I had a bumper sticker on my car for a long time that said, "Kill your television." People helpfully pointed out that I was a total fraud because I was a television writer. George Meyer More Quotes by George Meyer More Quotes From George Meyer Experience as much as you can and absorb a lot of reality. Otherwise, your writing will have the force of a Wiffle ball. George Meyer balls writing reality If there's reason for hope, it lies in man's occasional binges of cooperation. To save our planet, we'll need that kind of heroic effort, in which all types of people join forces for the common good George Meyer future men lying I want to be tolerant of other people's beliefs. I have wonderful friends who are religious, and I don't want to say that they're dimwits. They should certainly be able to pursue what works for them. I'm just saying that it doesn't work for me and I don't want to pretend that it does. George Meyer wonderful-friends religious people The people who seem to have a lock on power get swept out in a couple of years. So it's naïve to keep swinging at the same targets over and over. It took me a long time to realize, but most of the shackles that I flailed against were just illusory. George Meyer couple long years Advertising is a conscienceless industry, populated by cowards and idiots, that warps and drains everyone. It eggs on the worst in all of us. If I could eliminate either advertising or nuclear weapons, I would choose advertising. George Meyer coward eggs weapons There's a built-up tension in religion, and if you can release it, you'll get a huge and satisfying laugh. George Meyer release tension laughing I was brought up Catholic and, of course, I strayed and repudiated it. That's a painful thing to go through, because you have to look back and realize that you wasted a gigantic chunk of your life. George Meyer realizing catholic looks I don't like the antagonism that most religions have for science, and freedom and, frankly, individuality. I do like the Dalai Lama. George Meyer antagonism lama individuality I have a deep suspicion of social institutions and tradition in general. George Meyer institutions tradition social I resisted parenthood for a long, long time. But having a daughter has given me a sense of hopefulness that I didn't have before. George Meyer parenthood daughter long Clever is the eunuch version of funny. George Meyer eunuchs versions clever When people have no interest in a subject, it's very hard to get them to laugh about it. George Meyer interest laughing people The only rule was that the stuff had to be funny and pretty short. To me, the quintessential Army Man joke was one of John Swartzwelder's: 'They can kill the Kennedys. Why can't they make a cup of coffee that tastes good?' It's a horrifying idea juxtaposed with something really banal-and yet there's a kind of logic to it. It's illuminating because it's kind of how Americans see things: Life's a big jumble, but somehow it leads to something I can consume. I love that. George Meyer army coffee men I guess I'm drawn to religion because I can be provocative without harming something people really care about, like their cars. George Meyer provocative car people Instead of three networks you have three hundred or three thousand. Audiences are inundated with programming, and that sometimes gives them a sense of petulant entitlement. George Meyer three sometimes giving I don't like that The Simpsons are spokespeople for Burger King and MasterCard and Butterfinger. In the first Gulf War, I was really upset that the Simpsons characters were being drawn on tanks and bombs. But those are things that I don't control. George Meyer kings character war I have nothing but respect for the purist who won't work for the pharaoh. But I'm not that strong. George Meyer pharaohs strong As a John Kerry supporter, I wanted to send him a check. But then it occurred to me that most of that money would end up in the hands of advertising agencies and television networks. And the money would be used to create deceptive commercials that flatter our point of view and shade the facts our way. And I wasn't comfortable with that. But on the other hand, that's how the game is played. You're always grappling. George Meyer agency views hands You have to respect people's suffering. To deny that the world is unfair and painful for most of the people living in it would be false and judgmental. George Meyer suffering would-be people I tend to look at the world more from Voltaire's perspective. Incidentally, if you haven't read Candide lately, it's a fabulous book. It's riotously, laugh-out-loud funny in a way that no Shakespeare comedy will ever be. George Meyer perspective laughing book
