The first thing you notice about women in Hollywood, besides their low percentage of body fat, is how few are married. And the number of great-looking, successful single women without a social life is staggering. ... The most glaring misconception about Hollywood is that it is the romance capital of the world.

Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and ambition for both.

Like the color black, business mixed with anything turns to business.

The key to moving a maybe to a yes is to make the buyer feel as though other buyers have already said yes. ... It helps if it's true, but it never is. No one wants to be the first yes. Why is this? I don't know, but I think it's anthropological.

What turns a work crisis into a life crisis is the infusion of dread.

Breakthroughs, in art, in culture, in personality, come when tackling the unexpected.

Always remember the famous adage about the movie business: You can't make a living, you can only get rich.