John Oliver Quotes
- All Quotes
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You have to do stand-up quite a long time before you learn how to do it well.
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It really helps a comedian to be an outsider.
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You just try to be true to your idea of what is funny and what is also interesting.
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I think puns are not just the lowest form of wit, but the lowest form of human behavior.
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People really have come for a dialogue when they go to a stand-up show in the U.K. They say, 'I understand that you have now finished your little comedy monologue; now I have something to say regarding what I've just heard.
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People are friendlier in New York than London.
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Stand-up, for me, is really more of an addiction, so you have to feed the beast whenever you can.
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Lest we forget, when Europe goes far right, they go far right through Belgium.
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Armando Iannucci is one of my heroes. As I was growing up, he was probably the most influential comic voice that I had.
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You have to do stand-up quite a long time before you learn how to do it well. It was probably years before I was confident enough in stand-up that I was able to talk about the things I wanted to talk about, the way I wanted to talk about them.
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Australia turns out to be a sensational place, albeit one of the most comfortably racist places I've ever been in. They've really settled into their intolerance like an old resentful slipper.
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The only thing I'm nervous about is talking to guests like human beings, because all of my interviews so far have been attacking people. I have a genuine concern about sitting across from an actor whose movies I obviously haven't seen.
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The disconnect between America and its military is shocking.
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Having a human conversation is not something I've had any training in either as a comedian or as, you know, a human being.
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It's exciting to have a role in anything that's Claymation, just because you're always intrigued by what a clay wizard version of yourself would be.
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Veterans' issues are quite close to my heart. I find it quite hard to talk about, actually.
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Campaign ads are the backbone of American democracy if American democracy suffered a gigantic spinal injury.
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I would hate to meet myself at 15.
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I have exactly as much rhythm as you think I have.
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I'm British, so obviously I repress any powerful emotions of any kind in relation to anything.
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I'm always interested in audience interaction. Not so much aggressive audience interaction - I'm genuinely interested in how people see things.
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It was probably years before I was confident enough in stand-up that I was able to talk about the things I wanted to talk about, the way I wanted to talk about them.
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As any Brit will understand, things get a little easier when you don't have to be number one any more. Really, the fall of an empire is not as bad as everyone thinks. It's like retirement. People fear retirement, but it can turn out be rather pleasant.
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Sometimes it's good to remember how bad food can be, so you can enjoy the concept of flavour to the fullest.