You're not just looking for laughs, but you're trying to do the characters first, and then the laughs come afterwards.
Harry ShearerI just think everyone knows you go on those [political satire] shows if you're a politician to, "humanize yourself" - to show, "Hey, I can take a joke." Well, why should satire be in the service of humanizing these people who are supposed to be the target of our venom and vitriol? I think that's unseemly.
Harry ShearerPrivilege has its own way of seeing the world. It's not about the kind of people they are; it's about the situation they're in.
Harry ShearerThe Simpsons will end as soon as Fox is able to find an 8 p.m. comedy hit to replace it - so I give us another 50 years.
Harry ShearerSatire is an art best practiced behind the back of the intended target. I think inviting politicians on a satirical show becomes a very big trap. Because one of two things happen: Either you have to kind of unsharpen your fangs because you can't be quite as cruel to people to their face as you are behind their backs... Or you don't defang, and those guests get the word and they stop coming.
Harry Shearer