James Acaster Quotes

Most of my show is true; like, 90% of everything I say on stage is true. I just have to find the way to make it funny - that's the difficult thing.

I am trying to work out what my taste is, comedy-wise. I look up to stand up comedians who appear to be telling the truth, but I don't mind if they are lying.

Every Gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of Truth.... Now Rumor travels Faster, but it don't stay put as long as Truth.

I was a terrific liar as a child, and I believe my lies. So it's a natural step into acting.

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.

I'm an actor, but I am an awful liar.

When you're doing stand-up, you want to stand onstage and, to the extent that you can, uncomplicatedly entertain.

I've been a stand-up comedian for years, and I can be silly.

I don't think that we necessarily lie. I mean, we make our living by pretending that we're someone else. I don't tell tall tales. I always tell the truth.

If you want to be thought a liar, always tell the truth.

Truth exists; only lies are invented.

We know how to speak many falsehoods that resemble real things, but we know, when we will, how to speak true things.

Most people don't care if you're telling them the truth or if you're telling them a lie, as long as they're entertained by it.

Sure, I am funny and have a good sense of humor. Mostly, though, I just tell the truth. The internal dialogue people have in their heads - I just write it.

I never told a joke in my life.

Even though I'm an actor, I'm a very bad liar.

You can create many lies from Truth, but you cannot create any truths from lies.

One can be absolutely truthful and sincere even though admittedly the most outrageous liar. Fiction and invention are of the very fabric of life.

With comedians, you have that understanding that we're trying to get laughs.

On some level in acting, what you're trying to find is truth, because when it's true is when it's also funny.

You can be funny and say what you mean; these ideas are not mutually exclusive. Some of the best jokes came from people who meant it. See: Pryor, Bruce, Carlin, etc.

When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback.

It's really challenging to play comedy.

Being a stand-up is my mission in life; it's my passion. My ongoing goal is to simply be funny, on my own, in front of a roomful of strangers.

I think comedy stems from being honest, often painfully so. I hope I can achieve that perspective in my own life and also have fun.