“He explained how ridiculous the clowning was, and there and then I dec...” — Mary Lou Williams Quote

He explained how ridiculous the clowning was, and there and then I decided to settle down and play seriously.

Within a few hours I had them off, was about ready to play the shows. That night I opened, and during the week Harris was over to the house to talk my mother into letting me leave home.

When Seymour saw me seated at the piano at that first rehearsal, he shouted: 'What's that kid doing here? Call your piano player and let's get started.'

Quite a few musicians came to our house. And my ma took me to hear many more, hoping to encourage in me a love of music. But she wouldn't consent to my having music lessons, for she feared I might end up as she had done - unable to play except from paper.

I do love situational comedy, clowning, and slapstick; I approach that with a lot of respect. The goofier you are, it doesn't mean you're going to be funnier.

I think most actors are probably very shy - if you're a good one. Putting yourself out there in that way is terrifying, and we all try to hide behind characters. That's how we're able to be our most vulnerable, is by clowning.

My father was always clowning around. It was a huge influence on me. In my family, everything is turned into a joke.

I am always joking and always clowning, giving and helping.

I went to Paris for a year in 1986 to study theatre; there was a lot of clowning around, buffoonery and fencing. It was then that my own style kind of blossomed.