"All studio movies are the middle of the Bell curve. The only way to do something is to do it yourself. And the only way to do that is to not take any money from anyone or take as little money as possible from anyone and that's it."
About Thomas Lennon
Thomas Lennon — Life and Legacy
Thomas Lennon is a multifaceted comedian, actor, and writer who has made significant contributions to the world of comedy through his unique lens on identity and humor. Best known for his role in 'Reno 911!' and his work in the 'Night at the Museum' series, Lennon uses comedy to explore the complexities of human experience. His quote, 'humor is a way to connect,' encapsulates his belief that laughter can bridge gaps between people, fostering understanding and empathy. By tackling themes of identity, he invites audiences to reflect on their own experiences, often revealing the absurdities of everyday life. His approach challenges conventional norms, suggesting that humor can be a powerful tool for self-exploration and societal critique. Today, Lennon's insights into the role of comedy continue to resonate, highlighting its importance in navigating the intricacies of modern life.
Quote collection
Thomas Lennon quotes (page 1 of 2)
33 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"That's the other thing about working on movies, the commitment is years. That's one thing that's so frustrating about the process is that it goes on and on and on for years."
"I feel like I'm the most well-adjusted character on the show, even though I'm sure the other actors would tell you the same thing about their characters."
"Yes, I am complimented on my work in Kids in the Hall once or twice a week. Its a nice feeling."
"When you do a movie in the studio system, there's a committee. A committee of six or seven people you answer to. There's two or three producers, a studio executive and one or two people above that studio executive."
"The more people's money you take to do something, the more inputs you get."
"I need to be spontaneous sometimes. Sometimes I find that the little detail or nuance that you add to it that's based on what's happening at the time that's not very rehearsed often ends up feeling like the funniest thing."
"Being a movie star is stressful as hell. You've got to do crunches all day long. You've got to get up and learn lines."
"The level of acting that I bring to films in three dimensions. I hope they make people sign some kind of waiver because if their mind explodes from my acting in 3D, it's not my fault."
"Before any movie of yours gets made, it will be vetted by the studio's marketing department. So, you do have to answer the question: Who is your movie for?"
"The good thing about being a writer is that you don't need anything except for a laptop. You can really do your own work and if you're not manically compelled to write all the time before you do it professionally, it's probably not a business for you anyway."
"Who is writing these screenwriting books? Not actually writing for the studios in Hollywood. These are people that have one or a half of a credit on maybe one movie, or none. So they're all theoretical."
"Books are great for if you want to work on the craft of writing for yourself, or, you know, to write novels or indie films, stuff like that."
"I don't think you can teach someone how to come up with good characters or a story."
"People kept passing our [ with Robert Ben Garant] script around, and suddenly we had this reputation as screenwriters, which we're not - we're sketch comedy guys."
"I guess I considered myself just sort of a sketch comedian, you know? Actual screenwriting hadn't really occurred to me as a viable job - I didn't really know anything about it."
"You hate to see yourself do one draft of a script and then have somebody else come back in and change what you've done."
"I never thought I would write the way that I write for the studios now, which is like, not little novels, but be someone who literally is more like, you know, sometimes I guess we describe, we're more Salieri than Mozart."
"Old School has humongous laughs all the way through it."
"It's such a great thing to work with people and not have a plan."