I am Nathan Fielder, comedian, director and host of "Nathan for You" on Comedy Central. AMA

Have you ever pleasured yourself while watching online pornography?

Windows XP is incredibly unreliable.

Hey Nathan, I've always wondered while watching your show if there are ever moments where you couldn't contain yourself from laughing, or found it really hard not to laugh? More so, any stories you'd like to share?

Anyways, I have a huge amount of respect for what you do and I don't think I've ever laughed harder watching something as much as I did during the ELAIFF segment from last week's episode.

Thank you for those nice words.

It might be surprising but keeping a straight face in many of the situations we get into on the show is quite difficult for me. I began to realize that I'll sometimes do this thing where I act like I'm picking a piece of food out of my back teeth to cover the fact that I'm smiling. Then if I can't get it together within a few seconds, I might ask for some dental floss or something because I've clearly been picking at this tooth for 20 seconds or so.

Some moments that stand out off the top of my head would be the Gas Station episode where the owner told me that he drinks his grandson's urine to ward off fear. I often laugh when I feel uncomfortable too, so I remember having to turn my head away a couple times during the realtor segment when she was getting the exorcism. There are many more, but I can't recall them right now.

When the gas-station owner talked about his grandson's pee I remember Nathan just mouth agape.

At first I though he was kidding, and it took me asking a lot of questions before I realized he was for real. As crazy as it was though, I still felt the need to be respectful of this practice if it came from a culture or tradition I didn't understand. Weird, conflicting emotions inside of me.

Hey Nathan! I've been hooked on the show since the very first episode. That private detective seemed like a real jerk. What was your reaction when he called you the wizard of loneliness?

As mean as that was, I thought that was incredibly poetic for a guy like him. Very unexpected. But I guess there are many sides to all of us.

Also, did the second private detective actually go to San Francisco that weekend?

I never found out.

Hey Nathan, the new episodes are great!

How do you keep it a secret from the business owners that you're a comedian? Have you had anyone figure this out in the middle of shooting?

Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying the show!

In general, there seems to be an understanding that when participating in a reality show you're not going to get full information about what will happen so that authentic moments can be captured on camera. The people that appear comfortable with this are usually the ones we end up involving in the show - those that seem open to an experience or adventure that's different from their day-to-day life. Often in the casting process we'll encounter business owners that have lots of specific questions about the show and exactly what we're planning to do with them. Because going into a shoot we don't want participants knowing any of that or that it's a comedy show (as this would take away from them acting naturally), we usually end up avoiding these more controlling/protective personality types as the chances they're going to get very upset by an experience they aren't prepared for is much higher. And the goal is never to get people upset.

For your second question, we've definitely had business owners that start to realize that the show isn't as straightforward as they first thought it would be (this probably happens with most of them), but we've only had it happen once where someone mid-way through shooting realized exactly what the show was. For that segment, we ended up having to re-shoot it with another business since it was difficult to continue after that.

Great questions, thanks!

How did you get such really good grades at university?

True fact: The business program I went to actually let you negotiate grades. Like it was part of the curriculum. They said "In the real world everything is a negotiation.." or something like that. So if you could prove that you deserved a higher grade because you did something "entrepreneurial" in the real world, they'd give it to you. I would say things like, "I changed the tire on my bike instead of bringing it to a bike shop, which shows self initiative - a trait that's very important to running a business." And they'd bump me up one letter grade. Nuts.

Which starter pokemon did you pick and why?

I can now see why certain questions get upvoted and others don't.

I've debated this with my friends pretty heavily: How "real" was "Claw of Shame"? Was dropping the pin legit? Would you really have been exposed if you failed or did you have a failsafe? I gotta know. (Either way it doesn't matter, it's one of the best episodes of television ever made.)

For legal reasons, I can't really get into the specifics of that one. But I definitely made sure that I'd be able to get out of those handcuffs before we did it in front of an audience.

About the pin drop: The pin really did slip from my fingers and catch on my sweater. That was not something that was planned. But what we didn't show in the episode is that I had a second backup pin taped behind my ear with a band aid (skin color so you couldn't really see it). In practicing, the pin was really easy to drop, so I wanted a backup. If the pin hit the ground, I would have gone for my backup pin.

I think that episode was hands down the funniest 30 minutes I've ever seen on television. Unfortunately, every time I've tried to describe it to somebody, I have realized I can't without it quickly getting really awkward.

Tell me how it went, moment by moment.

Hey Nathan! Do you think your comedy works better when your clients are slightly hesitant to your ideas (like the clothing store) or when they run with them 100% (such as the ghost realtor)?

Also, would you like to, I don’t know, hang out sometime in like...a social manner?

I like that the show goes in different and unexpected places. It's sometimes fun to set thing up then take a step back if the business owner starts having their own ideas or pushing things forward. Later this season, I encounter a business owner that actually gets more into the idea than I am. But yeah, I like a variety of responses or reactions.

Re: the hang out, if you give some more specific details I can see if it works with my schedule.

How many on screen kisses have you done? You seem like a natural on camera.

I do them all the time. It's like my main thing. No biggie.

Nathan, what has your show taught you about human nature?

That everyone in the world, including myself, is totally nuts.

Assuming your show becomes more popular, do you have any plans to accommodate for once you get more recognizable? One of the advantages I feel you have is that not everyone can recognize you.

There's always China.

Hey Nathan. On your show you seem very dry, and I've always wondered what kind of person are you in real life? Meaning, is your personality on the show just for the show, or is that actually how you are?

I definitely play up certain parts of my personality and exaggerate vulnerabilities I have for the sake of comedy. I feel like the Nathan on the show has a much tougher time reading social cues and is way less self aware than the real me. He's also much more confident. So yeah, it's different, but at the same time it's not like in my real life I'm strollin' around scorin' babes. It all comes from a real place. A lot of the time I feel like I'm emulating a younger version of myself.

Hey Nathan, big fan of the show. Best thing on TV right now and so under appreciated.

I know you were a part of Jon Benjamin has a van, so i was wondering if working on that, with the involvement of real and unknowing people, helped inspire Nathan for you? Or was that a project you had been working on for a while?

That's nice of you to say, God_Chiseled_Calves.

I had actually pitched Nathan for You to Comedy Central before I started working on Jon Benjamin Has a Van. It was inspired by segments I did for a Canadian series called "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" where I'd interact with real people in an interview setting. I first began doing these segments in 2007. But it's always interesting to watch different approaches to dealing with real people, and it was very educational to work with Jon and see how he operated. You Can't Shoot Here is one of my all time favorite comedy bits.

Nathan, Absolutely love your show and your style of comedy! I honestly think you're on par with one of my favorite comedians ever, Andy Kaufman.

Anyways, do you plan on touring or doing any kind of live event?

Also, about your last episode, have you talked to Johnny Depp (or Bill Gates, ha!) about it?

That's a very flattering comparison. No official tours right now. I'm doing a screening/Q&A in Brooklyn tonight, then two similar live shows in Montreal later this month (http://www.hahaha.com/en/show/nathan-you-sneak-peak-and-qa). Maybe more stuff in the future.. who knows.

Hey Nathan. Loving the show. Only have a couple questions.

1.) How big of an influence do Tim, Eric, and the Abso Lutely staff have on the show as a whole?

2.) Any plans to bring Jon Benjamin back for another episode?

Keep making the show, and I'll keep watching!

Thanks for the question. Tim and Eric don't have a hands on role in the writing or producing of the series, but they've cultivated an amazing staff that go over and above to make Nathan for You a reality. It's a very tough show to make and the team that Michael Koman and I have around us is truly brilliant. At the end of the day, I get most of the credit for the series, but it's a collaborative effort and I'm so lucky to have such a great team of producers, crew, and editors - I really couldn't make the show without them.

Oh for your second question, I would love to have Jon Benjamin back on the show. He's maybe the most naturally funny person I've ever met and working with him is an absolute delight.

Has anyone recognized you when shooting? If so, how did you deal with the situation?

We've had it happen a couple times in the second season. It was never a person that had a crucial role in the segment - just a random customer here and there. Fortunately, fans of the show are usually very kind and they don't want to disrupt anything. So when it did happen, they usually just said hi and then left.

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We have a lot of footage of that teen telling me his tricks about how to make money. He was very confident and was big into living the American Dream. At the time, he sold bubble gun (squirt guns that shoot bubbles) for a living. He sold them door to door. He told me that he'll put the gun in someone's hand and let them try it for a moment, then he quickly takes it back which he said creates a "fear of loss" and makes them want the bubble gun really bad - to the point where people beg him for it. He said on a good day he'd sell $200 worth.

Is there any chance Side of Smooth returns?

I would love to do another Side of Smooth song. Chris and I actually created a third track years ago with the help of Dan Werb from Woodhands, but we never finished it. It was about our characters friend that died and all the lyrics were just us saying "Why" over and over.

Who was your favorite girl you dated from The Hunk?

Oh man there were so many. I actually had butterflies in my stomach during a lot of those dates. Rachel, who doesn't like wearing socks, was tough to get a read on. But a fascinating person. LA, the lady who was trying to promote her album, was also a delight. Lais, who tried to kiss me.. that was a really intense one for me. It was very surreal how seriously competitive the women were getting. Actually, a fight broke out (verbal, not physical) between two of the women over how much time they were getting with me. We ended up cutting it from the episode because it felt a bit too much like a moment you'd actually see in The Bachelor, but it was a very crazy moment and a very surreal night.

Hey Nathan, at the Montreal event, will there be autographs/photo opportunities?

I'd be happy to give you a photo. Will you wear fireman's helmet so I can spot you?

Hi Nathan, your show is by far my favourite comedy show of the last few years. Do you know of any plans for it to be aired in the UK? Also, have you seen any of Chris Morris' work (e.g. The Day Today, Brass Eye)? I see certain similarities and was wondering if he was an influence at all.

I'd love for it to air in the UK, but unfortunately I don't have any control over that.

I'm a big fan of Chris Morris. When I first began doing comedy a friend of mine introduced me to Brass Eye and I was blown away. It was so dense and visual. The pedophilia episode with the guy dressed as a school... oh man. So hilarious. He's definitely been an influence on the stuff I do. Among many others.

Hey Nathan, what kind of music do you listen to?

Only the coolest bands.

Hey Nathan! As a marketer, it's pretty hit or miss when creating a viral sensation - and you often have no idea how well/poorly some new bit of content will do. I was curious how you develop your "unorthodox tactics" or if you have a method to your (hilariously awesome) madness. Is it trial-by-error, gut intuition or are you just a master of popular imagination? Thank you!

Intuition mostly. I trust the writers I work with and my own instincts. If we all feel like something is hilarious or fresh, I have to assume it is. And those are the things that tend to be well received.

Hey Nathan! What was it like writing for Canadian Idol? What's something about reality TV writing you didn't expect?

Very fun. I got paid to travel across Canada and stay in fancy hotels and all I had to do was come up with lines for the host like "The temperature may be ice cold here in Winnipeg, but things are really heating up in the judging room."

What's your least favorite animal?

Probably some type of fish.