Scott Simon Quotes

The jokes were perfect! Then George Carlin started talking about the seven dirty words you can't say on television, then it evolved into social commentary.

A good analogy [Charlie Hebdo] in lots of ways is "South Park" - the hugely popular American cartoon show - and the things that the "South Park" creators have created, like "The Book Of Mormon," the Broadway musical. If I were a devout Mormon, I would be offended by a lot of things that go on in "The Book Of Mormon," right? It mocks mercilessly the pretensions to truth of Mormonism and the pretensions to virtue of Mormon missionaries.

Well, I'm not afraid to say something if I think it's funny, even if it's harsh or racist.

I don't think any media has to feel obliged to show the cover of 'Charlie Hebdo.'

The truth is, 'Charlie Hebdo' is not a racist magazine. Rather, it is a campaigning anti-racist left-wing magazine.

I think humor is such a personal thing, and you put a microphone in somebody's face, they're going to say something that offends somebody.

I don't really see the point in offensive comedy.

I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said on the Internet.

I'm always interested in what is seen as obscene or profane or unfit.

I'd heard that Lenny Bruce used a lot of profanity and obscenities in his act, and I was curious.

Charlie Hebdo was and is not The Onion or "The Daily Show." This is a different kind of satire. Might I put it this way - less politically correct.

I'm not for gratuitous nudity, but if there's humor, I don't have a problem.

It's much easier to make jokes about sensitive issues if there is some dissent, some conflict.

With anything you put out there, you're going to offend somebody, but most people get that it's a joke, that I'm playing a character, and that I'm actually making fun of what I'm saying by saying it.

We don't apologize for a joke. We are comics. We are here to make you laugh. If you don't get it, then don't watch us.

I also love the makers of South Park, because they're political, strong, and they're making all of these comments that would get you shot for if you did it in a drama.

Political satire is a serious thing. In democratic newspapers throughout the world there are daily cartoons that often are not even funny, as is the case especially in many English-language newspapers. Instead, they contain a political message, and the artist takes full responsibility.

But I think you can make fun of anything as long as it's funny enough.

I'm not one for blaspheming, but that one made me laugh.

If you make comedy, if you try and make comedy where no one gets upset or offended, you're going to fail.

I like to think of myself as an equal opportunity offender.

It was exactly the same on the South Park movie really too. There's lots of violence in that too, but it always came down to anything sexual... They don't care about anything else.

Political correctness? In my humor, I never talk about politics. I was never much into all that.

Do you want me to apologize after every joke? If it doesn't offend somebody it's probably not a joke. It's probably an observation that's not funny. It's gotta offend somebody somewhere.

You can't be satirical and not be offensive to somebody.