Dennis Miller often gets cast as the odd comic out these days.

While the longtime stand-up comedian, Saturday Night Live and HBO alum calls himself "socially liberal," his right-leaning views and long-running "Miller Time" segment on Fox News' O'Reilly Factor have made him a curiosity in an entertainment industry that, at least in the public mind, typically leans left.

Miller doesn't think about it much, even less since his run on Fox News ended when the O'Reilly Factor was canceled in the wake of Bill O'Reilly's sexual harassment scandal, Miller said.

"I'm topical," he said. "When times grow polarized, topical reads political. It's sort of like when you're doing Weekend Update. The only mandate is 'be funny'."

Miller will reunite with O'Reilly in Tampa on Saturday when The Spin Stops Here Tour arrives at Amalie Arena.

Even that live show has proved controversial in the wake of O'Reilly's firing, so we asked Miller about the petition to stop it, and his place in political commentary and comedy, during a phone interview on Sept. 7, right before Hurricane Irma came and went through Florida.

It's kind of a strange day to be talking to you, because a hurricane is bearing down on Florida. Have you ever been through a natural disaster?

Well, I opened for Carrot Top.

Why is it always poor Carrot Top?

It's only because he gave himself that name, Carrot Top. If I'm going to pull something out of the hat, I'm going Carrot Top.

Really though, ever been through a disaster?

Out here in California we have earthquakes, which at least with hurricanes there's a cone of uncertainty and you're watching it approach. An earthquake is like a hurricane with no cone of uncertainty. You're in bed and the TV bounces off the wall. Really though, because I'm a man of faith, let me say that Florida is in my prayers.

On the O'Reilly Factor you and Bill O'Reilly have great chemistry. Are you two actual friends?

It's the magic of showbiz. I was on a split screen in L.A. and he was in New York. I hardly ever talk to Bill, except when we're on the road. We get along well, I think we like each other, but we don't know each other that well. We're not getting together and scrapbooking. I think what people liked about us together was that I'd call him Billy, which was taking the piss out of him and this General Patton persona he had. Occasionally, I'd get him to laugh out loud. Making him laugh was a big thing for the audience because he's gruff so much of the time.

Are you aware of this petition online calling for venues to cancel this tour after O'Reilly's sexual harassment scandal?

I wasn't. Is the show still on? Somebody please let me know if I need to be there or not.

How did you experience the situation with O'Reilly being forced off the air?

That's his business. That's it.

But what about you, personally? You were on his show for years.

Showbiz is unpredictable. What are you going to do when it comes down? You move on. It just is.

You have a moment in one of your comedy specials, where you're trashing Alaska and you turn around and say it's actually lovely there, and you remind the crowd, 'Hey, some of these are jokes.' Because of the line you ride between political commentary and comedy, do you find you have to remind people you're joking more than other comics?

I really don't think about it that much. I have a lily pond approach. I don't look at the far shore, which would be complete acceptance. I'm just looking for the next lily pad so I can stay dry. Do I turn things into a Sardi's caricature for purposes of a joke? Sure, of course. What am I doing up there, a TED talk? As far as being political, once you do Weekend Update and talk about the news, from then on in you're doing topical jokes.

You studied journalism in college. Has that influenced your comedy career?

No. I didn't even buy the books for the last two years. I'm not Woodward and Bernstein. When I went for my first job, covering high school football for a newspaper, the guy said, 'You'll be paid by the column inch. I said, 'Check, please.' You never want to figure out how much money you're making with a ruler. It's kind of funny I ended up a caricature of a journalist on Update, but there's only one directive there: get laughs.

Are you a big consumer of news, though?

Not anymore. When I was on O'Reilly I had to pay attention. At 63, I'm delightfully staying in the dark. It's like in 2001 when he starts pulling out memory chips from Hal. That's me. I'm going to more basic modes. I'm singing Daisy, my antennae aren't up as much. I do remember when journalism was about the five Ws. You reported the news. It was a job. Now everyone is a town crier who is going to save the planet, such noble people. Lots of lifetime achievement awards at the Newseum. It used to be more selfless.

You post on Facebook a lot. Do you like social media?

I write jokes because I think of jokes a lot and I still need a place for them. I used to do it on a legal pad. Facebook is like writing them down in public. I quit Twitter because one day I was on there reading about someone's brunch and thought 'never have lives been less lived and more chronicled.' I don't think Lewis and Clark took as good of notes as the Kardashians do. But I like thinking of a joke and putting it down. I read the first 20 comments so I can judge it. I can't go into comedy clubs and test out new jokes, so I do that.

Wait, why can't you go to a comedy club?

Cause I'm 63 and I don't want to drive two and a half hours to L.A. and be wheeled on stage like Weekend at Bernie's.

Are you getting grumpier or softer with age?

Probably both. The ability to get softer and grumpier as you get older, it's just a commensurate thing on the other side of the equation from being lean and pissed off when you're young. I'd hope in your 60s you're not as go-for-it as you were in your 20s. I look back and get a headache. I was so aggressive about getting ahead.

Who is the funniest liberal, and who is the funniest conservative?

I think my good friend Martin Short is liberal, isn't he? Funniest conservative? We live in polarized times. I wouldn't even want to name people to be conservative in these rough times because I know there are lot of people out there with 'love in their heart' who want to put a Masterlock in a sock and hit you if you're not as loving as them. When I come to Tampa, I'll be a funny, fiscal-defense conservative that night.