Separated at birth?

What do you think?














The truth of the matter is that the similarities between me and Count von Count are quite striking. We both look great in a cape, sport thick eyebrows, have that mischievous grin and charming good looks, love mathematics, are interested in education, and perhaps most striking ... we share a love of performing.

Tonight after a long week talking about a lot of math with a visitor in Bonn, I watched The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and 30 Rock from last night. All three were just absolutely fantastic. When someone charismatic, clever and witty is really on their game, it is just amazing to watch. I love to make people laugh more than just about anything and wish at times I had the courage and ability to try to do it on a large scale.

I mean, in my line of work you fight through years of struggle, humiliation and disappointment in hopes of one day standing in front of a few people who want to hear you talk about something interesting you figured out and which you HOPE might have an application down the road.

In comedy, you fight through years of struggle, humiliation and disappointment to one day wind up standing in front of an audience of millions, wearing a Viking helmet, holding a battle axe, eating a roasted chicken off a sword and suggesting we battle through the economic crisis using the economic and political methods of the Scandinavians from the 790's as opposed to the 1990's. It seems to me like you get to make people think, make people laugh and help them forget about their problems for a moment. The Count would definitely approve.

Speaking of things the Count would approve of, the man with the most things to count in America right now, Tim Geithner, was interviewed this week on Planet Money's podcast. It was rather interesting, so I highly recommend you check it out.