Saying women aren't funny is now like saying Asians can't drive or saying black people have bad credit. It's just really, like, so obsolete.
Whitney CummingsRead
Sometimes the funnier you are, the more vulnerable and scared you are underneath it all. So I think, for me, comedy was always a defense. It was a weapon so that you can't hurt me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humor can often mask deeper feelings of fear and vulnerability.
In this quote, Whitney Cummings expresses the idea that humor serves as a protective mechanism against emotional pain. By using comedy, individuals can shield themselves from hurt and portray a facade of strength, even though they may be struggling with their own vulnerabilities. This highlights the complex relationship between laughter and pain, where humor becomes a way to cope with life's challenges.
Themes
HumorVulnerabilityComedyDefenseFear
In practice
Example use cases
In a stand-up comedy show where the comedian discusses personal fears and vulnerabilities.
More from Whitney Cummings
All quotes →Similar quotes
I'm very good at integral and differential calculus, I know the scientific names of beings animalculous; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
W. S. GilbertRead
How art thou out of breath when thou hast breath To say to me that thou art out of breath?
William ShakespeareRead
I walk the streets, take the train, it's real simple. Some actors create their own mythology: 'Oh, I'm so famous I can't go places, because I created this mythology that I'm so famous I can't go places.'
Samuel L. JacksonRead
Most comedy is based on getting a laugh at somebody else's expense. And I find that that's just a form of bullying in a major way. So I want to be an example that you can be funny and be kind, and make people laugh without hurting somebody else's feelings.
Ellen DegeneresRead
I can't afford to die; I'd lose too much money.
George BurnsRead
There are so many low points with stand-up. You are perpetually humiliated, so it doesn't really matter anymore. I don't have any dignity left to lose. An audience can’t hurt you anymore when you’ve been completely dismantled.
John OliverRead