coming from completely—I was going to be the first one in our family to graduate from college, and that was a real source of pride for all of them. "How can you throw away the brain that God gave you? You have a secure future," she said. Everyone was crying. But then my dad spoke up: "Hey, you know what? If he wants to be a clown, let him juggle." He didn't know what being a comedian was. He literally thought I wanted to be a clown. But he was also trying to say, "Look, I came to America to find happiness, not money. And if juggling makes him happy, then he should go juggle." What's funny is that when my dad said that, my mom understood. She looked at him and was like, "You're right."

Comedy helped me discover one very important thing: my life is my life. I have never looked back or second-guessed my decision. I know that we live in a capitalist society and I understand that we all want to feel comfortable and secure. But, honestly, I know poor people who are happier than rich people. Nothing can replace happiness and that means finding that peaceful place inside you, whatever that is. Even if it's being a clown instead of an engineer.

Mencia, creator of Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia,” is on an 80-city tour.

© 2008