Retta Quotes

Most open-mic experiences I had were okay.

I haven't really done a lot of comedy. It's something that terrifies me.

I had some friends that tried it down there, and I went to a couple of open mics, and I just kind of got this... this sick urge to try it instead of just watching it.

I don't really do stand-up.

The toughest thing for me is doing on-camera stuff as a comedian.

Stand-up, I find it really difficult. It's not really my thing.

I was in a play in elementary school and had to jump up and run away. I was nervous and tripped and fell down and everyone laughed. Their laughter made me relax, so I pretended it was part of the show.

The first night you walk down to a comedy club, at least for me, I had my voice, and then I went on stage and I lost it.

In general, I'm pretty shy and nervous about a lot of things. For me to get on stage for the first time took so many times at an open mic before I finally got on stage and did it.

Stand-up is live, so I'm used to being live for most of my career. It's interesting.

I think if I were to go back on stage I might be in great danger of acting.

I was never that good on stage with live improv. I was much better on film or writing something and then thinking about it. I was too in my head when I was on stage.

When you get onstage, you can see everyone in the audience's face, down to the detail. You can see who may or may not be yawning.

You can't be a proper comic unless you've been out on stage and felt the fear.

Sometimes, the most daunting thing about performing is making eye contact with your audience, so just look above them and at the corners of the room. Soon, you'll totally forget they're there.

I'm not a stand up at all, it's such a fear of mine. My sister does it, and she's really great at it.

I never wanted to be road comic.

It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.

There's some anxiety the 30 minutes before the show starts. But once you step on stage and face the people, everything goes away, and you have fun and enjoy the audience.

I'd like to go back to standup. I don't like to think I've done my last gig. At the moment it terrifies me, I get really nervous. It's a great buzz when it goes well.

I was jumping out of my skin. It was horrible. I was all over the place, because I'd never been in front of a live audience. That's a whole other element in the play, the audience.

After doing the first couple scenes and I got used to being in front of a few people it got easier and easier. In Chasing Amy, I wasn't nervous at all. And in Dogma, the same.

I like the performing part, it gives me a huge rush but it still makes me nervous. Being in front of large crowds is intimidating to me and I feel myself withdrawing.

Nick can get up on stage and just wing it, whereas I would have to be taken to a mental institution.

I have performed my one-man show '700 Sundays' over 400 times now. There were only two times that I can honestly say I was nervous. The first was when I knew Mel Brooks was in the audience, and the second was when Sid Caesar came.