New York was the last place that my movies caught on. I didn't make underground movies in New York, and in the 1960s, they were very snobby about that, because the whole scene was here.

I'd rather have a daughter in a whorehouse than a son in the police force,' Esther used to rage to anyone who would listen.

I love hipsters! Yes, I think they're hilarious. The really cute ones try to look ugly just to prove "I can't be ugly." Normcore was kind of funny too.

And my little sister Chrissy, for teaching me that life is nothing if you're not obsessed.

I like the word 'underground'... 'independent' carries a stigma of whininess. 'Underground' means a good time.

When I started making movies about weird people, I knew they were weird, I was infected with irony, and I wanted New York to notice.

To understand bad taste one must have very good taste.