The best advice I was probably given and the best advice I could give someone who is trying to get into the comedy field is to take advantage of every opportunity you have to work to hone your skills.
Bob NewhartRead
But I really believe that if you have the ability, there is an obligation to make people laugh
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humor can be a tool for improving others' lives, and those who can should use it to bring joy.
In this quote, Bob Newhart emphasizes the duty of those with the talent for humor to share it with others. He suggests that laughter has the power to uplift people, and therefore, it is a responsibility for those who possess the ability to create joy through comedy to do so, contributing positively to society.
Themes
LaughterObligationHumorAbilityMake People Laugh
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a comedy club, to emphasize the importance of laughter as a community builder.
More from Bob Newhart
All quotes βI've always said people say on a dramatic show, 'I was crying. It was so emotional when he went and grabbed that little girl from a burning building and handed her over to her mother.' In comedy, the best thing you can say is, 'I think it's funny.'
Bob NewhartRead
Jack Benny was, without a doubt, the bravest comedian I have ever seen work. He wasn't afraid of silence. He would take as long as it took to tell the story.
Bob NewhartRead
I've been told to speed up my delivery when I perform. But if I lose the stammer, I'm just another slightly amusing accountant.
Bob NewhartRead
I certainly don't delude myself that there aren't certainly more important things to do in life than make people laugh, but I can't imagine anything that would bring me more joy.
Bob NewhartRead
I found the most difficult thing when you became successful - when I had the record album, it won Album of the Year - that you were cut off from the source of your material. Your material was everyday people, and you were kind of cut off from that, and you had to work at it.
Bob NewhartRead
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