“Every woman needs to think about her career above everything. And I'll say it again...Kate [Siegel] is unemployed.” Quote by Kate Siegel
“The house as I say ... smelled of brisket and bourbon, so you could hear that. I started imitating them. Phrases came out of that, "Can't you dig that?" "I knew that you would." We were at [Passover] Seders and they were confused with the bitter herbs, "Do we smoke these or do we do we dip them in salt water?" "We dip them in salt water, well that's gonna kill the vibrancy of the weed, you know." So that's what I was around. So I would imitate them. That's where it all started.” KnowsWellsHouseWaterBitterSmokePhrasesConfusedWeedSaltHerbsDipImitatingBourbonVibrancySalt WaterBrisket Author:Billy Crystal
“[I did impressions] of relatives because I heard so many different sounds. My dad was in the music business and of course my uncle was a giant [music producer], but my dad in particular had the house filled with these Dixieland jazz stars.” DifferentCoursesHouseStarsSoundHeardParticularDadFilledJazzMy DadImpressionProducersGiantsUnclesMusic BusinessMusic ProducerDixieland Author:Billy Crystal
“[My mother] is the greatest hero I'll ever know because she kept us all together, she made sure we all graduated college. She always believed in us no matter what we do. My older brother Joel became an art teacher; my brother Rip ultimately became a television producer and singer and actor himself.” KnowsArtMadeMatterTogetherMotherActorsTeacherTelevisionCollegeBrotherHeroNo Matter WhatSingersProducersMy BrotherAlways BelieveRipOlder BrotherArt Teacher Author:Billy Crystal
“I never stopped believing in us and I never felt like I was wanting for anything, except for my father, and that was not going to be. I describe in the book [that] I don't think I ever felt young again in that way. I never felt I had my 15, 16, 17 kind of years the way I maybe should have. It's a huge dent in you that it's hard to knock out and make it all smooth again.” ThinkingWayShouldYearsBelieveKindBookHardYoungFatherFeltHugeShould HaveSmooth Author:Billy Crystal
“I have 40-something intros [that Davis Jr. did]; all are different, none of them happened. And it was hilarious.” DifferentHappened Author:Billy Crystal
“Every time I was with Sammy [Davis Jr.] it was like going to the show business museum because the stories were so extraordinary, and I didn't care if they were true or not after a while. ... I don't know if he really got high with Humphrey Bogart or not. It didn't matter because he was painting these fantastic pictures.” IfsKnowsMatterStoriesShowsCarePaintingExtraordinaryFantasticMuseumsShow BusinessBogartSammy DavisSammy Davis Jr Author:Billy Crystal
“We were in front of a live audience and I would be acting with the man who was playing my lover, and we used those words, and the audience would titter and laugh, and make me uncomfortable doing the scenes. ... I wanted to sort of stop and yell at them, "What's so funny? What's the matter with you people? Grow up!" It made me very self-conscious at times.” PeopleMenMadeSelfMatterWould BeWantedUsedGrowsActingAudienceLaughingGrowing UpFrontsHe ManLoversSceneConsciousUncomfortableSelf ConsciousMy Lover Author:Billy Crystal
“I love doing it [hosting the Oscars] because I love the danger of it and you have to come through and think on your feet. That's why that show, no matter who hosts it, it really should be a fast-thinking comedian who is really quick on their feet that can handle situations that happen, or somebody with that kind of mentality that can capitalize on something.” ThinkingShouldKindMatterShowsHappensSituationFeetDangerHandleComedianHostMentalityOscars Author:Billy Crystal
“I was introducing [director and producer] Hal Roach - Mr. Roach was 100 years old, he was one of the fathers of early days in films, he put Laurel with Hardy, he created the Our Gang kids, and all these silent movies he did - he was a giant.” YearsKidsFilmFatherDirectorsSilentProducersGiantsIntroducingGangHardyLaurelsRoachesSilent Movies Author:Billy Crystal
“I'm a very private person, regardless of what the world may think of me.” ThinkingWorldMayPersonsThink Of Me Author:Joe Arpaio