Court Jester Quotes

The court jester had the right to say the most outrageous things to the king. Everything was permitted during carnival, even the songs that the Roman legionnaires would sing, calling Julius Caesar 'queen,' alluding, in a very transparent way, to his real, or presumed, homosexual escapades.

It's an old Elizabethan idea. The fool is the only one who is allowed to make fun of the king because he is a fool. I can say whatever I want about anybody else because I'm just an idiot talking - I'm not insisting that I'm any smarter than anyone else. It's satire.

I was just a ham since about the age of five. If I was performing at Medieval Times or something, I'd be the court jester. That was always my defense mechanism. I was never all that funny; I was just obnoxious and loud.

It's been important to cultures throughout history with the court jester and the witch doctor and the shaman - all preach the same thing.

Oh, brother wearers of motley, are there not moments when one grows sick of grinning and trembling and the jingling of cap and bells?

Humor was a good way to hide the pain.

My father was a small claims court jester.

Kings had their clowns, the people their actors and musicians. Shakespeare was scheduled as a servant. It is thus that successful stupidity has always treated genius.

I am the King's Fool. He is the King-In-Wating. Let him wait.

I went on the 'Letterman' show the first time to plug something, and then I came back as the Fool, the court jester.

The most difficult character in comedy is that of the fool, and he must be no simpleton that plays that part.

The advertiser is the overrewarded court jester and court pander at the democratic court.

JESTER, n. An officer attached to the king's household to amuse the court by ludicrous actions and utterances . . . the king's own conduct and decrees [being] sufficiently ridiculous for the amusement not only of his court but of all mankind.

I like to be the jester - he is the only one the king doesn't question.

I remember in the circus learning that the clown was the prince, the high prince. I always thought that the high prince was the lion or the magician, but the clown is the most important.

I always love the court fool in Shakespearean times, in Henry VIII's time. The fool can say all kinds of stuff that the other people can't say, so I'm hoping I might take that role.

ESPN takes itself very seriously, but for some reason, I'm allowed to be the court jester.

I have immigrant, African parents. They would say, in their Nigerian accents, 'So you want to be a jester?' And I was like, 'I don't want to be a court jester, Ma. I want to be a comedian.'

It's really not my thing to go after what comedians are doing. Because I always feel like we're jesters at the end of the day.

I consider myself a court jester - motivator.

I would have liked to be Birbal in Akbar's court, but a court jester also suits me just fine.

The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!