Zero Mostel wasn't afraid of authority in any form, and that's the part that influenced me the most.

I'm funny on camera sometimes. In life, once in a while. Once in a while.

I love acting, especially if it's a fantasy of some kind, where it's not just realistic, it's not naturalism.

But the acting process - create a human being - was real, not only to the audience, but real to me.

I met Mel [Brooks] backstage in Anne's [Bancroft] dressing room. He was wearing one of those pea coats, pea jackets that were made famous by the Merchant Marines, and I admired it and he said, "You know, they used to call this a urine jacket, but it didn't sell."

I like writing books. I'd rather be at home with my wife. I can write, take a break, come out, have a glass of tea, give my wife a kiss, and go back in and write some more. It's not so bad. I am really lucky.

So my idea of neurotic is spending too much time trying to correct a wrong. When I feel that I'm doing that, then I snap out of it.