Quotes About Comedy

Lily Tomlin was one of the early comedy greats who influenced my courage to be the person I am.

In fact, I don't watch a lot of contemporary comedy for fear of being influenced by it.

That movie - 'Airplane!' - it influenced so many of us.

I was influenced by a lot of comedy growing up, I had good parents. They were funny, too. My mom was hilarious; my dad was hilarious. I guess being at home around the environment was just a good stage to get started.

I don't watch too much television because I want to write something, and you never want to be influenced by other things that are on - and if they're really funny it'll just depress me because it's something I'm not a part of.

I always felt like the best comedy came out of sadness, and some of my favourite shows growing up - a lot of my influences - have these very sad characters and treat that sadness seriously while also being very funny.

I did a number of local children's theater plays growing up, but in 5th grade, I had some good times on stage making people laugh as a troll in 'The Hobbit.' That solidified my dream to be on 'Saturday Night Live,' which was hugely influential for me growing up.

I'd like to see 'French and Saunders' back. They were hugely influential for me. They make me laugh so much; even their breathing makes me laugh.

I think the best comedy enlightens, informs, and changes the way people look at the world.

I did stand-up for a long time, and I did classical theater. As much time as you could spend on a stage will always inform you and your job, as you evolve. I feel the freedom of being able to find comedy in the darkest moments because it makes it way more interesting, I think.

I think mockumentaries are such well-trodden grounds for comedies. It has been done a lot, but it is because of that informal nature, it's such a fertile ground to be funny.

To a guy like me, a laugh is full of information.

I remember watching 'Three's Company' with my parents, and it was time for bed, so I started to make my voice lower like Don Knotts and imitating him. They started laughing, and I didn't have to go to bed, so that informed a lot.

If you do live shows long enough as a comedian, you can still hear that rhythm of laughing. It's ingrained in you, and it's not something you can really teach somebody. It comes from doing hours and hours and hours and years and decades on stage, performing in front of live crowds.

I know there are fewer women comics, and I think there'll continue to be an inherent sexism in many industries, comedy being one, just because things do take a while to evolve. Things are changing, but it's going to take time. I accept this rather than getting angry about it.

Comedy wasn't something I chose - it chose me. I was just inherently funny when I was a kid.

Actors are a great subject for a comedy. They're inherently funny because, like sportsmen, they take themselves so seriously.

When you do a drama, you are challenged to trust your inner voice much more. Because when you put a comedy in front of even a 25-person screening, you know whether it's working or not. The barometer is overt.

Broad City's first season is full of moments that are insane... and yet make total sense.

There are so many rom-coms that I think are insane. But they're the kind of movies that I put on when I need something that I know isn't gonna horrify me before I go to sleep.

When I was, like, 15, I realized there could be a career in making people laugh - like, you could get paid to do it. That was insane to me.

As far as humor goes, I've always been a very insecure person and I've always wanted to be liked.

We're so insecure, comedians. 'Did you laugh? Do you think I was funny?'

I was always the guy - out of insecurities, I was always making fun, even as a kid.