The Pink Panther is supposed to use humor to uplift. Instead, I departed this movie feeling depressed. Lifeless comedies can suck the energy out of a viewer, especially when they sully the image of an cinematic icon.

When I said I was going to become a comedian, they all laughed. Well, they're not laughing now, are they?

People used to laugh at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian. Well they're not laughing now.

When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now.

Gentlemen, why do you not laugh? With the fearful strain that is upon me day and night, if I did not laugh, I should die.

I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.

I think comedy is the most difficult thing in the world, I really do. One can always lament, you know — but to laugh in the face of life, that's very hard. And for me the great tragedian should also be a great comedian.

They all laughed when I said I'd become a comedian. Well, they're not laughing now.

Doing drama is, in a sense, easier. In doing comedy, if you don't get that laugh, there's something wrong.

I can't even really tell a joke. I find being funny very hard work. I am always asked about it and I feel guilty saying that, but it's the truth. I love my work but it ain't easy.

Comedy is very hard and I don't know if it's where my heart necessarily is but doing comedy is one of those things where if something is funny right now does not necessarily mean it's going to sustain itself for a year in production and be funny when the movie comes out and that to me is the hardest thing. I love playing different characters and I love doing fun things and I love to entertain people, whether that be in a comedy or a drama. If I get you to laugh or I get you to cry I'm super stoked, as morbid as that might sound.

Comedy is a bit of a masochistic pursuit. If you don't have a masochistic streak, I don't think you can succeed at it, 'cause so much of it is painful. You have to kind of like it, in a sick way: y'know, that this really hurts.

If I didn't have a sense of humor, how could I stand this trial now?

I always say to young people, you can have the best script, be the funniest man, but if they don't laugh — you're not a comedian.