I’m an angry person, angrier than most people would imagine, I get flashes of anger. What works for me is working out when it’s useful to use that anger.

In this remark, Alda complicates his public image as genial and affable by admitting to sudden, private surges of anger. The emphasis is not on suppressing the emotion but on discerning when it can be converted into something constructive—motivation, clarity, or the courage to confront a problem—rather than letting it spill into harm. The phrase “working out” suggests both reflection (figuring out the right outlet) and discipline (training oneself), implying that emotional self-management is an active practice. The quote aligns with a pragmatic ethic: feelings are real and often involuntary, but their expression and use can be shaped into purposeful action.