I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the problem: I don't want to satirise George Bush and his puppeteers, I want to vaporise them. Tom Lehrer bushfiguregeorge share on social
I like Jon Stewart. He's not as obnoxious as Dennis Miller, whom I really can't stand. Tom Lehrer dennisjonmiller Change image and share on social
San Francisco is a city of twenty-something millionaire white kids named Doug. Tom Lehrer citydougfrancisco Change image and share on social
I stopped performing because I don't have the temperament of a performer. You have to want to do the same thing over and over again. Once I got it right, I didn't want to do it again. I always use the analogy of a novelist who has to read his novel in public night after night. I just didn't want to do it. Tom Lehrer analogynightnovelist share on social
Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize. Tom Lehrer awardhenrykissinger Change image and share on social
I didn't feel the need for anonymous affection, for people in the dark applauding. To me, it would be like writing a novel and then getting up every night and reading your novel. Everything I did is on the record and, if you want to hear it, just listen to the record. Tom Lehrer affectionanonymousapplaud share on social
I'm not interested in promoting myself or revealing to total strangers anything about me. That's not my job. Tom Lehrer interestjobpromote Change image and share on social
I always prided myself on at least trying to be literate and use the right words, and if the audience didn't get it, then they could go home and look it up. Tom Lehrer audiencehomeliterate Change image and share on social
The people who were in college in the '50s were my first real audience, and their kids, the people who found my records in the cabinet during their 'Mad 'magazine years picked me up also. Tom Lehrer 50saudiencecabinet Change image and share on social
My last public performance for money was in 1967. For free, it was 1972, with the exception of two little one-shot, one-song things. But that's just for friends, out of friendship for the people involved, and also because it was fun. Tom Lehrer exceptionfreefriend share on social