Even if you meet the perfect person, it ain’t gonna be at the perfect time. You’re married, they’re single. That’s right. You’re Jewish, they’re Palestinian. You’re a Mexican, they’re a raccoon. You’re a black woman, he’s a black man.
Chris RockRead
The thing I try to get across to the writers - and I do a lot of writing, too - is that when I do stand-up, nothing I talk about is funny. Everything is really sad and tragic and then I make it funny.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Comedy often draws from sad and tragic experiences, transforming them into something humorous.
In this quote, Chris Rock emphasizes the idea that the essence of his comedy stems from deeper, often darker experiences. He suggests that what appears to be funny on stage is rooted in sad and tragic realities; it is his skillful articulation that transforms these experiences into humor, providing a unique lens through which the audience can view pain and laughter simultaneously.
Themes
ComedyTragedyHumorWritingSadness
In practice
Example use cases
In a stand-up routine discussing coping with loss.
More from Chris Rock
All quotes →I kind of keep my personality in my pocket a lot. When I start to do stand-up, that's not my true personality either. It's the personality of a guy who hasn't been able to say what he wanted to say.
Chris RockRead
There's some downsides to being famous, which are not even worth mentioning. But to combat the bad sides of being famous, you really should take advantage of the good sides. The good sides are, you can use that fame to get projects you might not normally get.
Chris RockRead
If you want to prevent abortions, you make sure everyone has health care, a high school education and birth control. Not the exact opposite.
Chris RockRead
Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren't free but I'm sure they enjoyed fireworks.
Chris RockRead
Karaoke isn't fair when you're a comedian. The whole idea is to get people laughing and enjoying themselves, and I'm a professional funny guy.
Chris RockRead
Similar quotes
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
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
Satire is a composition of salt and mercury; and it depends upon the different mixture and preparation of those ingredients, that it comes out a noble medicine, or a rank poison.
Francis Jeffrey, Lord JeffreyRead
Second to agriculture, humbug is the biggest industry of our age.
Alfred NobelRead
I don't mind what people say about me as long as it's an opinion or the truth. If someone says, 'He's the worst comedian in the world,' that's fine. If someone says, 'His face makes me want to punch the TV,' that's fine. But if they say, 'Oh, and I know for a fact he hunts squirrels,' I go: no, no, no... that's a lie.
Ricky GervaisRead
I know it’s not the right thing to say to a lady, miss, but you are sweating like a pig!" "My mother always said that horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies merely glow…" "Is that so? Well, miss, you are glowing like a pig!
Terry PratchettRead