Albert Brooks

Even in my comedies, I don't take anger as a joke. I think anger and laughter are very close to each other, when you think about it. One of the things I like about a character: I always think it's fascinating when a character can turn on a dime and go from one emotion to another. I like watching that. ”

My humor is traced with dark - I've got dark patches all over the place. ”

I did years of summer stock. I sort of only wanted to be an actor. And then at 19, I was funny, and I had some of these bits that I did for friends, and I immediately could get on television. ”

When I started out, I tried out all my stuff on national television. There were no comedy clubs, but even if there were, I don't think I would have gone to them. I used to do stuff in the bathroom, and then I'd drive down to NBC and do it on 'The Golddiggers' with Dean Martin. ”

I've been doing comedy since I was two. You know, kids who make other kids laugh. The sickness had set in! I could make my friends' parents laugh; I had a sense of what was silly and funny. ”

You know, I became a director out of necessity. I was writing comedies, and I couldn't find anybody to deliver it correctly. ”

All improv turns into anger. All comedy improv basically turns into anger, because that's all people know how to do when they're improvising. If you notice shows that are improvising are generally people yelling at each other. ”

I can't not put humor in a book. ”

I, sort of, got into comedy accidentally, and it got bigger than I wanted it to. ”

I've been to many funerals of funny people, and they're some of the funniest days you'll ever have, because the emotions run high. ”