Dan Sklar > Quotes

“We are sorely in need of a national reckoning with the soul of our country. We have sold our soul to the belief that the First Amendment covers all forms of hate-speech and fear-mongering that lead to real world tragedies and that the Second Amendment gives every red-blooded American the divine right to acquire military-style weapons that make mass casualties like these commonplace.”
― Dan Sklar, Sh*tshow: A Memoir and 2020 Mixtape: The Tales of a Reluctant Rabbi

“We were out for drinks with composer Stephen Sondheim after a new review of his work and he coyly asked us for our impressions. We, young composers, were all too eager to proffer our criticisms and critiques, full of self-confidence and hubris. The legendary composer looked defeated and deflated. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and said simply, “when a friend asks you for your impression of a new work, you have one role and one role only. To offer unabashed praise and support. I was not looking for a review, I needed affirmation. I need to know that I’m vital and that I have intrinsic value as an artist and as a human being. I don’t care if you actually loved it, your obligation to me, as my friend, is to SAY you loved it.”
― Rabbi Dan Sklar, Sh*tshow: A Memoir and 2020 Mixtape: The Tales of a Reluctant Rabbi