Shelley Berman's Quotes

As a culture I see us as presently deprived of subtleties. The music is loud, the anger is elevated, sex seems lacking in sweetness and privacy.

I was an actor before becoming a comedian.

As much experience, education and awareness as one can attain is important for a comedian.

I am careful with my material and presentation.

I am in the Master of Professional Writing program teaching Humor Writing, Literary and Dramatic.

I am presently in my thirteenth year of teaching a graduate course at the University of Southern California.

I believe it is important for comedians to know who came before them.

I quit smoking well over twenty years ago.

I will always love to perform standup comedy.

Incidentally, I'm still looking for acting work, my first love.

Inside was the second LP album of a comedian's performance before an audience.

My first job was at a Chicago night club called Mr. Kelly's.

My whole act is confession.

Outside came in '60. The Edge in '61. All three made Gold, but the biggest seller was Inside.

The most memorable performance was my appearance in concert in Carnegie Hall. The first standup to do so.

The old problems - love, money, security, status, health, etc. - are still here to plague us or please us.

The Steve Allen Sunday night show had the right to two options after my first performance.

Though it sold very well, I hated The Edge.

Unquestionably, standup comedy is and has always been an art form.

So that this thing that aired in 1963 would result a few years later in personal bankruptcy, would result in having people be on edge with me, wondering when I'm going to blow up.

While you're improvising, you may come up with something which will break him up. As soon as that smile comes out, you know that, hey, we're having fun.