Fans of offbeat, smart comedy had to be tickled pick by the news that Conan O'Brien will host the next Academy Awards. But it would have been even more exciting if the academy had tapped Sarah Silverman. Fortunately, those of us in the Twin Cities can get our fix when she stops Saturday at Mystic Lake Casino. The Emmy-winning comic spoke about her latest tour from her Los Angles home last week, just before her 54th birthday.

Q: Is it too early to wish you a happy birthday?

A: Technically it is, but I'll take it. It's no big deal. I'll do what I always do, which is host a big poker game.

Q: What are your rituals when you're out on the road? Have they changed?

A: I tweet until sound check. I try to get a lot of sleep and bank it, although they say that's not a real thing. I think I now know why so many comedians, especially me, love "Law & Order." I used to bring a plaid blanket with me and just put it on top of the bed, because it made me feel like I was at home. "Law & Order" does the same thing. I've seen each episode a billion times, but I find it comforting. "Friends" is the same way.

Q: You've gotten rave reviews for your serious performances in "Maestro" and "I Smile Back." Why do so many stand-ups make good dramatic actors?

A: Comedy and drama are both, at the core, about telling the truth. There are a lot of dramatic actors who are brilliant at comedy, but some put a kind of sauce on it when they don't have to. Same when a comedian is doing drama. I remember doing a film years ago with Sarah Polley [2011′s "Take This Waltz"]. In my mind, drama was about talking really quietly. So when we were filming a scene, I was kind of whispering, even though we were on a bus. Then at lunch, I was telling Sarah a story and I was being big and loud and I realized, "Oh, that's real life." I mean, in "Maestro," my character was big and boisterous. I remember that I always wanted to do drama, I always wanted to try all kinds of things. My agents would say I needed a tape of me doing it. I said, "What about 'The Aristocrats'?" [the 2005 documentary in which comedians share their versions of a very filthy joke]. In my view, that was drama. It's very odd that we put things into categories.

Q: It's great that Conan is getting the Oscars —

A: Yaaay!

Q: But I always wonder why they never pick you for those gigs. Are you interested?

A: It never crosses my mind. I'm blessed and cursed with a weird lack of ambition. Listen, I'd love to do the Oscars, but it's maybe the most thankless job. Either you kill it and they say nothing or you make one false move and you ruin the night. But I always like a challenge.

Q: You did a great job filling in on "The Daily Show" for a week. Could you see yourself becoming the permanent host?

A: That was a blast. It showed how far I've come as an adult. But there were no stakes for me, no pressure on it. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it. Whenever I'm doing something, I put my all into it and love it.

Q: You've been pretty involved in politics in the past. But we didn't see you out campaigning this time around. Why was that?

A: I was on the road with this tour, for one thing. A lot of people asked me if I was going to make a video or something. But my feeling was that no one wanted to hear from celebrities right now. Maybe I was wrong. I just focused on reposting thoughts from smarter people. There is one thing I wish I had done. In 2008, I did something called the Great Schlep where I told young Jews to tell their grandparents they wouldn't visit them again unless they voted for Obama. I should have done something like that again. Not that it would have made a difference.

Q: How much are you addressing politics in your current tour?

A: This show is not at all political, for better or worse. I think it's better, to be honest. What happened was, my stepmother and dad both died nine days apart and all I wanted to do was talk about them, starting with my dad's eulogy. It's happened organically. I've never thought of myself as relatable. I've always thought of myself as niche. But I was at a point where I wanted to roll into a ball, so I needed to be in touch with people and it's been awesome.

Sarah Silverman: Postmortem

When: 8 p.m. Sat.

Where: Mystic Lake Casino, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake.

Tickets: $52-$82. mysticlake.com.

The Minnesota Interview is a feature in which we dive deep into the personal side of public figures with special ties to our region and readers.