Happy Birthday to comic Steven Wright (1955-), born in New York City. Always a bit... um, different.

Wright made his debut on The Tonight Show without a manager, agent or previous television exposure, but still managed to impress Johnny Carson who invited him back the next week.

"Everything changed immediately," Wright said of the experience, "It was like a car accident--the next thing I knew it was over."

With his trademark dead pan monotone delivery, Wright flip-flops normal, everyday situations to reveal the weird relationships between things. His one-liners make you stop, think, and laugh:

"What a nice night for an evening."

"The only reason I exist is so my shadow would have something to do."

"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?"

"Why in a country of free speech, are there phone bills?"

"It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it."

By shifting contexts, Wright's humor gives a transcendent look at the human condition. He creates a world that delights in absurdity and the flexibility of the imagination.

Humor is all about awakening to the reality of life and anybody who takes themselves seriously is a perfect target. With laughter, everyone is equal. Laughter magically melts social barriers and isolation.

"My Theory of Evolution? I think Darwin was adopted..."