Harold Ramis Quotes

The only thing you can really say in a poem is what you really, really deeply believe.

Lyrics are kind of the whole thing; it's the message. Something might have a beautiful melody but if it's not the truth coming out of your mouth, it's not appealing.

I definitely prefer working in comedy over drama, but at the same time, when it comes to comedy, I tend to prefer comedies that have a great sense of truth to them and that come from an honest place.

What reaches an audience is honesty. If you're saying something truthful that's supposed to be a funny line, it's going to be funny. And if it's supposed to be a serious line, it's going to be serious. But, I don't think there's a distinction between how you play drama or comedy, if it's based in the truth.

Years ago I read an interview with Paula Fox in which she said that in writing, truth is just as important as story. Reading that interview was the first time I really understood that there's no point in trying to impress people with my cleverness when I can just try to write honestly about what matters most to me.

What's the point of a song if you can't be honest?

Acting is all about truth and honesty, and the sensitivity that's capable of transporting you.

I want that every piece of art be honest, never mind what it is about.

For a creative writer possession of the 'truth' is less important than emotional sincerity.

I think comedy has to come from a real place. It has to come from an honest place.

The first question at that time in poetry was simply the question of honesty, of sincerity.

I look at scripts really for whether they can be moving or penetrate some kind of truth. You are constantly chasing that feeling as an actor when every part of a production comes together.

Drama and comedy, to me, are all about being surprising, coherent, and true, all at once.

Being honest is my job. That's what music is for me.

I think there is something so compelling about the truth that whether you're a lawyer or judge or an actor, when you get at that truth, it connects with people on a particular level that I think makes your art more viable.

You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. It has to be honest and it has to have a real emotion behind it, regardless of where it's coming from.

I've always been taught to just play the truth of the situation. If comedy comes out of that, or drama, whatever comes out of it, at least I'm playing the truth of the moment-to-moment reality.

To be honest with my music... for me to expect anyone to connect it has to come from a place of honesty.

Whether I'm acting, writing, or directing, I want to tell the truth about human beings, especially my folk.

I'm a writer. My job is to speak what - that which I think is true. If that bridges the gap, that's good. If it doesn't, that's too bad.

Acting means nothing unless it's truth. And honesty.

I try to stick with things that I can sing with honesty.

Emotional sounds don't lie.

You do your best to tell your own story, in the most specific way, and then you hope that that travels well, when it's done with heart and honesty.

I want to hear the artist. I want to hear them give me something that I can relate to, other than the fact that everything's about bragging.