Joe Mantello Quotes

I don't think Hollywood per se is supposed to be taken seriously, otherwise, dear Lord, that would be frightening.

Sex and the City changed New York-New York's become a big shoe store now, unfortunately.

Celebrity culture is an aspirational culture regardless of how much you don't want it to be.

To be stuck with that Kardashian label, that was so hurtful to me and to my career. I probably realized that too late - not that it would've affected my decisions in terms of who I dated, but it would've affected my decision to appear on the show.

And I'm hoping that over the next 20, 50 years, whatever, the mystique of television and film and all that will diminish somewhat, and people will leave us alone to get on with our jobs.

I think that every time you bring a subject into the mainstream landscape of television, it can have a huge impact. Television is such an influential medium.

When it comes to the British monarchy, I prefer to be seduced by an image than presented with a real person. It's kind of a Warhol thing.

Movies, as evidenced by a chorus of protesting and celebrating Americans, influence broader trends.

People have to be sensitive to - I hate using the word 'celebrities' - people in the spotlight. Because there's so much more than what you see on the cover of a magazine.

I used to live in the Bronx, then I lived uptown on 106th St. and Broadway, and finally I moved to Harlem right before it became gentrified. I lived on 120th St. between Fifth and Lenox Aves. in a little brownstone. I knew the neighborhood was changing when they started putting trees in the middle of the block.

I had my issues with the Kardashians, absolutely. I think there's so much wrong with how they are the most revered family in the country, but they are, nevertheless.

I was never OJ's closest pal, and the media would say that over and over, but I wasn't his enemy either.

I really loved working on 'Laguna Beach,' and I'd do it all over again. I'm one of the luckiest kids in the world, but I thought it was going to be a documentary about kids in high school, and they exaggerated all this drama. When it came out, it was this weird thing. People feel that they know you.

I always thought, 'Oh, Cher seems so cool. If I ever met her, I know we'd be best friends.'

In a very real sense, I represent pop culture in an iconic way. It's been very good to me, so anything I can do to help the fans to tumble along - it's good.

I have lived in this city my whole life and have seen the way gentrification has changed it. I'm not necessarily against transplants, as 75 percent of my good friends, roommate, and boyfriend are not native New Yorkers.

Everyone we knew was forming a band. Boy George, Wham! Sade. But it wasn't a big deal, they were our friends. It wasn't like we were hanging out with pop stars.

I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who don't like Robbie Williams but he is presented to the public in such a way that they have no choice.

If you look at the role models that are out there, the women that tend to be photographed tend to be actresses and models, whereas the men are often in the media because of what they do in terms of business and sport.

I think 'Celebrity Big Brother' is one of the most important shows on TV because we get to see people for who they really, really are and you've only got to look at.

Sometimes you wonder if television is really affecting the culture.

It was a dark period of my life when William Hung was the most famous Asian man.

When you look at the media and television, and all this Hollywood stuff, you just judge people.

Gentrification and consumerism... have destroyed the character of my favorite American haunts, like North Beach, Berkeley, Venice and Aspen.

Popular culture is inescapable in the U.S. Why not use it?