Growing up, the one thing I noticed was that everyone seemed to laugh at my jokes wherever I went.

I've always been totally enamored by hip-hop. I wouldn't say I liked it exclusively growing up. It was, like, that and alt-rock. But I always preferred it. It set a tone for everything I wanted to do in life.

I spent two years making music in San Francisco for my first mixtape. Initially, I was not at all doing this to be a professional rapper, a touring rapper. I didn't think I had that talent level in me.

My whole initial goal was to be a comedian, so it's not like I chose to do a TV show out of nowhere. It's kind of always been goal to do a TV show.

Throughout my career, there has always been an element of surprise. Sometimes there are moments of disappointment; sometimes there are moments of surprising success.

On the flip side, I enjoy covering the Arab world, I've spent my entire career here in the Middle East, but I would never call myself a war correspondent.

Well, I had a wonderful career.

I have nothing but respect for John Cena and his work rate. He's one of the hardest-working wrestlers there ever was. He's been a great champion, an inspiring role model. It's not easy being John Cena and carrying all the weight of the company on your back all the time.