Larry Wall Quotes

I will say this: basically there in [MacGyver] was an idea and it was executed with a bunch of different things in mind, and that's where I will stop talking, because if I were to continue it might sound like I would be slagging off all of these people that I worked closely with, who did such a great and amazing job in their own right.

I don't know what to say about literary critics. I think it's probably best to say nothing.

I feel that if I said anything about John, I would have to sit here for five days and say it all. Or I don't want to say anything.

You've got to find some way of saying it without saying it.

It seems no matter what you say and how politically correctly and carefully you say it, you offend someone. Or at least I always do.

The clear problem of the outlawing of insult is that too many things can be interpreted as such. Criticism, ridicule, sarcasm, merely stating an alternative point of view to the orthodoxy, can be interpreted as insult.

I have reservations about everything I do.

Some people put up a peace sign with one hand. Some people put up the middle finger instead. I use two hands and put up both.

If you would judge, understand.

To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable.

People should say 'no comment' more often. No comment! I love no comment. Let's have more no comment.

I'm not here to criticize anyone.

This is not the time to make enemies.

The politician is ... trained in the art of inexactitude. His words tend to be blunt or rounded, because if they have a cutting edge, they may later return to wound him.

Be cautious not to take sides in the politics which divide the country, but pray for peace and respect the constituted authorities.

You should not make specific pledges either to the Senate or to the People. Stick to vague generalities.

We should tread cautiously before casting judgment on foreign governments and their people.

During crazy times, I just hold back. People are so quick to jump on something or rip it apart.

You will never hear me denigrating other countries.

I've learned to keep your mouth shut even when something bad is going on. You never know how someone is going to take something you say. You have to bite the bullet.

When I talk about places like Saudi Arabia or Israel or even now with Venezuela, I'm not criticizing the people. I'm not criticizing their faith. I'm not criticizing their way of life.

Nothing is too controversial, but you have to think about how to do it with sensitivity. I don't try to be insensitive. I think really, really carefully about exactly what things mean and how they will affect people.

I'll never burn a bridge.

It's completely beyond comprehension that you just can't say anything without offending somebody or the other.

I don't like making comparisons. You might say one slight thing, find yourself misinterpreted, and suddenly you're in trouble.