One might have thought the world would stop ascribing moral equivalence between acts of terrorism and acts of punishing terrorism. It has not happened that way.

Although I am deeply grateful to a great many people, I forgo the temptation of naming them for fear that I might slight any by omission.

You always draw on your experiences with live audiences to know how to do comedy on films. You're working for a laugh that may or may not come six months later, but you're working in a vacuum at the time you are doing it.

I prefer to choose which traditions to keep and which to let go.

I refuse to do shows that are narrowly constructed, that appeal to only one sentiment. I do a lot of Jewish material in front of non-Jews and a lot of non-Jewish material in front of Jews on the simple theory that the non-Jews are entitled to a glimpse of a Jewish world and the Jews are entitled to a glimpse of the world.

Retiring' - within that word is 'tiring,' and I'm not tired. I don't believe in retirement, really.

When something is moving you get that intake of breath and that stillness from the audience.