I suffer from Irish-Catholic guilt. Guilt is a good reality check. It keeps that 'do what makes you happy' thing in check.
When I started The Shins, it really was just me, alone, but it was still The Shins. I was totally recording stuff and writing songs as The Shins and all of that. So the beginning inception of the whole thing was some sort of a lie, I guess.
The thing about abs is if you hit them daily, you feel more put-together.
Much speech is one thing, well-timed speech is another.
The only thing I wanted to accomplish was to finally get recognized by the music industry. If you know the awards, answer me this question: Do you see an award for soul music? No. They have R&B, funk, hip-hop and all sorts of contemporary things.
I decided to not be so dismissive of my music in favor of my acting. Acting has been such a consistent thing for me; a lot of times in the past, I wouldn't have had the confidence with my music to really make it a part of my schedule. I would easily push it to the side, or I would easily take up time that was needed for it.
The whole Indian thing, I always say it's really the American holocaust. It's something we need to look at.
The thing is, I live a very public life, and I have to keep things personal, or else I have no personal life. It's very difficult.
The thing about being famous is, it's weird. The only people who get how weird it is are other famous people.
I am so happy to be alive. That's the one thing I'd like for people to know. Sometimes people walk by and slip up and say the wrong thing about me, and I'll smile. They wonder why am I smiling. Because I'm happy that I'm alive.
You need better technique than I have to play jazz, but what you have to do is the same thing, isn't it?
One thing Della Valle taught me is the power to say no if something isn't right. That mattered even over sales.
It takes a lot of things to prove you are smart, but only one thing to prove you are ignorant.
Sex: the thing that takes up the least amount of time and causes the most amount of trouble.
When you consider what Tony Blair was saying about liberty, human rights and that sort of thing, it would be terribly revolutionary to sell the speeches he and Jack Straw made in 1994.
That's another thing, we made up games. We didn't have equipment. When it snowed, we would play slow motion tackle football. We would play hockey, but we wouldn't skate. We just made things up. I loved doing that.
I mean yes to act out something or take chances in the performance is one thing. But in terms of a camera, whatever's captured is captured so that's a little more daunting.
Prayer is the most important thing that I do.
One thing of the many things that I know about Jesse Jackson, he is persistent.
This is what I believe about performing: There is no reason to be on stage - there is no reason to be there - if you're not going to put all your baggage somewhere else and just be honest. Whatever you're doing - screw it up, do great - just be there, and be honest. That's the most important thing.
I was 12 years old, so auditioning for a TV show was something I didn't even think really happened. The next thing you know, I ended up booking the gig and I did four seasons on 'Emily of New Moon.' I got to learn on the job and kept going from there.
The world must be filled with unsuccessful musical careers like mine, and it's probably a good thing. We don't need a lot of bad musicians filling the air with unnecessary sounds. Some of the professionals are bad enough.
You know, my family and friends have never been yes-men: 'Yes, you're doing the right thing, you're always right.' No, they tell me when I'm wrong, and that's why I've been able to stay who I am and stay humble.
Well, when you're relaxed, your mind takes you to the whole reality. There's no such thing as time when you're really relaxed. That's why meditation works.
It's a horrible thing to realize what you've done.
There's no such thing as second class citizenship. That's like telling me you can be a little bit pregnant.
Truthfully, we don't want my Weezer affiliation to have any bearing on whether someone likes us or not. It's an entirely different thing. The Space Twins have our own chemistry.
The Jewish community is all about love and family, which is the most important thing in my life, too.
'Do the Right Thing' was my first union film. I looked at the rosters, and for the most part, it was white males. Especially the Teamsters. So we had some conversations.
I grew up in a film-loving family. We watched the Oscars every year. My favorite thing in the whole world was film. The Oscars obviously was the holy grail.
One thing I like about Zen. It doesn't believe in achievement.
No man pays double or twice for the same thing, forasmuch as nothing can be spent but once.
Manners is the key thing. Say, for instance, when you're growing up, you're walking down the street, you've got to tell everybody good morning. Everybody. You can't pass one person.
There are a lot of singers who cannot sing to save their lives. We have to accept it, but thank God there is such a thing as live shows. It's only when people are faced with live shows that the world gets to know how good or how bad they are.
My family is the most beautiful thing in my life beyond anything else, even music.
Sometimes being old is used as an insult, which is bizarre because, if you're lucky, that's literally going to happen to you. It's a strange thing to gloat about: being born recently.
