If people offer me decent roles in good films, of course I'll take it. But I just didn't like the actor lifestyle. You end up focusing all your energy on trying to get parts you don't even want.

I never work just to work. It's some combination of laziness and self-respect.

Most comedy is not very ambitious. You probably can't name more than a handful of comedies that would qualify for Best Picture.

I've tried to stay away from mild satire. I want an audience to feel something more powerful for their ten bucks. If they're going to spend two hours with me, and trust me to lead them around, I'd like to take them someplace special.

I've been directing for 25 years almost, and I've only directed nine films in that time because I like to be careful.

I learned over the years that it's easy to appear smart referencing things that people don't know.

My first few films were institutional comedies, and you're on pretty safe ground when you're dealing with an institution that vast numbers of people have experienced: college, summer camp, the military, the country club.