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
When you're going for a joke, you're stuck out there if it doesn't work. There's nowhere to go. You've done the drum role and the cymbal clash and you're out on the end of the plank.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Taking risks in comedy can lead to vulnerability if the joke doesn't land.
Bob Newhart's quote highlights the precarious nature of humor, particularly in live performances. When a comedian attempts a joke, they expose themselves to potential failure; if the audience does not respond positively, they find themselves in a vulnerable position without an immediate way to recover. This sentiment reflects the bravery involved in making others laugh, as the stakes can be high when the punchline misses its mark.
Themes
HumorComedyRiskPerformanceVulnerability
In practice
Example use cases
In a stand-up show, a comedian might refer to this quote when discussing the risks of performing live.
More from Bob Newhart
All quotes →I'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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