Posted by Mr. Beaks ; Dane Cook is so likeable, he can make beating up a nursery full of newborn infants funny.; That’s not hyperbole.; He actually goes there on his new comedy CD, Retaliation, but, when he does, it’s the most sweet-natured episode of baby abuse you’re ever likely to hear.

; That’s Dane’s gift, and it’s served him well as he’s dutifully refined his act over the last fifteen years with the dedication of a comedy zealot.; As he explains in the below interview, Dane understood the value of getting stage time early on, and found a way to perform several times a night.; Not content to skate on his personality (or, let’s face it, his good looks), Dane immersed himself in the intricacies of performing, paying meticulous attention to every facet of delivery and joke structure, and is now one of the most polished stand-up comics working today.; ; I got a chance to watch Dane do his thing Wednesday night at The Laugh Factory in

Hollywood, and though he’d just rolled in from Tower Records, where he’d been signing autographs for hours, his energy was electric.; Almost instantly, he had the room hanging on his every utterance even though it’s likely this was not the first time they’d heard most of these jokes.; He must’ve been exhausted, but, as with any born stand-up, his restorative was a stage, a packed room and a microphone.; He fucking killed. ; Thursday morning, I got on the phone with Dane, and found him to be an intense, articulate student of his chosen trade, which is always refreshing.; Listening to him discuss his act in such heavy technical detail was fascinating.; Like many stand-ups, Dane doesn’t feel the need to be “on” at all hours; he can shut it down and be a human being, and that made for a fantastic interview. ;