Home / Quotes / Quote by James Wolcott

Quote by James Wolcott

“Bad acting comes in many bags, various odors. It can be performed by cardboard refugees from an Ed Wood movie, reciting their dialogue off an eye chart, or by hopped-up pros looking to punch a hole through the fourth wall from pure ballistic force of personality, like Joe Pesci in a bad mood. I can respect bad acting that owns its own style.”

Quote by James Wolcott

Author

James Wolcott is an American journalist known for his commentary on pop culture and politics. Born on December 10, 1952, he has been contributing to 'The New Yorker' magazine since the 1980s. more

You May Also Like

“Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody Allen to hung-loose Richard Pryor to whippy contortionist Jim Carrey, its comics and clowns have tended to be sliced thin and bendable.”

Comedy Hollywood Posts Nerves Hung Fence Clown Skinny Jerry Woody Envelopes Bundles Busters Fence Post

Author:James Wolcott

“In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom Republicans let move to the front of the buffet line, deferring to seniority, as they had in 1996, when Bob Dole turtled to the top of the ticket.”

Moving Lines Fronts Republican Democrat Barack Bob Tickets Mccain Buffets Cranky Seniority

Author:James Wolcott

“Republicans: steely, rational, paternalistic, respectful of authority, easy to herd, the party of No. Democrats: sugary, emotional, idealistic, yearning for novelty, hard to marshal, the party of Oh Yeah, Baby, Make Mama Feel Good.”

Feels Hard Easy Party Emotional Baby Republican Authority Yeah Democrat Rational Feel Good Yearning Novelty Mama Respectful Herds Idealistic

Author:James Wolcott

“With Barack Obama as president and the super-happening Michelle Obama as First Lady, you would think a new tone, a new tune, a kicky new jazzitude, would have entered Washington discourse, but it remains a landlocked island unto itself, held captive by its tribal fevers.”

Thinking Firsts President Happenings Remains Barack Islands Tone Tunes Discourse Fever Captives First Lady

Author:James Wolcott

“A typical 'Larry King Live' is a pastiche whose absurdism defies parody. Wearing his trademark suspenders and purple shirts, he looks as if he's strapped to the chair with vertical seat belts, unable to eject.”

Ifs Looks Kings Shirts Seats Chairs Typical Purple Belts Larry Parody Vertical Trademarks Seat Belts Pastiche Suspenders

Author:James Wolcott

“After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty of dance, and the magic of 'spirit fingers' to chase our cares and woes into somebody else's backyard.”

Inspirational Shows Care Spirit Song Magic Shots Dance Fingers Decades Woe Backyards Glee

Author:James Wolcott

“And what could be a hotter ticket than the improbable triumph of 'The Book of Mormon,' the musical-comedy moon shot of the season? Its creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, of Comedy Central's 'South Park,' are the most unlikely Rodgers and Hammerstein team ever to bowl a thundering strike.”

Book Comedy Team Moon Shots Stones Seasons South Musical Creator Strikes Triumph Parks Bowls Tickets Unlikely Improbable Inspirational Team Hotter

Author:James Wolcott

“As music migrates into our iPods, CD collections require less and less room, residing in our heads rather than resounding off the walls. The protracted labor of amassing a personal music library has lost its detective zeal.”

Lost Rooms Wall Labor Library Collections Zeal Detectives Cds Ipods Migrate

Author:James Wolcott

“As we divest ourselves of once familiar physical objects - digitize and dematerialize - we approach a 'Star Trek' future in which everything can be accessed from the fourth dimension with a few clicks or terse audibles.”

Stars Objects Approach Familiar Dimensions Fourth Clicks

Author:James Wolcott

“Broadway purists may deplore the influx of movie-spinoff musicals in recent years, wishing someone would turn off the popcorn machine and let more imaginative brainstorms blow through.”

Years May Turns Wish Machines Blow Broadway Imaginative Turn Off Popcorn

Author:James Wolcott