Masters of humor have perspectives and insights few others do. Yes, they can seem irrational and unbalanced at times but, that said, they help us to smile (if not laugh out loud) when we really need to do that. Yes, the humor of Mel Brooks can be outrageous, overcooked, and self-indulgent. But at his best, there’s none better.

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If God wanted us to fly, He would have given us tickets.

I saw the film Jaws. What terrifies a killer white shark? Celebrity Bowling.

He who hesitates is poor.

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.

I only direct in self-defense.

Anybody can direct, but there are only eleven good writers.

Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him.

As long as the world is turning and spinning, we’re gonna be dizzy and we’re gonna make mistakes.

Look, I don’t want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you’re alive you’ve got to flap your arms and legs, you’ve got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you’re not alive.

Humor is just another defense against the universe.