Quotes by David Steinberg

About David Steinberg:

David Steinberg is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was one of the best-known comics in the United States. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson more than 130 times (second only to Bob Hope in number of appearances) and served as guest host 12 times, the youngest person ever to guest-host. Steinberg directed several films and episodes of many of the most successful television situation comedies of the last twenty years, including Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more than 35 episodes of Designing Women.
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I don't really dissect comedy. Nothing kills off humor more than overanalyzing it.

David Steinberg

Great Canadian comics are often outsiders and insiders at the same time. That's a great perspective for a comedian.

David Steinberg

I used to have a theory actually that, if you've had a good childhood, a good marriage and a little bit of money in the bank, you're going to make a lousy comedian.

David Steinberg

The thing about stand-ups is you can't really get good unless you're failing in front of a large number of people. That makes stand-up comedy unique: you need a tremendous amount of reserve within you to take the rejection from the audience, and with...

David Steinberg

The worst thing that can happen to a comedian is to do a documentary on your life and you're watching it with an audience and there's not a laugh.

David Steinberg

We were the guys on the other side. It was hilarious.

David Steinberg

Being a lawyer in New York sucks because you're working eighty, sometimes a hundred hours a week.

David Steinberg

And it was a huge emotional thing to leave the law and become unemployed - to be a student again.

David Steinberg

I started writing this feature comedy in New York - a Chris Farley vehicle. The script was decent. When I got to LA, I met some new friends in film school and had them read my script and give me notes.

David Steinberg

I rewrote it and I took all your notes. Read it again, that kind of persistence paid off.

David Steinberg

My father was a rabbi and had a little synagogue in Canada, so I'm from Canada. I left there at 16.

David Steinberg

I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and I played a Jewish kid who offered himself as a slave to two Columbia University students as reparations.

David Steinberg

You don't need to be stable to be a stand-up comedian.

David Steinberg

The whole idea of doing the Hollywood thing never even occurred to me. When you grow up on the East coast, Hollywood seems like this fantasy land and you don't think that people can actually make a living there.

David Steinberg

A spontaneous interview feels differently than anything else you see on television.

David Steinberg

Comedians talk to other comedians the way jazz musicians can talk to each other.

David Steinberg

When I talk to Steve Martin, he's joyful when he talks about comedy.

David Steinberg

On 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' it takes almost a year to get 10 shows written. It always reminds me of my old yeshiva days, where you used to sit over a piece of Talmud and analyze everything that was going on.

David Steinberg

I don't believe any particular ethnic group is smarter than any other group.

David Steinberg

The odd thing about comedy is that the more personal you are, the larger the audience.

David Steinberg

Author Bio

  • NameDavid Steinberg
  • DescriptionComedian, actor, director, writer, author
  • BornAugust 9, 1942
  • AwardsPrimetime Emmy Award