Keep Away From Fantasy. Shake Off The

The California I Knew, Old Rancho California, Is Gone. It Just Doesn't Exist, Except Maybe In Little Pockets. I Lived On The Edge Of The Mojave Desert, An Area That Used To Be Farm Country. There Were All These Fresh-produce Stands With Avocados And Date Palms. You Could Get A Dozen Artichokes For A Buck Or Something. Totally Wiped Out Now.

Being A Writer Is So Great Because You're Literally Not Dependent On Anybody. Whereas, As An Actor, You Have To Audition Or Wait For Somebody Else To Make A Decision About How To Use You, With Writing, You Can Do It Anywhere, Anytime You Want. You Don't Have To Ask Permission.

It's Hard To Explain Why Exactly, But I Think That When I Began Writing Plays, It Was From An Actor's Point Of View More Than Anything. I Had The Feeling That If You Put Yourself In The Position Of The Actor On Stage And Write From That Perspective, It Would Give You A Certain Advantage In Terms Of Being Inside Of The Play.

We're Being Sold A Brand New Idea Of Patriotism. It Never Occurred To Me That Patriotism Had To Be Advertised. Patriotism Is Something You Deeply Felt. You Didn't Have To Wear It On Your Lapel Or Show It In Your Window Or On A Bumper Sticker. That Kind Of Patriotism Does Not Appeal To Me At All.

Hollywood Is Geared Toward Teenage Idiocy.