Greg Mottola Quotes

I always remember writing a page of jokes for a comedian and handing it to him backstage at a club and he read it and then took his cigarette lighter and lit the page on...

Jackie Gleason said that comedy is the most exacting form of dramatic art, because it has an instant critic: laughter.

I used to go in for Disney auditions, and they'd tell me, 'You're cute and nice but just not funny.'

Lots of people talk to animals... Not very many listen, though... That's the problem.

You're trying your best to make people laugh; then if you fail, they hate you. But your intent's the same. It's not like you're trying to do evil to them.

If you want to write for T.V. and movies, you will be subjected to kind and unkind criticism. You had better get used to it and develop a shell.

There are two wrong reactions to a rejection slip: deciding it's a final judgment on your story and/or talent, and deciding it's no judgment on your story and/or talent.

If I'm not going to get a part, tell me why.

Reviewers are usually people who would have been, poets, historians, biographer, if they could. They have tried their talents at one thing or another and have failed; therefore they turn critic.

It's the comedy that guides me. The acting and all that stuff comes second. It's equally important, but I just try to do that as best as I can.

When the dog looks at you, the dog is not thinking what kind of a person you are. The dog is not judging you.

I'd rather try and cram in another two gags than leave a pause to say, 'Hey, wasn't that bit funny?'

Broadway's never my end goal because of the plays I write. These are tough plays. Of course there's a lot of humor, but my goal is just to reach as wide an audience as possible, however that happens.

I think comedy's harder to pull off on the screen than on the stage, anyway. Tragedy is easier on the screen... oddly enough.

I just think that when you're coming out with a new product, you're gonna be criticized.

On 'Sunny,' we're not trying to be a family show. We're literally trying to make the funniest show possible.

I'm very interested in any script that makes me laugh.

It doesn't matter that millions read as long as you share it with somebody. So I don't really think about readers or editors. You especially should never think of editors - especially never think about reviewers.

I did a web series years ago where I helped write a kind of a spoof called 'Young Love.'

Sheep are never going to talk to you about cricket.

All I can do is keep my nose down and shoot the scene, shoot the scene, make it funny, make it funny, make it funny.

My job is to make people laugh. If I've upset them instead, then I haven't done my job properly.

Piece by piece I sent my first book of poems to American Poetry Review and was rejected one by one.

Some people call me arrogant and boo me but I love it, because at least they're buying tickets. Meanwhile, other people are thinking, 'wow, this guy's different, I'll come and see him again.'

I really love standup, and I really love writing standup.