Performing comedy in San Francisco to begin with is pretty wild. You've got to - you've got the human game preserve to play off of. And it's a lot of great characters everywhere. You work off that, and then you play the rooms, and eventually you get to a point where you're playing a club that is a comedy club, with other comics.
Interpretation
Performing comedy in San Francisco is unique due to its diverse and vibrant environment and characters.
Robin Williams captures the essence of performing comedy in San Francisco, where the eclectic mix of people and their stories serves as rich material for a comedian. He highlights the journey from performing in various public spaces to finally reaching the stage of a dedicated comedy club, emphasizing the importance of connecting with one's audience and drawing inspiration from the world around you.
In practice
This quote could be used to inspire new comedians at a comedy workshop.
It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so quick that even I was like, 'Wow.' Because you have that initial warm feeling going, 'Oh, I remember this'. And your body does, too. And your body goes, 'Yeah, so do I'. Then the demon voice comes, 'Yeah, so do I. You know what would be great? You know we bought a little bottle before? A full bottle would be wonderful'.
I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go, 'Why did you do that?' But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people. There was always something that was worth it.
I've never been asked to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,' so I guess I mustn't be on the professional skids just yet.
The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'
I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.
Tell the cook of this restaurant with my compliments that these are the very worst sandwiches in the whole world, and that, when I ask for a watercress sandwich, I do not mean a loaf with a field in the middle of it.
I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit.
The young comedians always ask me, 'What's the secret for staying around?' I tell them, 'There is no secret - just stay around. Longevity is the most important thing.'
Laughter is a celebration of our failings. That's what clowns are for. And that's what I am.
You don't stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing.
Middle-age is when you're sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn't for you.
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