I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in salary, so I didn't. Jack Nicholson More Quotes by Jack Nicholson More Quotes From Jack Nicholson I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you and talk to you and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em. Jack Nicholson scare real mean Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's this, it's that. Ask any saloon owner what's happened to social life in America in the past 12 years and they'll tell you it's a different world and these people are strongly misinformed by the media, peer pressure. Jack Nicholson media america people Having kids is the most innately positive thing that anyone can do. Jack Nicholson having-kids can-do kids I would never say, "I'm retired." I believe if I decided to just not work, in six months everybody would just forget whether you were working or not. Jack Nicholson six-months forget believe I'm not a power person. I like everyone to be on an equal footing. Jack Nicholson equal persons I don't want people to know what I'm actually like. It's not good for an actor. Jack Nicholson actors want people I like to not care that much about criticism, but I do care about it. Jack Nicholson i-do-care care criticism I'd give my goddamned soul for just a glass of beer. Jack Nicholson glasses beer giving I was particularly proud of my performance as the Joker. I considered it a piece of pop art. Jack Nicholson pieces proud art Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You!? Jack Nicholson wall gun son I guess this proves there are as many nuts in the Academy as anywhere else. Jack Nicholson oscars prove nuts I never had a policy about marriage. I got married very young in life and I always think in all relationships, I've always thought that it's counterproductive to have a theory on that. Jack Nicholson married marriage thinking Most of the early part of an actor's career, you do the jobs you get. Jack Nicholson actors careers jobs Well, a younger woman is a type, but not necessarily a type for me. And what is a younger woman? I mean, I'm pretty old. Almost everyone is younger. Jack Nicholson wells type mean Believe it or not, I supported Richard Nixon on the issue of presidential privilege. How could anyone conceive of being the president of the United States and think that every single thing that you say or do can become a part of the public record? It just seems so stupid to me. Jack Nicholson stupid believe thinking I'm not hard to get along with. Jack Nicholson hard Dissembling is a common tool of the anger junkie. Jack Nicholson junkie tools common Now comes the part where I relieve you, the little people, of the burden of your failed and useless lives. But remember, as my plastic surgeon always said: if you gotta go, go with a smile. Jack Nicholson useless-life littles people I have given a name to my pain, and it is Batman. Jack Nicholson batman-movie pain names Charlize Theron and Cate Blanchett are very good actresses. Jack Nicholson very-good actresses