Finalists from Last Comic Standing to perform Friday

The old saying goes, "Laughter is the best medicine." And it's true. Laughing is pretty awesome. So if you're looking for some knee-slapping good times then check out next Friday's Last Comic Standing Live Tour at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Compass caught up with Nikki Carr, one of the featured stand-up comedians, to chat about being raised by a single mom and what she'd bring to a deserted island. Here's what she had to say.

Compass: You were raised by a single mom in the Bronx. How much did your upbringing influence your decision to make a go as a professional comedian?

Nikki Carr: I would say everything about my childhood influenced my decision - especially the single mom part. Every time I would ask my mother to help me find my absent father, drummer Bruno Carr, my mom would say, "Get famous and he'll find you!" I never did find my dad, but I used that same strategy years later to find my daughters who had been kidnapped by their dad and taken Africa at four and five years of age. When I aired on BET's "Comic View," they were 18 and 19. They did find me immediately after seeing me on television.

Compass: The judges on your season were Roseanne Barr, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Russell Peters. Tell me about your chemistry with them.

N.C.: Each judge was a special ingredient in the stew. Russell can teach you to be a high-grossing stand-up artist. Roseanne is a true queen of all phases of success in comedy. Keenan is the teacher. All superstars in my eyes before I'd ever even heard of "Last Comic Standing." Roseanne and Keenan have built many superstars with their shows. The things that they said about me were so uplifting and encouraging. I love them all.

Compass: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring three things with you, what would they be?

N.C.: I'd bring a fly swatter, a flashlight and a skateboard.

Compass: How would you describe your style of humor?

N.C.: A humorous outlook on life - mostly true stories about my own self.

Compass: How much of your routine is improv and how much have you worked out beforehand?

N.C.: My repertoire is vast, however it changes from show to show. Many times an impromptu moment becomes new material. Some shows you only get a small amount of time, so you don't have time to improv. Whereas if I'm hosting, 90 percent of what I say is improv.

Compass: If you could sit down for a meal with three comedians (alive or dead) who would they be and why?

N.C.: Whoopi Goldberg. She made me want to be a performer after I'd seen "Fontaine." She was doing on TV what I did everyday in my room. Ellen DeGeneres. She helped my mom understand that there is such a thing as a successful lesbian. Wanda Sykes. She is my hero! She's loud and clear on issues that affect my entire existence!

Compass: You were eliminated in the last episode. Do you have any regrets or things you wished you did differently?

N.C.: I was not eliminated. I was not competing. My goal was to, at the very least, make top five. To be on the season finale was icing on the cake. When the show ended, the Last Female Standing was in second place! That is a victory for all female comedians. They were proud and inspired. I was proud and grateful for that magnificent opportunity to showcase my talent each week on a national network.