You know, one of the things I like about this world, or at least I like about the way we're presenting this world, is these issues are terribly complicated - not nearly as black and white as we're led to believe. Aaron Sorkin More Quotes by Aaron Sorkin More Quotes From Aaron Sorkin The Monica Lewinsky scandal was happening at the very time I was writing the West Wing pilot and it was hard, at least for Americans, to look at the White House and think of anything but a punch line. Plus a show about politics, a show that took place in Washington, had just never worked before in American television. So the show was delayed for a year. Aaron Sorkin house writing thinking I like workplace shows and White House was a very glamorous workplace to set a show in; it appealed to a sense of romanticism and idealism that I have. Aaron Sorkin glamorous workplace house The hardest thing for me is getting started. If I'm writing a script, really 90 per cent of it would be just walking around, climbing the walls, just trying to put the idea together. Then the final 10 per cent would be writing it. Aaron Sorkin wall writing trying I wrote the show West Wing for the two years before and the two years after 9/11. Suddenly everyone in the world had been through something that our characters had not been through; the whole trajectory of the world had changed. Yet our show took place in a parallel universe. I wasn't really sure what to do about this. In no one's wildest dreams did it occur that an event like this could possibly happen. Aaron Sorkin dream character world There's that process of writing it - then you come out of your room into the sunlight, and you now have to complete the circuit and make the connection finally with the audience. Aaron Sorkin connections writing rooms It's a combination of life being unpredictable, and you being super dumb. Aaron Sorkin screw-ups dumb graduation It's nice that HBO is in business with the audience and not with the advertisers. There's a difference. Aaron Sorkin hbo differences nice Well, I must tell you I write the scripts very close to the bone. So I'm writing episode seven now and couldn't tell you what happens in episode eight. Aaron Sorkin eight scripts writing She's a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news. Aaron Sorkin doctors news persons It wouldn't kill you to watch a film or pick up a newspaper once in a while. Aaron Sorkin film newspapers watches I grew up in the theatre. It's where I got my start. Writing a television drama with theatrical dialogue about the theatre is beyond perfection. Aaron Sorkin perfection writing drama There's a great tradition in storytelling that's thousands of years old, telling stories about kings and their palaces, and that's really what I wanted to do. Aaron Sorkin kings stories years Make no mistake about it, you are dumb. You’re a group of incredibly well-educated dumb people. I was there. We all were there. You’re barely functional. There are some screw-ups headed your way. I wish I could tell you that there was a trick to avoiding the screw-ups, but the screw-ups, they’re a-coming for ya. It’s a combination of life being unpredictable, and you being super dumb. Aaron Sorkin mistake memorable graduation Develop your own compass, and trust it. Take risks, dare to fail, remember the first person through the wall always gets hurt. Aaron Sorkin hurt graduation inspirational Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism. Aaron Sorkin conflict journalism television Elite is not a bad word, it's an aspirational one. Aaron Sorkin elites bad-word I'm sick of girls who don't know how to high-five. Aaron Sorkin know-how sick girl We lead the world in only 3 categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined, 25 of whom are allies. Now none of this is the fault of 20 year old college student, but you nonetheless are without a doubt a member of the worst period generation period ever period, so when you ask what makes us the greatest country in the world I don't know what the f...k you're talking about. Aaron Sorkin real believe country I don't want to analyze myself or anything, but I think, in fact I know this to be true, that I enter the world through what I write. I grew up believing, and continue to believe, that I am a screw-up, that growing up with my family and friends, I had nothing to offer in any conversation. But when I started writing, suddenly there was something that I brought to the party that was at a high-enough level. Aaron Sorkin growing-up party believe Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens that try to destroy it? Toby: God bless America. Aaron Sorkin night country america
