Steve Martin

You know, there's a moment when you're famous when it's unbearable to go out because you're too famous. And then there's a moment when you're famous just right.

Thankfully, perseverance is a good substitute for talent.

I thought yesterday was the first day of the rest of my life but it turns out today is.

You want to know how I think art should be taught to children? Take them to a museum and say, 'This is art, and you can't do it.

The Matisse seemed to respond to the decreasing light by increasing its own wattage. Every object in the room was drained of color, but the Matisse stood firm in the de-escalating illumination, its beauty turning functionality inside out, making itself a more practical and useful presence than anything else in sight.

For a while, Mirabelle believes there will be a moment when he will cave in and let himself love her, but eventually she lets the idea go. She hits bottom. She dwells in the muck for several months, not depressed exactly, but involved in a mourning that at first she thinks is for Ray but soon realizes is for the loss of her old self.

Lacy was just as happy alone as with company. When she was alone, she was potential; with others she was realized.

With a cheery delicacy she divided my obsessions into three categories: acceptable, unacceptable, and hilarious.

Only then does he realize what he has done to Mirabelle, how wanting a square inch of her and not all of her has damaged them both, and how he cannot justify his actions except that, well, it was life.

The banjo is such a happy instrument--you can't play a sad song on the banjo - it always comes out so cheerful.