There are professional negotiators working for the writers and the actors, but basically you've got the writers and actors negotiating against businessmen. That's why you get rhetoric.

I get bored with establishing shots of people getting out of cars and walking into buildings, getting into elevators and then 45 seconds later they have a line.

People recognize certain things, like 'D' means 'this dialogue stinks.' We're dealing with shows that are written here, shot in New York and posted back here. Accurate communication is a necessity.

I don't think you can really make television based on what you think audiences want. You can only make stories that you like, because you have to watch it so many times.

I think most of my tastes were British, as far as comedy went, when I was growing up.

I'm not a big comedy show-watcher, but I love Ricky Gervais' stuff and Sacha Baron Cohen's things. But I'm not an expert on them. I've seen them once.

I don't get a lot of romantic comedy scripts.

Writing a comedy script is a difficult thing. I think if someone is attempting a comedy and then they fail then it's understood.