“In many ways, the work of a critic is easy: we risk very little, but enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and themselves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that‘s in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. [...] Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere ...”
--Anton Ego, Ratatouille
The discovery of the new and the great is my favorite part of working in comedy. But you want people to be as positively affected by how much you like them as they seem to be when they think you don't like them. I think it's hard for some people to take compliments because either they think you're just being polite or they felt entitled to them all along and are only just finally getting what they deserved. Every part of the entertainment industry feels thankless sometimes because there is so much ego that everyone wants to be recognized more than anybody can possibly recognize you.
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True story: we made Stanley Cavell watch Ratatouille and he loved it. It is an incredible meditation on how to be who you are. And on criticism. And on a thousand other things.
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