People have very specific opinions of comedy. Slapstick was an art form in the '20s and the lowest form of show business in the '50s. Who's right, who's wrong? Who's an idiot, who's not?
Sometimes people get passionate about the obscure jokes.
There was an era when people would turn on their radio and hear a radio drama. Now, you could be as scared by that as seeing it filmed. In those days, people used to sit by the fire and imagine what they were hearing. Everything is its own art form.
All you're trying to do in an improvisation is get as much material as possible for the editing room.
Being the youngest of five, you're adored, you're fueled with confidence.
I'm an actor who loves doing comedy.
I've never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. I think that's the challenge.
My mother was the concert master of the symphony. Absurdity and eccentricity were not criticized.
I've done lots of improv things but not a whole movie.
Ill give you an idea of how Jewish Mel Brooks is: Thats a nose job.
When you start a new project and they say, "Your director is going to be Joe Blo," you're hoping that Joe Blo will be the next Martin Scorsese, but it doesn't always work out that way.
You go through publicists because it's easy for a publicist to say to another publicist, 'No'.
What's great about being a character actor is you know that you can survive forever. It's not about the gloss of your eyebrows.
All the actor does is, he tries to get as many takes as he can out of the director that day. So he can walk away and say to himself, "Hey, it's in there. I'm not going to edit it. I'm not going to make those choices. If they want to blow it, it's fine. But I've done all I can." You're right. I'm always amazed when actors bash films as if those grips and that cinematographer didn't work hard enough.
Whether arrogantly or what, I view myself simply as an actor.
