The cutting room is where you discover the optimal length of the movie.

Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes Bush look like a fool, you feel like you've done something significant. But really, what have you actually done? Just expressing contempt for your leaders doesn't really accomplish anything.

When I've written for Bill Murray - I've written six films for him - people would read it and say, "Oh, that's so perfectly Bill." He'd read it and say, "Are you kidding? I can't say these words." So it's all about perception.

I met someone who said they'd figured out my genre: "madcap redemption comedy." I'll buy that.

I always claim that the writer has done 90 percent of the director's work.

I look for the meaning in what's funny, and I look for what's funny about things that are meaningful to me.

Billy Crystal knows how to make people laugh. He's got 30 years on stage... there's no telling him what's funny.