David Cross opens up about his painful childhood and why he's terrified of becoming his father

David Cross has been a fixture in TV and film for more than 25 years. Along with longtime collaborator Bob Odenkirk, he's half the duo behind HBO's "Mr. Show," which earned him three Emmy nominations. CBS News contributor Jamie Wax sat down with the actor and comedian to discuss his comedy career and its painful origins.

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[codya]

I was building a movie set in Shreveport, la. He was the only celebrity that said hey to me the whole time. I still remember that.

[Jab_Reel]

I’ve always respected him for bringing attention to people like me who are never nudes

[reversefulfillment]

When Bob Odenkirk says you're funnier than him, you are a comedy God.

[antthomas]

I get what he's saying about the gene thing. My dad was a meth addict, had the empathy level of a serial killer, and was abusive both mentally and physically. I'm glad he abandoned me while I was pretty young, but I always worried about turning into him. I thought it was hereditary and that I was doomed to be coming just like him. It's still in the back of my head to this day, but I'm nothing like him. I'm raising my daughter as a single dead and I don't touch drugs. The person you develop into is solely dependent on the person you want to be. You create your path and your personality.

[TheFishRizzler]

My dad had divorced my mom when I was 15 and we thought we wouldn’t see him. Fast forward 10 years later and he is extremely involved. Now that I’m older I realized that he needed time for himself to grow. Glad he did and he came back. Love you dad.

[thegreendank]

He's one of those guys that I remember seeing in the 90's and hoping he makes it. success could've happened to a better guy.

[joejankoski]

My dad split effectively when I was 18 and my brother was 9. I never had kids, but my brother is a great dad. You can always break cycles. It's not easy but worth the work.

[dr.christopherdiaz]

If you worry about being a good parent, you're probably a good parent.

[Ghoulwood]

That made me cry. I adore David Cross & Bob Odekirk. You are not your father you are you David. You are a great Comedian & an even better father. He'll probably read this right?

[vavo]

"The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" was one of the funniest shows that I've ever seen.

[formerctgovernordannelmall]

Wtf Cross has literally grown the Karl Marx beard down to a T

[OriginalGabriel]

You could see the pain in his eyes when he said "you really want to go there?'

[CantonGirl]

Tobias is the best thing about Arrested Development. I can watch him a million times and still be in stitches.

[ButterBallTheOpossum]

David cross will always be the alcoholic Jesus Fruit from Aqua Teen Hungerforce to me.

[blueshoes]

That’s why I think it’s so ridiculous when someone says it’s selfish to not have kids...it’s quite the opposite.

[codacreator]

The trauma of abandonment can have real, lasting impact. The pain never subsides. But making sure you don't pass it along drives your relationship with your kids. At least, it does mine. It's not a gene. The part that holds the pain and amplifies it, however, is. I've struggled my entire adult life, never realizing the cause of the struggle were the events I'd blown off years before.

[joefelice]

Met him at a World Series game in Atlanta in 1999... he definitely knew I recognized him from Mr Show. One of the best shows ever made! And his stand-up is brilliant!

[jst]

He always looks perpetually scared or nervous

[JeremyHolmes]

I never thought that David Cross could ever make me choke up in any capacity.

[whoaccountisdisanyway]

Went from young soul patch hipster to old man Jenkins in no time. Well just shy of 25 years