Both conservatives and liberals watch ‘Parks and Recreation,’ and they each think the show is for them, which is really cool. ‘SNL’ was totally different. It was exciting because everyone was paying attention. Political humor works when people know what you’re talking about.
I’d say any good set or any comedy that I’ve worked on, that’s worked, has been comedians pitching ideas back and forth to each other. A lot of like, ‘What if you say this? What about this?’
Decide what your currency is early. Let go of what you will never have. People who do this are happier and sexier.
Take your risks now; as you become older, you become more fearful and less flexible. And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee this week on the treadmill, and it wasn’t even on.
Saying “yes” doesn’t mean I don’t know how to say no, and saying “please” doesn’t mean I am waiting for permission.
It’s not communism, it’s shouldn’t be that everybody gets a try no matter how good or bad they are. It’s our profession and our art, so we should eventually strive to be working with the best people.
I think the days of putting your feet up when you’re pregnant are long gone. Women who are nine months pregnant now have to work till the bitter end – they don’t get to be on TV.
Whenever I read stories of people doing huge pranks on set, all I think is, ‘These people have too much time on their hands.’ Besides, I don’t want to make some poor assistant clean up someone’s trailer after I’ve filled it with, say, Cadbury eggs. See? I can’t even think of a good prank.
Improvisation is almost like the retarded cousin in the comedy world. We’ve been trying forever to get improvisation on TV. It’s just like stand-up. It’s best when it’s just left alone. It doesn’t translate always on TV. It’s best live.
I’m going to do ‘The Social Network Two: The Electric Boogaloo.’ And I have a part in ‘Beige Swan.’ I’m going to be the lead, but I don’t dance. I just do a lot of sitting down. It’s too tiring to get up and dance around. That should be coming out in 20-never.
I believe great people do things before they are ready.
I think the hardest thing is to know what you want, ask for it, and then to stop talking.
If you do a scene and you really like a character in it or a premise in it to write it down and to work on it so that you can have five or six characters that you can pull out in an audition.
Change is the only constant. Learn to surf your life instead of planting your feet.
It’s easier to be brave when you’re not alone.
Some people get in the way of change happening. Some people spend their whole careers thinking they can make a difference. Other people want to do as little as possible to get the day done.
Anger and embarrassment are often neighbors.
The process of divorce is about loading that blanket, throwing it up, watching it all spin, and worrying what stuff will break when it lands.
I would love to do a serious period drama. Oh, absolutely. I mean, you’ll find most comedians want to do more serious stuff, most musicians want to be comedians, and most serious actors want to be musicians.
Calling people ‘sweetheart’ makes most people enraged.