Hollywood OVERHEARD

“Failure is a very good teacher.” Joe Roth, on his Revolution Studio’s box-office bombs like Tears of the Sun, Hollywood Homicide and Gigli, which played havoc with both his reputation as a moviemaker and Sony’s moviemaking bottom line

“We’re very happy with the arrangement.” Amy Pascal, head of Sony Picture Entertainment’s movie production, about the studio’s deal with Roth’s Revolution

“I don’t want to be associated with some ‘Stripperella’ crap.” Director Spike Lee, claiming that Viacom’s changing the name of its TNN cable network to Spike TV was an attempt to unfairly trade on his name and reputation

“Well, leave it to a network for men to launch prematurely.” Albie Hecht, president of Spike TV, about the effect of Spike Lee’s injunction against the channel

“We didn’t know what to expect in marriage anyway, so we thought that it was the perfect time to actually have cameras with us.” Jessica Simpson, telling CNN why she and her husband, singer Nick Lachey, agreed to do their MTV reality show, Newlyweds

“So what if I thought Chicken of the Sea tuna was actually chicken? Or that I thought buffalo wings were actually made out of buffaloes. So what if I cried for three whole days when I thought Peter Pan was ground up to make peanut butter? So what if I never learned to read or write, and when I sign autographs, I have to sign with an X?” Justin Timberlake, playing Jessica Simpson on Saturday Night Live

“I save a million bucks, and the deficit grows like William Bennett’s credit line on a one-armed-bandit bender at Bally’s.” Ben Affleck, accepting a liberal political award and explaining why rich people don’t need the Bush administration’s tax cuts

“I have a perfect part for you in my movie Terminator 4.” Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to fend off repeated attacks from Arianna Huffington during the only gubernatorial-recall debate the actor agreed to participate in

“Yes, it is true that I was on rowdy movie sets and I have done things that were not right which I thought then was playful, but I now recognize that I have offended people.” Gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger, after denying, admitting, then not remembering sexually groping women against their will as detailed in a Los Angeles Timesarticle

“I’m going to check right away your tax returns.” Newly elected Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, complaining to Jay Leno that The Tonight Show host shouldn’t have looked at his watch during Arnold’s election-night victory party, which Leno emceed

“Really, if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would.” Maryland first lady Kendel Ehrlich complaining about the pop princess’ sexually provocative image. Later, the governor’s wife claimed to have been kidding

“I had never seen him violent like that, with a gun or anything, not personally.” Accused murderer Phil Spector’s ex-wife, who once testified he threatened to hire a hit man to kill her

“It was like the worst Baretta we ever shot in my life.” Robert Blake, about the day police came to arrest him on charges he murdered his wife.