105 Quotes by Martin Short

I decided that, as a stand-up, I’d position myself as a cerebral, observational comic, making references to Camus and Kierkegaard. I wasn’t so much concerned with getting laughs as I was with seeing audience members turn to each other at any given moment and say, “Exactly!

I think I’ve been really lucky to keep my career so varied, and to be open. There’s safety in repetition, but there’s also a trap there.

This lesson is, I suppose, a major reason I wrote this book: because along the way I’ve picked up the wisdom that bad things happen, and yet the sun still comes up the next day, and it’s up to you to carry on living your life and keeping your setbacks in perspective. You also have to understand that on some level, these horrible and sad things happen to everyone; the mark of a man is not just how he survives it all but also what wisdom he’s gained from the experience.

I’ve never done an improvised movie as a fictitious character. I think that’s the challenge.

All you’re trying to do in an improvisation is get as much material as possible for the editing room.

We arranged to spend the next day, a Sunday, looking at apartments together, followed by a round of tennis, since we both played. Before Nancy left the Pilot that night, I said to her lasciviously – I don’t know what possessed me – “Have you ever tried a comedian before?” Which was either very sexy or very creepy, depending on your opinion of me. She just stared at me, betraying no emotion, and said, “I hope you have a racket. I’m pretty good.” Our.

I still do live concerts all over the country – about four a month – with singing and characters and improv. It keeps me limber. I’ll never lose that. And comedy is still the bread and butter.

I’ve done lots of improv things but not a whole movie.

The mark of the man is how he responds to situations. You're not going to avoid tough times. We're all over the barrel some of the time. What are you going to do about it?