1on1: Three-time champ, comedian Jimmie Johnson (cont'd)

Q: So you really liked filming this video?

Johnson: This was something different, outside of racing. It doesn't involve me being in a firesuit. It was just something new and different to try.

Q: Do you enjoy letting people see that side of you?

Johnson: I enjoy being myself. People can't see me and they want to form judgments. Some people say I'm too crazy and I've broken a wrist on top of a golf cart. Other people will say I'm too boring. The bottom line is I'm not going to chase anyone's opinions. I've always been myself, and I'm going to continue to do that. ... Granted, with success, more opportunities come. Two years ago, I don't think this opportunity would have come along. There are more opportunities to do something different coming my direction now.

Q: So what's next? Hosting Saturday Night Live like your Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon once did?

Johnson: I would need to get over my public speaking/stage fright routine. With a camera, talking about motorsports, it's pretty damn easy. The other thing? That could be pretty rough. I'm not ruling it out if the opportunity were to come my way -- I would consider it seriously -- but man, I don't know how Jeff did it. I really don't. That is so tough to do.

Q: What has he told you about that experience? Was he scared out of his mind to do it, too?

Johnson: Totally scared out of his mind. But he's good at that stuff in general, even though he claims it really worries him. From his experience, I think once he got a skit or two in, he picked up the rhythm of it. It's just such a different environment to be in. They have the rehearsal they do before the live show, and he said the rehearsal wasn't bad because you knew there weren't tons of people watching, maybe just a few hundred in the stands. Then it went live and it was totally different.

Q: So who's funnier, you or Jeff?

Johnson: We're too totally different people. It just depends on your sense of humor and what you're into.

Q: How would you describe your sense of humor?

Johnson: I think it's a little more dry. I don't like to be the center of attention, so I'm not the one in a room carrying the evening, telling the jokes. At points in the night, if something is directed my way, I'm plenty comfortable with being involved or making a fool out of myself or whatever it may be. I just don't thrive on the spotlight, so I think that quiet side of me is seen more often. If I'm nervous, I'm just not going to say anything. I've learned just to keep my mouth shut if I'm nervous, rather than rambling on and then making comments I wish I didn't.

For me, I think it's just random, stupid [crap] that I do. That's what my friends see and experience more than anything. When I'm switched on to racing and it's race weekend, I have blinders on and I'm doing my thing. But when it's time to play, it's time to play. I'm wide open at that point. You have to have another side to balance yourself out.

Q: Did I correctly see a recent article that described you playing the old Hungry Hippos board game in a Manhattan restaurant?

Johnson: What was cool is we were in this little place, waiting for a table and just having some beers and kind of looking around. In those settings, I'm always looking for something to do, something to get myself in trouble with. So I was walking through the room and I saw Hot Hoops and Hungry Hippo in the corner. I was like, 'Oh, yeah.' So I brought Hungry Hippo out and I sucked at it. I found a way to get the hippo to land on a marble and it shot it off the table and nearly took out the writer's eye on the way by. I mean, that thing was airborne and flying. My wife kicked me off the game after that. She said, 'You suck, you're outta here.'