26 Paul Merton Quotes for You to Enjoy

Paul Merton

British Comedian

Born: Jul 9, 1957

About Comedy First Me People You

Related authors: Alexei Sayle Eddie Izzard Eric Morecambe Jack Whitehall John Oliver Stephen Fry Tim Vine Tommy Cooper

My school days were the happiest days of my life; which should give you some indication of the misery I've endured over the past twenty-five years. Paul Merton

Life You School Days School My Life Past Indication Some Give Misery Over Days Were Years Endured Which Happiest Should Twenty-Five

The thing about improvisation is that it's not about what you say. It's listening to what other people say. It's about what you hear. Paul Merton

You People Listening Other Say People Say About Hear Improvisation Thing

And like the old stereotype, I overcame my shyness by making my friends laugh. Paul Merton

Old Laugh Stereotype Like Overcame Making Friends Shyness

I remember being fascinated by the very nature of comedy from the age of 10; why is this funny, and that isn't? Paul Merton

Funny Nature Age Remember Comedy Very Being Fascinated Why

When I was nine I spent a lot of my time reading books about the history of comedy, or listening to the Goons or Hancock, humour from previous generations. Paul Merton

Time History Comedy Listening Reading Nine Humour Books Spent About My Time Previous Generations Reading Books Lot Time Reading The History Of

All disc jockeys are without talent. Noel Edmonds - I can't stand Noel Edmonds. Paul Merton

Talent Disc Without Stand

I read every book about Buster Keaton and Chaplin to see how they worked - it's all about dedication, tunnel vision, pursuit of perfection, getting the gag right. Paul Merton

Book Vision Dedication Every Chaplin See About Pursuit Perfection Read How Getting Gag Tunnel Tunnel Vision Worked Keaton Buster Right

There's something magical about film, it's the ultimate for me, because it's kind of permanent - inasmuch as anything is. When I went to see Buster Keaton when I was about 14 and I came out of the cinema having really laughed at this film which had been made 50 years before, I thought: That's immortality. It's fantastic. Paul Merton

Me Cinema Thought Made Before Laughed Out Kind Immortality See About Magical Something Having Had Because Permanent Came Ultimate Been Years Anything Which Fantastic Inasmuch Really Keaton Buster Film

When things are difficult, awful, stressful, the thing that always gets you through is a sense of humour. I don't mean - well, maybe I do - laugh at the hangman as he puts the noose around your neck. But an eye, an ear, for the ridiculous, the absurd in life, can get you through a lot. Paul Merton

Life You Sense Difficult Humour Laugh Eye Through He Puts Absurd Well Around Always Lot Get Gets Hangman Maybe Mean Your Ridiculous Awful Thing Things Ear Neck Stressful

On my first day in New York a guy asked me if I knew where Central Park was. When I told him I didn't he said, 'Do you mind if I mug you here?'. Paul Merton

Am I allowed to call myself working-class now? Because obviously I'm now very rich. Paul Merton

Myself Rich Allowed Obviously Call Because Am Very Working-Class Now

I really don't take any interest at all in contemporary comedy. Paul Merton

Comedy Take Contemporary Any Interest Really

I've never been disappointed by politicians. I've never invested that much in them in the first place. Paul Merton

First Politicians Invested Never Disappointed First Place Been Place Them Much

I think having an outsider's viewpoint is interesting and good, especially for a comedian. Paul Merton

Good Think Having Outsider Comedian Interesting Viewpoint

In fact, I don't watch a lot of contemporary comedy for fear of being influenced by it. Paul Merton

Fear Comedy Fact Contemporary Lot Being In Fact Influenced Watch

When I turned about 12 or 13, I realised that being funny wasn't about remembering jokes. It was about creating them. Paul Merton

Funny Jokes About Remembering Being Realised Being Funny Them Turned Creating

In 1986, I was attacked in the street as I helped Neil Mullarkey from the Comedy Store Players to put up posters. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time - midnight - and we were English. I got kicked in the head. Paul Merton

In 1987, I was in Edinburgh doing my first one-man show. I took part in a kickabout with some fellow comedians and tripped over my trousers and heard this cracking sound in my leg. A couple of days later I went into a coma and was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. Paul Merton

Maybe there's a perception of me as grumpy old bugger who suffers from depression. It's a total misconception. I don't think of myself as any grumpier than the next person. I'm not even grumpy first thing in the morning. Paul Merton

Generally speaking, politicians are an odd bunch. They seem to have very thick skins and genuinely don't care what people think. And charm is a very important part of the politician's armoury. I try to resist that kind of charm. Paul Merton

In a psychiatric hospital, a lot of people believe that people on TV are talking to them directly through the screen. I'm with about 500 of these people, and I'm on TV every Friday night. As I was queuing up for breakfast one morning, one guy nearly jumped out of his skin. My first thought was to go 'Woooo!' Paul Merton

Morning People Thought First Breakfast Skin Believe Every One Morning Out TV About Guy Directly Through Hospital Talking Go His Friday Friday Night Lot Up Psychiatric Screen Them Nearly Night

I was never one to go up to someone as a five- or six-year-old and say, 'Hello, my name's Paul, will you be my friend?' But I found if I did an impression of the PE teacher or whatever and people laughed, then they did like me, and so then they started talking to me, rather than me making the initial overture and then maybe being rebuffed. Paul Merton

Teacher Me You People Will Whatever Say Laughed My Friend Someone Rather Never Name Like Talking Making Go Friend Impression Up Five Than Did Maybe Being Paul Then Hello Initial Found Started

It seems like a contradiction, but the shy person who is a performer actually does make sense, because in a way, when you're young and shy, making people laugh is a good way to make friends. It's an instant connection. Paul Merton

Good You People Young Sense Way Laugh Seems Good Way Instant Performer Like Make Because Does Making Friends Contradiction Person Who Connection Actually Shy Shy Person

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