I told personal stories the way [Bill] Cosby would spin a yarn for ten minutes. I think in hindsight it works better as a long story than as a condensed monologue. Ed Helms More Quotes by Ed Helms More Quotes From Ed Helms So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track. Ed Helms track desire long Don't be afraid of fear. Because it sharpens you, it challenges you, it makes you stronger; and when you run away from fear, you also run away from the opportunity to be your best possible self. Ed Helms opportunity running graduation I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them. Ed Helms old-days wish way I found myself often asking the question, "Who deserves to be made fun of?" Depending on your mood, the answer can be no one or everyone. It took me a while to understand the math of how those field pieces came together. I don't think that ridicule is ever funny, but there are times when that gets the biggest response. Ed Helms math fun thinking I mean they [ Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis] are both just really good guys and also they're both extremely funny in very unique ways. We made each other laugh an awful lot, and that goes a long way. And we also went through some hard times. I mean it was hard to make this movie [The Hangover]. Ed Helms hangover hard-times mean I worked as an assistant editor, actually, for a few years. That was right when I was just starting to get out at night and do a lot of stand-up, improv, and sketch work in New York. It really is invaluable. I think it pounded into me an awareness of what an editor wants and needs, in terms of clarity of a moment, where and when to start and stop a line. Ed Helms new-york night thinking Chickens are a symbol of chaos. Wherever you stick a chicken, unless it's a chicken farm, it's just chaos. Ed Helms chaos chickens sticks It's a fascinating culture [the South in the Civil War period] and so rife with comedic possibilities. And not in a way that...I have no intention of making fun of re-enactors. I think it's more just a celebration of their passion and enthusiasm, which is so infectious and maybe at times a little misguided. Ed Helms passion fun war Who among us wouldn't rush out and buy a Pepsi if we thought it would make the Osborne's disappear? Ed Helms pepsi disappear ifs It's incredibly fun to play someone that you don't like. It exorcises your own demons in a way. It's cathartic. We all have things that we don't like about ourselves, little things. And I get to amplify those things and put them out there. It's fun and it has a cleansing effect. Ed Helms amplify play fun I feel like I'm worried about my later years in life because I feel like I'm using up so much good karma right now. There's going to be some sort of karmic backlash somewhere down the road. Ed Helms worried karma years I think the culture of Civil War re-enacting is also incredibly fascinating. Ed Helms war culture thinking When you try hard at everything you do, even when it feels foolish to do so, you’re opening up doors and possibilities you might not be seeing in the moment. Ed Helms opening-up doors trying This may come as a surprise, given the nature of my job, but I am very guarded and contemplative. I'm not a naturally boisterous person. Ed Helms boisterous may jobs Vulnerability is huge. I love to see that in characters. It's something I feel like a lot of my comedic heroes have always done. Ed Helms done hero character I grew up in Georgia and I think if you're raised in the South it's where a lot of the war was fought, and it's just more present in the sort of psyche of the South. So I've always just been interested and sort of fascinated by [Civil War]. Ed Helms georgia war thinking When you're in New York City or Los Angeles, even if you're not dealing with show business, there's still this sense that it's the center of the universe. And I think that's a really dangerous, limiting mindset. Ed Helms cities new-york thinking I had envisioned doing comedy since childhood. For sure. Ed Helms childhood comedy I cannot stress this enough - if you try to install an HDTV in a non-HDTV compatible house, you may tear the space-time continuum. Ed Helms stress space house I'm working on a script right about Civil War re-enactors who go back in time to the actual Civil War. It's kind of a big, crazy Back to the Future comedy. So, of course, it's the Civil War - I play the banjo. I was just having a conversation with one of the producers about some of the material and he was like, 'You know, we have to work in a scene where you play the banjo. And I was like I'll get behind that. Ed Helms crazy play war
