Q&A: Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon is one busy guy. In addition to hosting "America's Got Talent," writing and directing his upcoming comedy film, "School Dance," recording music and DJing his radio show, "Cannon's Countdown," Cannon rocks the mic as a stand-up comedian. (Not to mention being the father of twins with his wife, Mariah Carey.)

Not really. Being a stand-up, you can say whatever you want. A lot of times people don't expect me to have the opinions or the views that I have because they only know me from TV or the movies. But I never hold my tongue. I enjoy surprising people with that.

That's all me and my perspective on life and I want it to come across in my shows. I deal with things in a matter-of-fact, nonchalant way that lends itself to comedy.

With rap music, nobody is being themselves. It's more about who they want to be -- a wish-fulfillment type of thing. Rap used to be more of an honest, true art form, but stand-up is always that. With music you might hide and disguise your issues, whereas in stand-up you embrace them.

He's great because Howard is honest and open to talk about anything. It's cool to learn from people like that. He's the best at what he does.

I love what I do so much I just consider it all under the same umbrella of entertainment. It doesn't seem like a bunch of jobs to me. It's one career that I'm moving forward. Doing stand-up just sharpens me for any avenue.

I learned this from Dave Chappelle ... you have a basic blueprint of what you are going to talk about, then every time you are on stage, you look to present that in a different way. That's what makes it fun for me.

I'm feeling great now, but it was scary. When you have a life-threatening situation, it gives you a happy-to-be-alive perspective. I don't take stuff too seriously, and it makes you realize what's important.

Probably not, but it's one of those things. She understands that I'm a comic. I do go too far sometimes, but that's the beauty of being a comic and having an understanding wife. I think she would rather me not talk about the stuff I talk about, but she gets over it. That's part of being married.

It's smooth sailing other than the fact that she operates on her own time schedule. You have to give her two hours from the time she says she's going to be ready, but that's with every woman.

I'm coming with some music this year. It will be party music, fun stuff with some rapping.

I'm not worthy enough to be in the studio with her. She makes serious songs. I make silly songs.