Alan King Quotes

Comedy is a great weapon of attack. It's not a great weapon of support.

Eddie Murphy said once in an interview that nothing is offensive if it's funny. I sort of agree with that, but if something's funny and you're the subject of it, sometimes it's more offensive. If someone's insulting you, you want them to sound like an idiot.

You have to be careful what you say in front of comedy writers because they will absolutely make fun of it in the next episode.

When has stand-up comedy been kind to anyone? It goes after anyone who's the target. Comedy attacks, man.

You can make fun of everything.

Satire also allows you to make fun of every different aspect. It allows you to make fun of both sides. It allows you to make fun of everything, really, so you can do it in a harmless way.

I can't get too offended when somebody parodies me.

Humor is a powerful tool, and some of these politicians are so far out and easy to lampoon. They just provide such delicious opportunity.

I started out making fun of comedy. Then I became the thing I was making fun of.

I don't think people understand what comedy is supposed to do. We will observe things, we will make fun of things.

That's what I love about 'MADtv': If you exist, if you breathe, we will take you down.

I'm a satirist, so I've got boxing gloves on if the person is worthy of satire. But I'm not an assassin.

By rights, satire is a lonely and introspective occupation, for nobody can describe a fool to the life without much patient self-inspection.

The English can be a very critical, unforgiving people, but criticism can be good. And this is a country that loves comedy.

No subject is unsuitable for comedy.

Satire is a lesson, parody is a game.

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.

It's easier to rip somebody to shreds while you're making them laugh.

Everything can be satirized.

It's all been satirized for your protection.

By the very nature of satire or parody, you have to love and respect your target and respect it enough to understand every aspect of it, so you can more effectively make fun of it.

The satirist shoots to kill while the humorist brings his prey back alive and eventually releases him again for another chance.

Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.

The key to humor is often self-loathing or sarcasm. In a sense, that's how self-loathing is made palatable.

I didn't think that anything is beyond humor - not profane humor, but a good, honest approach to humor.