Originally, with all the shows, we went looking for belly laughs. 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 doe culture thinking 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 california facts people 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 caring average people 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 couple christian silly 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-american green two 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-angeles partners writing America is a country of excess. Norman Lear excess country america I think Americans have become a - much more a nation of consumers than citizens. Norman Lear consumers citizens thinking 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 party way thinking 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 thoughtful running long 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 understanding use people There was no real controversy with All In The Family. That came from the people on the business end. Norman Lear real ends people 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 giving order thinking 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 dean together television We are a country of excess. So it's not the violence, per se, but the exacerbation and constant repetition. Norman Lear excess violence country The American people may not be the best-educated, but they're very wise at heart. Norman Lear wise heart people 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 tvs stars television In this nation, leadership is dollars. Norman Lear nations dollars leadership When we went on the air, I didn't want to be interrupted for an act-one curtain. Norman Lear curtains air want