Quotes from Jonathan Krisel

For me, I love and hate Costco. I think it's ruined America and made America great.

Different actors have different rhythms. My goal as a director is to let these guys get their best work out.

I always look at 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' They talked about how they wrote this movie with horses, and then they realized that horses are super-expensive and time-consuming. 'Why don't we just change it to coconuts?' That's part of my process.

A lot of the 'Portlandia' characters and a lot of the moments aren't really TV-worthy, but that's what is so refreshing about seeing them.

It's how you define yourself. It's not Nirvana or Pearl Jam: it's, 'Do you watch 'Portlandia' or 'Amy Schumer'?' It relates to a specific sense of humor. And, 'Do you know the hidden gems?' Like, if you knew the Pixies in the '80s.

I think when you work with people who are super exceptional, there's simplicity to it because everybody is on the same page in terms of tone.

'Fawlty Towers' was a huge influence on me. I mean, it was so slapstick, too. 'Are You Being Served?' was on 15 times a day, it seemed like, and I loved it.

If you have, especially with siblings, something like the competition for mom's affection, it just never goes away.

Nobody sets out to be evil. They're insecure, and they make bad decisions.

One second here and there will make all the difference between something being funny and not being funny. That's why I like going, 'Well, we wrote that six months ago, and it was funny one time we read it, but it's not funny anymore. So what? Just dump it.'

It's exciting being in the present. You're always reading emails, talking about the future, looking at pictures on Facebook of the past. But living in the present? It's almost a dead medium. I almost want to do a sketch about being in the present.

My dad did show me interesting movies at a young age. I remember he showed me 'A Clockwork Orange,' and my mom said, 'I never want to see this movie in my house again.'

As the director, you have it in your mind how you want the part done, how you want someone to do it, and so sometimes you just say, 'Why don't I do it myself?' So for a little role, I'll just do it.

In your twenties, you might want to be radical and change the world, but in your thirties, you might just want to be happy and ground yourself.

I love awesome mixed drinks.

I'm a huge 'Twin Peaks' fan.

I love the beige, tan, stucco world where the sun bleaches things out to the point that it can look somewhat ugly.

Things that people are doing constantly but aren't thinking about. That's the ultimate 'Portlandia' concept.

The Internet is a good way to try some stuff with no big crew and no money being spent. Since there are no stakes to it, you can try to be a little experimental.

My brand of comedy is taking a serious approach to silliness. Small moments of modern life and human behavior make me laugh. At least that's where everything starts, and then my other through line would be a dry absurdity that exponentially spirals out of reality.

There's some moments in your life where you're just like, 'I need something just funny.' That's the noble thing you can do. Make someone forget about their life for 22 minutes.

Everything else was snarky and high concept, while 'Roseanne' was just a normal family.

'Portlandia' is 100 percent improvised, and I came into this business not knowing anything.

Portland is utopia. My favorite thing would be it's earnestness. I am earnest, too.