Quotes About Improv

The improv, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but when it does, it's like open-field running.

I met Kevin when I was 19, at a Second City workshop. We were paired up together in the first class I went to. By the end of the class we formed our improv group, and over the next three years we performed leading up to the formation of The Kids in the Hall.

I did theater summer camps when I was a kid, and I enjoyed them, but they never felt quite right. But then there would always be a tiny improv workshop towards the end of camp, and I would always feel like I liked it so much better.

After going to theater school, and then subsequently dropping out, I would say that when I first went to Chicago and learned long-form improv, that was a far better acting workshop than any acting school I've been to.

When I was in improv workshops or doing stand-up or writing comedy with others, or just doing comedy, I just laughed. Funny was funny; I loved to laugh. I always liked people I found generally funny.

I did, like, one or two plays in high school, but I don't think I realized I wanted to do comedy until I got to college, and I started doing improv and saw the Upright Citizens Brigade perform and did workshops with them.

'SNL' is this part of American culture with a certain timelessness to it.

Comedy is easy. You have to react to what others are saying and it is all about the timing, the dialogue delivery.

I've never considered stand-up. Luckily I'm given great lines to say. I'm not sure how great my timing would be if I actually had to come up with my own jokes.

I did improv in junior high school. Figuring out my comedic timing helped my confidence in talking to the bullies and talking to people in class. If I could make them laugh, then I was in; I was OK.

When we used to do improv, you'd have to learn how to listen and contribute and not talk over each other and learn timing, and you fall into roles where that permeates in your regular life as well.

I always do a little bit of improv. I did some of 'The Office,' a tiny bit in 'Extras,' a bit more in 'Derek.'

On 'Whose Line,' we had six, seven, eight scenes per show, so everything was pretty quick. And there's a lot of games that we just got tired of, like 'Hats' and 'World's Worst' and 'Hoedown' and stuff.

Improv Olympics, Second City are some of the most tolerant, accepting people. They're like circus folk. They're freaks themselves.

We live in a time where improv is king and people love improv, and I think there's a time and a place for that and people who are really good at structuring improv.

We spent a lot of time together and had a great time with Mary Tyler Moore. And just working with her was like improv.

That's what I love about sketch comedy: a sketch is five minutes, then it goes dark, and there's the potential for something else.

Honestly, my biggest education regarding improv comedy actually came on the job working for 'My Boys.'

Doing improv regularly forces you to be better almost without trying.

Rehearsals are for gags.

The hardest part about improv is getting the audience to relax and enjoy themselves, because most improv is not very good, and the audience is nervous for the performers the whole time. Not that they don't even like the show, but they feel bad for the performers.

I've never really worked on them. Just once in a while one hits me and makes me laugh. My Al Gore was sort of like a gay Gomer Pyle.

Mary Holland is really funny.

A lot of times, when I record with a group, I'll stay after class for another hour or two and go, 'Let me try a bunch of things I was thinking of, as you were doing that.'