I wanted to work with Bert Lahr [the 'Cowardly Lion' in 'The Wizard of Oz'], and I did. Norman Lear More Quotes by Norman Lear More Quotes From Norman Lear I think for television generally, the question that often arises is, "Does television lead, or does it follow?" You know, does it lead the conversation, or culture, or does it follow what's going on? And I think it does both. Norman Lear doeculturethinking I get a kick out of the fact that people will pick on the writers in California for being responsible for the content. The people seriously responsible for the content are the people who buy it. Norman Lear californiafactspeople It crossed our minds early on that the more an audience cared - we were working before, on average, 240, live people. If you could get them caring - the more they cared, the harder they laughed. Norman Lear caringaveragepeople We had a Judeo-Christian ethic hanging around a couple thousand years that didn't help erase racism at all. So the notion of the little half-hour comedy changing things is something I think is silly. Norman Lear couplechristiansilly We had two African American writers [Eric Monte and Michael Evans] on the show ['Good Times'] that knew Cabrini Green inside and out, and that's why we set it there. Norman Lear african-americangreentwo I started by writing, with my partner Ed Simmons, a monologue for Danny Thomas, that he performed at Ciro's nightclub in Los Angeles. Norman Lear los-angelespartnerswriting America is a country of excess. Norman Lear excesscountryamerica I think Americans have become a - much more a nation of consumers than citizens. Norman Lear consumerscitizensthinking The complete control of one party over everything - I would, I think, feel the same way if it were [the Democrats in charge]. It's not the American way. Norman Lear partywaythinking The evidence seems clear that those business which actively serve their many constitutencies in creative, morally thoughtful ways also, over the long run, serve their shareholders best. Companies do, infact, do well by doing good. Norman Lear thoughtfulrunninglong The establishment uses that rationale all the time, and that's why we do what we do. But leadership requires some understanding that you can say no. People have base instincts, but the transcendent also appeal to them. Norman Lear understandingusepeople There was no real controversy with All In The Family. That came from the people on the business end. Norman Lear realendspeople I think that of most leaders in religion as power brokers. They give orders, in a sense, to an audience every week, and that's where the definition of God starts. Norman Lear givingorderthinking Power is the goal of religion in general. Norman Lear goal We all [Ed Simmons,Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis] started together, so there were no rules - anything we wrote became television. Norman Lear deantogethertelevision We are a country of excess. So it's not the violence, per se, but the exacerbation and constant repetition. Norman Lear excessviolencecountry The American people may not be the best-educated, but they're very wise at heart. Norman Lear wiseheartpeople Ed Simmons and I became stars in the emerging medium of television. We were new and fresh, just like TV at the time, so we automatically became 'THE' comedy writers for television. Norman Lear tvsstarstelevision In this nation, leadership is dollars. Norman Lear nationsdollarsleadership When we went on the air, I didn't want to be interrupted for an act-one curtain. Norman Lear curtainsairwant
