Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
Alan AldaRead
Usually, comedy shows only influence other comedy shows. 'M*A*S*H' is one of the few comedies that influenced dramatic shows as well.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the unique impact of 'M*A*S*H' as a comedy that transcended its genre to influence dramatic storytelling.
'M*A*S*H' is significant not just as a comedic show, but as a cultural touchstone that blurred the lines between comedy and drama. Alan Alda emphasizes that while most comedies tend to inspire only similar works, 'M*A*S*H' set a precedent for integrating humor with serious themes, thereby shaping the narrative style of future dramatic television.
Themes
ComedyDramaInfluenceTelevisionNarrative
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the evolution of television, one might cite this quote to show how innovative storytelling can break genre boundaries.
More from Alan Alda
All quotes βBegin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in.
Alan AldaRead
Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself.
Alan AldaRead
Here's my Golden Rule for a tarnished age: Be fair with others, but keep after them until they're fair with you.
Alan AldaRead
If you know what you're looking for, that's all you'll get - what's previously known. But when you're open to what's possible, you get something new - that's creativity.
Alan AldaRead
I found I wasn't asking good enough questions because I assumed I knew something. I would box them into a corner with a badly formed question, and they didn't know how to get out of it. Now, I let them take me through it step by step, and I listen.
Alan AldaRead
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