“I think if anybody had a roll of dice with a lot of money at stake, they would not want Wes Craven and a romantic comedy.” IfsThinkingWantComedyStakesLots Of MoneyDice Author:Wes Craven
“I have always felt like romantic comedies are incredibly predictable. You look at the poster and you know those two are ending up together at the end of the movie.” KnowsLooksTwoEndsTogetherFeltComedyPredictablePosters Author:Jason Segel
“Stand-up is an art but since it's humor and it's funny - a lot of guys that don't think it's art are probably coming from the angle that they don't want to take it so seriously. I've always looked at it as an art but I don't look at it as a pretentious art. I understand it has to be taken lightly because it is just comedy in the end, but the good stand-up comics are someone with something to say.” ThinkingWantLooksArtEndsGuyTakenComedyAnglePretentious Author:Mitch Hedberg
“When you start out in comedy, or probably in a lot of things, you want it to happen fast. You don't want to see yourself having to do this for seven years before you start to get some feedback.” WantYearsHappensComedySevenFeedbackSeven Years Author:Mitch Hedberg
“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I don't have to do anything except bring wine and go to my sister's all day and go to the movies with the family. So, actually, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but there's not much comedy material on Thanksgiving. Melatonin really isn't that funny.” ComedyMaterialsWineMy FavoriteHolidayMy SisterMelatonin Author:John Waters
“Comedy is a funny thing, and it's really not like any other art form in that it's very specialized and varied in it's content, but generic in it's title. You would never go to a club just to see "Live music," you would go to a jazz club to see jazz, a blues club to see blues, etc. But when you go to see "standup comedy," if you don't know the performers material, you really don't have any idea what you're gonna get.” IfsKnowsArtIdeasFormComedyMaterialsJazzClubsTitlesEtcPerformersFunny ThingsGenericLive Music Author:Joe Rogan
“I'm a nightclub comic. That's what I do. I work in the clubs uncensored because my mind is uncensored, and those are the thoughts that I have. I do the kind of comedy that I would enjoy seeing.” MindKindEnjoyComedySeeingClubsComicNightclubs Author:Joe Rogan
“I'm not a big believer in the sense of Jews having a monopoly on comedy.” BigsComedyJewBelieverMonopoly Author:Woody Allen
“I've been writing for a long time, since the late '60s. But it hasn't been in the same form. I used to write scripts for television. I wrote for my comedy act. Then I wrote screenplays, and then I started writing New Yorker essays, and then I started writing plays. I didn't start writing prose, really, until the New Yorker essays, but they were comic. I didn't start writing prose, really, until the '90s. In my head, there was a link between everything. One thing led to another.” WritingLongPlayFormUsedComedyOne ThingTelevisionLateLong TimeScriptsComicProseLinksEssaysScreenplaysNew Yorkers Author:Steve Martin
“With comedy, you never know until you put it in front of an audience. You shoot it and a year later you have no idea if it's going to work. And then you get the response. It's great when it's good.” IfsKnowsYearsIdeasAudienceComedyFrontsResponseNo IdeaGoing To Work Author:Steve Martin
“I can juggle. I started juggling as a kid. And when I worked at Disneyland, I knew a juggler there named Christopher Faire, and he taught me how to juggle. I used it in my comedy act for a while.” I CanKidsUsedComedyTaughtDisneylandJugglingJugglers Author:Steve Martin
“I think probably the most difficult challenge was just the climb and rise in show business because I went through my entire twenties with some success as a comedy writer but not much as a performer. And you have to be kind of informed and naive at the same time.” ThinkingKindShowsDifficultChallengesComedyTwentiesClimbsBe KindPerformersNaiveShow BusinessDifficult Challenges Author:Steve Martin
“I knew I wanted to be in show business so I took the path of least resistance. I loved comedy. But you never know you are funny until people laugh. It's just what I was interested in. I could make people laugh, I guess, but doing it at school and doing it onstage are very different things.” PeopleKnowsDifferentShowsWantedSchoolLaughingPathComedyResistanceDifferent ThingsShow BusinessMaking People LaughPath Of Least Resistance Author:Steve Martin
“I knew I wanted to be in comedy but the path of least resistance was doing stand-up in folk music clubs where I could get on stage. I guess you could get up no matter how bad you were and you didn't have to audition. You just got up. Everything else required an audition and if you auditioned for a TV show, you would stand in line with a hundred other people. But at the clubs, it was okay just to get up, so that's why I started in stand-up.” PeopleIfsMatterShowsWantedLinesPathComedyStageTvsHundredOkayFolksClubsResistanceGet UpTv ShowsAuditionsFolk MusicPath Of Least Resistance Author:Steve Martin
“For me and most of my friends who are comedians, if you've been doing comedy for a while, your tolerance for things actually moves. I find it very hard to be shocked, and when other people aggressively take offense to something, I'm sometimes confused.” PeopleIfsSometimesHardMovingComedyMy FriendsToleranceComedianConfusedOffenseShocked Author:Demetri Martin
“Comedy is the only form of entertainment where the audience doesn't know what to expect. In an evening, you might get ten comics doing ten different things. That's not what happens when you go to hear music. There isn't a classical performance followed by a hoedown followed by rap.” KnowsDifferentMightHappensFormAudienceComedyTenPerformancesEntertainmentRapEveningDifferent Things Author:Jon Stewart
“I had my own insecurities, which a lot of my comedy would come from, about not being able to live up to their academic expectations. Acting out those insecurities was a way of confronting them, like, “Let me just lean into being a guy who can’t read or write.”” WayWritingAbleGuyMy OwnActingComedyExpectationsLet MeInsecurityAcademicConfrontingActing Out Author:Charlie Day
“People aren't stupid. People wanna see good movies, especially comedies. Those by the books comedies, I don't get it. Who likes those? Nobody likes those.” PeopleBookComedyStupidLikesStupid PeopleGood Movie Author:Emma Stone
“Comedy has a responsibility to be a voice of society, so within that, there's always going to be those that talk about those subjects and things that are going on in the world.” WorldVoiceResponsibilityComedySubjects Author:Keenen Ivory Wayans
“I'm really happy that I've been able to make people laugh and distract them from their day to day bullshit at a comedy show or because they enjoyed one of my CDs or TV specials, but I don't know how many people have actually had life changing thoughts because of it.” PeopleKnowsShowsAbleLaughingKnow HowComedyTvsEnjoyedLife ChangingBullshitDay To DayCdsMaking People LaughReally HappyComedy Shows Author:Joe Rogan
“The beautiful thing about podcasting is it's just talking. It can be funny, or it can be terrifying. It can be sweet. It can be obnoxious. It almost has no definitive form. In that sense it's one of the best ways to explore an idea, and certainly much less limiting than trying to express the same idea in stand up comedy. For some ideas stand up is best, but it's really, really nice to have podcasts as well.” WayTryingWellsIdeasBeautifulFormTalkingComedyNiceSweetBest WayBeautiful ThingsReally NiceObnoxiousStand Up ComedyPodcasting Author:Joe Rogan
“The classic comedian says there's nothing that's taboo; if you laugh at one thing you've got to laugh at everything, that comedy is taking people to dark areas and showing them the light.” PeopleIfsLightDarkLaughingComedyOne ThingAreasComedianClassicTaboo Author:Bo Burnham
“The strength of comedy is I don't have to answer to anybody but sometimes you want to learn from other people and see your ideas strengthen by other people.” PeopleWantIdeasSometimesAnswersComedy Author:Bo Burnham
“If comedy is about surprises, about tension, there's a lot of tension and surprise there, in the fact that people are expecting this to be natural.” PeopleIfsFactsNaturalComedySurpriseTensionExpecting Author:Bo Burnham
“I'm very interested in trying to make comedy shows that are a bit bigger, more theatrical, more of a "show." Some people might say I'm trying too hard, but that's a compliment to me. I like to inject a bit of production value and flair to comedy, or at least to my little corner of comedy.” PeopleTryingLittlesHardShowsMightValuesBitsComedyBiggerProductionsCornersComplimentTheatricalFlairComedy ShowsTrying Too Hard Author:Bo Burnham
“I know it's the comedian's instinct to say, "Do it, man, nothing's off-limits! It's cool, bro!" I don't know if that's the answer for me. "Do I really want to make a joke about a miscarriage when a woman in the audience might have had one?" I don't worship comedy; at the end of the day I don't fall to the altar of comedy unquestioningly.” IfsKnowsMenWantEndsMightFallAnswersAudienceComedyLimitsWorshipJokesInstinctComedianThe End Of The DayAltarsBrosMiscarriage Author:Bo Burnham
“Comedy should be a source of positivity. I don't want to bully people, and I don't want people to come to my show to feel terrible about something. I'm actually very open to having a conversation about what I should or shouldn't say.” PeopleWantFeelsShouldShowsComedySourceTerribleConversationPositivityBully Author:Bo Burnham
“I am completely open to doing a romantic comedy, but I will never do something just for the sake of doing a specific genre or because it's the time or place to do a different type of movie. I think that would be a huge mistake.” ThinkingDifferentWould BeMistakeComedyHugeTypeSakeGenre Author:Leonardo DiCaprio
“When you see Charlie Chaplin, he stays funny. He doesn't become drama, and so what really seems to endure is comedy.” SeemsComedyDramaEndureCharlieChaplin Author:Leslie Nielsen
“As a live stand-up comedy performer, I have the benefit of choosing real entrance music.” RealComedyBenefitsPerformersEntrancesStand Up Comedy Author:John Hodgman
“I've made my evolutionary purpose and had children. I don't care if anybody likes me, I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm going to do a whole comedy show about swimming in the loathsomely cold waters of Maine.” IfsWantChildrenMadeWholeShowsCarePurposeWaterComedyColdDon't CareLikesI Don't CareSwimmingMaineCold WaterComedy Shows Author:John Hodgman
“I don't care if I tell that story and John Roderick gets up afterward and yells, 'I hope you enjoyed the white privilege, mortality comedy of John Hodgman!' That's me!" I'm going to play a sad Handsome Family song at the end and I guarantee you everyone is going to love it because, sometimes, you need a grown man or woman to tell you what you like.” IfsMenNeedsEndsSometimesPlayStoriesCareSongWhiteComedyPrivilegeDon't CareGet UpEnjoyedI Don't CareGuaranteesMortalityHandsomeWhite PrivilegeGrown Man Author:John Hodgman
“There are two types of actors. There's the actors who can acknowledge that they could never do standup comedy. Then there's the pretentious ones, who believe that acting is harder than standup comedy. I definitely don't think it is. I also think making a comedy is substantially harder than making a drama.” ThinkingBelieveTwoActorsActingComedyTypeDramaHarderAcknowledgePretentious Author:Jim Jefferies
“In the stand-up comedy top, there's room for everyone - if you're good, there's room for everyone. You'll put on your own show - no one casts you. You cast your own show as a stand-up comedian. When you get good at stand-up comedy you book a theater and if people show up, people show up. If people don't show up, people don't show up. You don't have a director or a casting agent or anybody saying if you're good enough - the audience will decide.” PeopleIfsBookEnoughShowsRoomsAudienceComedyDirectorsTheaterCastsAgentsComedianGood EnoughCastingStand Up ComedyStand Up Comedian Author:Jim Jefferies
“I can't imagine being a woman in the world of acting, like where you age starts to weigh you down - you go from being attractive to where they [directors] decided you're out... I feel like with stand-up comedy, it doesn't matter if I've gotten fatter.” IfsWorldFeelsI CanMatterAgeActingComedyImagineDirectorsDecidedAttractiveBeing A WomanStand Up Comedy Author:Jim Jefferies
“Comedy is more difficult than drama. I think it's really difficult to make someone laugh because people have very different comedic sensibilities. In drama, you can get away with being a great actor and surrounded by great actors and having good writing. But in comedy you have to listen and you have to perform with a certain rhythm, because if you don't, it's like playing a wrong note in the orchestra and you can hear the off key and it will fall flat and you won't get that instant response.” PeopleIfsThinkingWritingDifferentCertainFallActorsDifficultLaughingComedyKeysDramaNotesResponseRhythmInstantGet AwayFlatsSensibilityOrchestraGood WritingGreat ActorsComedicMake Someone Laugh Author:Aimee Garcia
“In college I was one of six males who auditioned for five male roles in a comedy play. I was the one rejected. At that moment I made up my mind never to place myself at the mercy of some pompous, goateed, black-turtleneck-shirted "should I yay him or nay him?" pantywaist ever again.” ShouldMindMadePlayMomentsBlackRolesFiveComedyCollegeSixMercyMalesThat MomentShould IRejectedPompousTurtlenecksYay Author:Emo Philips
“What I'm doing when I'm doing my speaking engagements is that I'm delivering serious material with humor. So, instead of delivering humor without a particular point other than to entertain people, I'm delivering comedy in a serious way.” PeopleWayComedyParticularSeriousMaterialsEngagementDelivering Author:Andy Andrews
“I try not to make social consciousness a massive part of my music or comedy because I prefer to be an entertainer first and foremost, then do actual grassroots work when I can.” TryingFirstsI CanSocialConsciousnessComedyMassiveEntertainersGrassrootsSocial Consciousness Author:Doc Brown
“I try not to be influenced when it comes to being creative, just in order to sustain my own voice and character. However, I do have many inspirations from the worlds of literature, music, comedy and film.” WorldTryingCharacterInspirationFilmOrderLiteratureVoiceMy OwnCreativeComedyBe Creative Author:Doc Brown
“When I slid into comedy, naturally the first thing I said was, "hello, I am a washed up rapper."” FirstsSaidComedyRapperHello Author:Doc Brown
“I think I'm not uber into the comedy scene, but I love to laugh, especially in our business, where you're always front and center over an extremely, sometimes overly-critical live audience. I think it helps to laugh.” ThinkingSometimesHelpingAudienceLaughingComedyFrontsSceneCriticalUber Author:John Cena
“You learn to laugh at yourself and you also lean on comedy as a crutch to kind of take the edge off because comedians often are self-deprecating and they cross lines that they shouldn't. Stuff like that brings a smile to my face every once in a while when needed.” KindSelfFacesStuffLinesLaughingComedyNeededCrossesEdgesComedianCrutchesLaugh At YourselfSelf DeprecatingLearn To Laugh At Yourself Author:John Cena
“I wasn't disciplined at all. As good of an athlete as I was, I was not disciplined. Had I had the drive that I have in comedy, and acting, and writing, that's why I knew it just wasn't right for me.” WritingActingComedyAthlete Author:Bernie Mac
“THE FACT THAT MY DAD IS A PREACHER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T AGREE WITH SOME OF MY MATERIAL BUT THEN AGAIN THERE'S NO SIGN ON MY COMEDY EVENT THAT SAYS "REVIVAL HERE TONIGHT". IM SURE GOD HAS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN GO TO MY 8 OCLOCK OMAHA SHOW. THE SHOW IS THE SHOW AND CHURCH IS CHURCH.” ImportantFactsShowsChurchComedyEventsMaterialsDadAgreeImportant ThingsMy DadThings To DoTonightPreacherRevivalOmaha Author:Larry the Cable Guy
“MY ACT IS 'NOTHING BUT COMEDY. I TALK SOUTHERN BECAUSE I PICKED IT UP WHEN I MOVED TO THE SOUTH. IM NOT TRYING TO MAKE ANY SOCIAL POLITICAL POINT, NOR AM I TRYING TO MAKE FUN OF REDNECKS. I GREW UP A COUNTRY KID AND WILL ALWAYS BE ONE. I GREW UP WITH PEOPLE THAT SAID CERTAIN THINGS FUNNY AND I PREFORM USING THE SAME LANGUAGE BECAUSE I FIND IT HYSTERICLE. THATS IT. ITS A COMEDY SHOW THAT IS FUNNY AND THATS IT.” PeopleTryingSaidCountryShowsKidsPoliticalCertainLanguageFunSocialComedyGrewGrew UpMovedSouthSouthernRedneckComedy Shows Author:Larry the Cable Guy
“I LOVE THE COMEDY CLUBS AND THE CLOSENESS OF THE CROWD. HOWEVER THE MORE YA DO THE BIG ROOMS THEY START TO BECOME YOUR HOME AS WELL AND YOU ADJUST TO THE SURROUNDINGS. I LOVE THEM BOTH. I MISS THE CLUBS BUT THATS WHAT YA WORK FOR TO DO THE BIG ROOMS!” WellsHomeBigsRoomsComedyMissingCrowdsClubsSurroundingsClosenessComedy Clubs Author:Larry the Cable Guy
“If i wouldn't have done comedy, I would have been a teacher. I was really good when I took an exploratory teaching class in high school, at getting kids' attention, and delivering lesson plans. Though my principal even told me that this was what I was meant to do. And that being a big-mouth comedian was a waste of time.” IfsHas BeensDoneBigsKidsSchoolAttentionClassComedyTeacherPlansTeachingLessonsWasteMouthsHigh SchoolComedianWasting TimePrincipalDelivering Author:Gabriel Iglesias
“Comedy Central made me delete the Boston Marathon joke. I wasn't happy about it but, despite popular belief, I can occasionally be a team player.” MadeI CanBeliefComedyPlayerTeamJokesDespiteBostonMarathonTeam PlayerBoston Marathon Author:Anthony Jeselnik
“I can stand by a tweet. But Comedy Central said they couldn't publicly support me, unless I deleted it. I wasn't about to tell the people who work for me that they didn't have jobs anymore because I wasn't going to delete a stupid tweet.” PeopleSaidI CanJobsSupportComedyStupidTweetSupport Me Author:Anthony Jeselnik