Scott Adsit Quotes

Powerful Scott Adsit for Daily Growth

About Scott Adsit

Scott Adsit is an accomplished American actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, and puppeteer, best known for his work on "Sesame Street," "30 Rock," and Disney's "Phineas and Ferb." Born in Farmington, Michigan, on March 25, 1965, Adsit developed a passion for performance at an early age. He studied acting at Northern Michigan University before moving to Chicago to join the renowned improvisational comedy troupe, The Second City. In 1994, Adsit joined the cast of Sesame Street as Elmo's surrogate father, Bob McGrath. During his seven-year tenure on the show, he brought humor and heart to the iconic children's program. His work on Sesame Street led him to collaborate with comedian Jon Stewart, who was also a writer for the show at the time. This association paved the way for Adsit's next significant role as Pete Hornberger on the NBC sitcom "30 Rock" (2006-2013), where he portrayed the boss of Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. Adsit's journey in animation began with his work on Disney's Emmy Award-winning series "Phineas and Ferb" (2007-2015), where he voiced several characters including Major Monogram, Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz's robotic henchmen, and Carl the Cashier. His exceptional voice acting skills have since been showcased in various animated films and series such as "Big Hero 6," "Finding Dory," and "Gravity Falls." Adsit continues to be a versatile artist, with a knack for comedy, drama, and heartfelt performances. His work on television, film, and stage serves as a testament to his talent and commitment to the arts.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I think the secret to improv is, 'Yes, and...'"

The quote by Scott Adsit, "I think the secret to improv is, 'Yes, and...'", emphasizes the importance of collaboration and building upon each other's ideas in improvisation. The phrase "Yes, and..." means accepting and affirming a partner's idea (the "yes") while adding something new or developing it further ("and"). This approach fosters a supportive environment where ideas can grow organically, leading to creative and unexpected outcomes. In essence, the quote highlights the power of cooperation, flexibility, and creativity in improvisation and many other aspects of life and work.


"It's always worth taking a risk for something you love."

The quote by Scott Adsit emphasizes that when one has a deep affection or passion for something, it is wise to take calculated risks. This notion encourages individuals to pursue their interests and dreams fearlessly, even if they involve uncertainty, as the potential rewards can be significant. It underscores the importance of embracing change and following your heart, trusting that the love you have for your chosen path will guide and sustain you through challenges.


"Humor, I feel, can be used as a tool to help people understand each other better."

This quote by Scott Adsit suggests that humor has the power to facilitate empathy and understanding among people. By using humor, we can create a lighter environment, making it easier for individuals to connect, communicate, and perceive one another's perspectives more easily. In essence, humor serves as a bridge, helping us break down barriers and foster stronger interpersonal relationships.


"The greatest gift you can give another person is the pure feeling of joy."

The quote by Scott Adsit emphasizes the profound impact that sharing genuine joy with others can have. By giving someone the experience of pure, unadulterated happiness, we provide a priceless gift. This kind of joy transcends material possessions or temporary pleasures; it leaves a lasting impression and fosters deeper connections between individuals. The implication is that if more people focused on creating joy for one another, our world could be filled with more love, empathy, and unity.


"In improv, and in life, we're always looking for that 'Yes, and...' moment, where both parties contribute to something bigger and more beautiful than either could have created alone."

This quote by Scott Adsit emphasizes the importance of collaboration, teamwork, and mutual respect in improvisation (a form of theater) and life. The "Yes, and..." moment signifies the acknowledgment and acceptance of an idea or contribution, followed by the addition of something new. In this dynamic, both parties contribute equally to a shared creative endeavor, resulting in a collective effort that surpasses individual capabilities. Adsit suggests that such collaboration, where each individual's contributions build upon one another, can lead to remarkable and beautiful outcomes in both improvisation and everyday life. Essentially, the quote underscores the power of unity, cooperation, and open-mindedness as key ingredients for success and growth.


I think most of my tastes were British, as far as comedy went, when I was growing up.

- Scott Adsit

Think, Comedy, I Think, Tastes

I got an agent when I needed one, when I had a contract negotiation for the first time. I was doing the Second City E.T.C., and I got invited to audition for the last season, it turns out, of 'In Living Color.'

- Scott Adsit

Color, Doing, Agent, Contract

Networks like Adult Swim allow artists to be artists and allow their vision to come through without a lot of tinkering. I worked on 'Moral Orel' and 'Mary Shelley's Frankenhole,' and they bothered us very little. They very, very seldom came to us and said 'Change this,' or 'You can't do that,' or 'We'd like to see this.'

- Scott Adsit

Through, Very, Allow, Shelley

What crushed my soul was hanging out with bitter, desperate comics backstage. They're a different breed than the bitter yet eager psyches in the wings of an improv theatre. Struggling stand-ups have externalized self-loathing into an art form. They're a hunching, quaking, unshaven lot.

- Scott Adsit

Soul, Desperate, Eager, Breed

'Monty Python' and 'The Simpsons' have ruined comedy for writers for the rest of our lives.

- Scott Adsit

Rest, Python, Lives, Monty Python

I've heard New York actors say Chicago actors intimidate them because apparently we're the real nitty-gritty actors who're in a town where being onstage doesn't necessarily get you anything except your craft.

- Scott Adsit

Craft, Your, Necessarily, Intimidate

It's hard to tell what is even mainstream anymore because there's so many platforms now. And they're all topics of conversation.

- Scott Adsit

Tell, Mainstream, Topics, Platforms

I'm afraid of my mother's paranoia. The more she watches Fox News, the more afraid she gets.

- Scott Adsit

Mother, News, She, Paranoia

I still feel very close to the people I wrote shows with and some of the people I toured with. I feel very close to them, like a family or like college friends who you know and who have seen you at your worst and you spend 14 hours driving a van all piled on top of each other.

- Scott Adsit

College, Some, Very, Toured

I never looked at my future as comedy. Even at Second City, I always thought of it as acting. I knew I was going to be an actor financially, emotionally, egotistically.

- Scott Adsit

Thought, Always, Looked, Financially

I never looked at my future as comedy. Even at Second City, I always thought of it as acting. I knew I was going to be an actor, financially, emotionally, egotistically. I still don't think I'm in comedy.

- Scott Adsit

Think, Always, Still, Financially

I see my share of loons. I just performed with someone who had a meltdown on stage. He needed focus, and he was 'stealing it' and just being crazy and selfish and childish and having a great time doing it - to the detriment of everybody else.

- Scott Adsit

Doing, Everybody, Detriment, Meltdown

My first car was a Buick Skyhawk from, like, '78, I think. I ran that thing into the gutter. It was shaped like an egg; it was cool.

- Scott Adsit

Egg, Think, I Think, Ran

New York has surprised me a couple of times. I was a snob about pizza, but I've found one or two places that allow me to forget deep dish for a while.

- Scott Adsit

New, Allow, Couple, Snob

The way I was brought up in improv was that any idea you have is not as good as your partner's idea, so if I see someone else initiating at the same time I am, I just defer to them because I assume their idea is going be better. And hopefully, they're doing the same with me.

- Scott Adsit

Doing, Defer, Brought, Assume

I think the longer a sitcom is on the air, by necessity, the dumber the characters have to get: otherwise, they would be learning and growing, and they won't be funny, so they have to get more and more extremely whatever they are.

- Scott Adsit

Think, I Think, Otherwise, Dumber

I'm a basket case. Yeah, you know, I put my foot in my mouth more than I speak properly.

- Scott Adsit

More, Basket, Yeah, Case

I went to film school at Columbia and did that for a couple years, and really thought I was going to be a filmmaker, and then I kind of drifted over to the acting side after that.

- Scott Adsit

Over, Couple, Film School, Drifted

I went to film school at Columbia and did that for a couple years and really thought I was going to be a filmmaker, and then I kind of drifted over to the acting side after that. I'd been an actor in high school, and when I got to college, it was all about film.

- Scott Adsit

College, Couple, Film School, Drifted

I came up through Second City, so I'm used to playing 20 characters every night who are very different from each other. I wouldn't want my career to be any different.

- Scott Adsit

Through, Other, Very, Every Night

The rules of improvisation apply beautifully to life. Never say no - you have to be interested to be interesting, and your job is to support your partners.

- Scott Adsit

Interesting, Rules, Apply, Beautifully

I would be onstage all the time if I could.

- Scott Adsit

Time, Could, Would, If I Could

The hardest part about improv is getting the audience to relax and enjoy themselves, because most improv is not very good, and the audience is nervous for the performers the whole time. Not that they don't even like the show, but they feel bad for the performers.

- Scott Adsit

Audience, Very, Performers, Hardest Part

New York is almost as important as Chicago, improv-wise.

- Scott Adsit

New York, Important, New, Chicago

I did a bunch of commercial voiceovers in Chicago before I left. For Balducci's pizza, I did a whole series. Actually I was making a good living with voiceover before I left.

- Scott Adsit

Living, Making, Commercial, Chicago

'Baymax' is quite different. I think when Don Hall found the title and didn't know it, he researched and saw great potential in the relationship between a boy and a robot.

- Scott Adsit

Think, I Think, Saw, Potential

People just associate me with comedy - not that I mind. I don't mind that at all.

- Scott Adsit

Mind, Me, Comedy, Associate

I might've been witty, but I didn't have a shtick. So, I never considered myself a comedian.

- Scott Adsit

Never, Been, Might, Comedian

I never planned to be a comedian. I don't consider myself one now.

- Scott Adsit

Myself, Never, Now, Comedian

Every time that you do a play or a show of any kind, really you have this family that you really build something with for a while, and then we all dissipate, but you always have that connection, that eternal kind of intimacy, you'll always have.

- Scott Adsit

Play, Kind, Always, Connection

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