I didn’t tell any of my friends that I wanted to be a comedian, because I was superstitious. I thought if I told people, it wouldn’t happen. So I kept it all in my head for years and years.
I think my speeches are hilarious. I think I’m a natural comedian, but I like denying people the chance to laugh. I want to deny you the relief of the punchline.
A stand-up comedian faces the audiences and gets their immediate feedback. I hide behind the comic strip, and unless people write to me, I don’t know what they think.
I was just never discouraged from doing something wacky like trying to be a comedian.
Back when Jerry Seinfeld was just another comedian hanging around the clubs, I’d imitate him to amuse myself and the other comics. The club owners would say, ‘What are you doing that for? Nobody knows him.’
As a family comedian, it is so wonderful seeing everyone from kids through to grandparents being entertained by you.
I was born with the confidence of an 89-year-old man. So it’s strange when people ask, ‘What’s it like being a female comedian?’ It never occurred to me that I’d be limited as a woman – that I couldn’t be a scientist, a doctor, or anything I wanted.
I’m a comedian, for God’s sake. Viewers shouldn’t trust me. And you know what? They’re hip enough to know they shouldn’t trust me. I’m just doing stand-up comedy.
Sometimes I worry about things changing and people not liking me any more. As a comedian you do feel like you’re walking on a knife edge.
I am not a comedian, I am an actor, and what makes an actor brilliant is his versatility.
Being a rapper is about being cool, but being a comedian, you’re not supposed to be the coolest guy.
Generally speaking, talk to any stand-up comedian, the people in this world who are the brightest and have the biggest smile often are struggling with a lot of things under the surface.
Seth Meyers is highly overrated as a comedian.
Fame is an upshot of what I do. If you’re a successful comedian or actor, then you’re a famous one. But it’s not the driving force. It’s a by-product.
I just like observing people – it’s something I’ve done ever since I was a kid, and I got really good at it. That’s a big part of why I became a comedian. My audience is filled with every kind of person you can imagine, and I love that.
I admit I do have some drawbacks and limitations as a candidate. Although I am a professional comedian, some of my critics maintain that this is not enough. I cannot deny that I stand before you untested and inexperienced – I only spent two years in television, never as a romantic lead or a song and dance man.
If you’re a comedian, it’s a bit of a choice whether or not you want to be funny when you’re not performing because it might feel disingenuous. In the same way, I don’t show people magic tricks in social situations any more.
The danger for a comedian on Twitter is the same danger that any civilian faces: sometimes you gotta put that phone down and go live your life. When you’re on Twitter, you’re not living, and if you’re not living, you’re not taking in stimuli with which you can create new material.
I weighed 107 kilos when ‘Sukh’ was released. I had become like a South Indian comedian.
When you think about a festival from a comedian’s perspective, it has to do with who else does it – that’s number one. The second consideration – and this is kind of crazy – is: ‘What’s the food like? What is the town like? Is it walkable? Is it easy to get around?’
All comedy does that. Every comedian I can think of – Larry David, Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, Chris Rock – that’s where the best comedy comes from, from stereotypes.
Age, style, where you come from, where you were born, it’s different every time, which, to me, is refreshing because it says that there isn’t any one thing, one formula or kind of character that makes a great comedian. Everybody has had a different approach.
I’m kind of the antithesis of a comedian. People that don’t like me will agree with that.
I pushed against doing a podcast for so long. I’m a very late comer to the podcast game. But you’re responsibility as a comedian is to get your viewpoints out into the world, and we have a lot more avenues to do that. So it’s a lot more opportunity, but really have to work all the time.
Nobody in this world thinks they’re having enough sex. Watch any night on television, or any comedian in a nightclub, and every other joke is about people who aren’t getting enough.
George Carlin was great right up to the end of his life. But Richard Pryor was probably the best, most gifted stand-up comedian who will ever live.
But if applause throws off your timing, then you’re not the kind of comedian I would like to see. All you have to do is stand there and take it.
I was the All-American kid, or so I told myself – good grades, never in trouble, bright future, well-respected by my peers. My favorite comedian was Bob Newhart.
I’m in this for the long haul, I want to be doing this until I die. I am a standup comedian. I know a lot of people say I’m not, but I am.
For a comedian, there is nothing better than watching another great comedian.
I was a sheet metal worker, then a metal engineer, then a Pontin’s bluecoat, then a comedian. You can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it.
But I started out as a comedian doing sketch work where you get to write, produce and direct your own stuff.
At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, ‘Well, one day I’ll be able to put all the music away and become a real comedian.’ But then I realized there are amazing musical comedians out there, that musical comedy is probably something I’ll always want to pursue.
I don’t think I was a good comedian.
I have the comedian’s fear of bottles flying. I’ve never been bottled off, but I have had things thrown at me. Bag of crisps. And there’s still a part of me, when I sit in an audience, that thinks people are going to start heckling the play.
When it’s a superstar’s movie, it does not matter whether I am a villain, comedian or father. Acting in such movies is always good and special.
I always stayed away from political commentary. First of all, I didn’t feel entitled. What I may feel about a candidate, I’m a comedian. I mean, if people like my comedy, that doesn’t mean they should vote for the person I like. That’s why I always kind of stayed away from endorsements.
It doesn’t matter if I’m playing a lead role or that of a comedian; I want my audience to have entertainment worth their money.
Really, to me, a really good evening would be a comedian, followed by a band, followed by a really good DJ.
In a more intellectually rigorous age, I wouldn’t be talked about as a satirist at all. I would just be a topical comedian.
I’m not really trying to be a stand-up comedian. I have a huge amount of respect for the guys who do it. That’s their livelihood. That’s their job. It’s just something that I enjoy.
As a comedian, I don’t know if they’re laughing because it’s funny or if they’re laughing at me because I’m not funny. And I’m thinking, ‘Who cares? They’re laughing.’ If you go on stage, and they’re laughing at you full-on for 60 minutes? You know, whatever puts them in the seats.
Some people are brilliant at being comedy actors and if you’re a comedian I think there’s a perception that, if you’re acting at something that’s meant to be funny, it will be funny all the way though and you’ll be dropping in gags.
You don’t know that you’re not a solo artist or standup comedian or drag cabaret artist until you try it.
I think it’s great training for any comedian to start on cows. Because with cows, you expect them to be bored and just stare at you blankly. And that’s exactly what you’ll get at a comedy club. If you can toughen up with a cow audience, then you’ll never be worried with a human audience.
I have what we call a ‘symphony act.’ I’m the only comedian, I think, in the country that does it.
Comics write to their point of view. If you’re an exceedingly irreverent comedian, you’ve got to see where that point of view fits or produces the most funny.
Several of my uncles are comedians. My father is a comedian; my grandfather was known for his jokes. It definitely runs in the family.
I got booed off the stage one time. This was in a University in Florida. The students didn’t know that I had to come back out 6 more times, because I was hosting the show. They just thought that I was a comedian opening the show.
I think a good comedian was probably bullied a little bit. Probably felt doughy and oblong and rhombus-shaped and strange and a little bit of an outsider, and then learned the healing qualities of comedy.
‘Inside’ was the second LP album of a comedian’s performance before an audience.
I’d never tried as hard with anything as I did with ‘The Office,’ and it was one of the things I’m proud of. I wasn’t trying to be famous or a comedian, but this opportunity came along when I was 38 or 39. It came late, and I couldn’t have been prouder of it.
You say you’re a comedian, you always have to be on guard.
I didn’t plan to be a comedian. I didn’t plan to be a drag queen. It just kind of evolved.
If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who doesn’t really know what they’re talking about getting on their soapbox and complaining.
