Aaron McGruder Quotes

My life in the spotlight has cost me a lot.

There are drawbacks in being famous too, but you can live with those. They're not life-threatening. If the paparazzi are outside your restaurant or your house - and actors make such a big thing of it and scurry into cars and drape things - you think they're going to be crucified or something. It's not a big deal. You can get used to that. It's not so terrible.

It's hard to be famous and alive.

I've been a public person for most of my life. It has advantages and disadvantages. I can't take my kids to Disneyland. On the other hand, I can get a table at a restaurant or tickets to a play.

I'm a little bit shy and from the Midwest, so to be so open and honest with millions of people is pretty difficult. To have people constantly having an eye on you and very interested in what you're doing at all times - it can be a little stressful at times.

You know, just in terms of having to have a life on the road, you know, having the celebrity aspect be a burden for my family, friends and extended family.

It's an immense amount of pressure, celebrity itself.

I don't really want to find myself face-to-face with 10,000 paparazzi. I just want to be comfortable.

Even a modicum of celebrity is hard to deal with. You see it with actors and directors all the time.

We talk about, 'Wow, thank God that we were out when we were, because it was much easier then.' There wasn't paparazzi following you every step of your day, every move you make.

I think some people have gotten used to the paparazzi culture and they know they cannot avoid it. If you ask me, some people like it, but I have a different opinion.

'In the Making' reveals the truth about 'being in the limelight' as a young celebrity.

A celebrity, whatever I am, you get cut off sometimes from people just by circumstance.

I think [the spotlight] is a lonely place to be. Everybodys wanting something from you, pulling at you.

I'm always going to be under a microscope, and I haven't always handled it well.

It's a little bit hard to have personal things subject to public scrutiny, and it's a pressure that other people aren't under, but then they're under a lot of pressures that we're not under.

It's a culture shock to go from obscurity to notoriety in a flash. Its more to it than talent and money; its pressure, stress, enemies, critics; you have to develop relationships and a team. There are all of these things that go along with taking a leap and following your dreams.

Fame invades your private life. It takes away from the time that you spend with friends, and the time that you can work. It tends to isolate you from the real world.

I don't think there is anything good about fame. 'Tables in restaurants.' People say that but, then again, why don't you just call the day before? Or go eat somewhere else?

If you lead a public life, people are much more on to you than you think.

Just the life of doing what I do, being in the public eye, it's a stressful environment... You feel strange, self-aware, very foolish. Your third eye clicks on, just to try to maintain a healthy sense of perspective, and you think, 'What am I doing here? I'm just making a movie, and people want all these things from me.'

Growing up in the public eye was really tough. When you're 14 and your body is changing, your life is changing, and people are watching every step you make, it's really hard to deal with. But I was pretty lucky, people didn't watch me that closely.

I feel for anybody who has that level of celebrity where you can't lead a normal life.

I don't like being a celebrity.

This whole Puff Daddy thing has taken a toll on me.