--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think what's dangerous [about comedy]…" description: "\"I think what's dangerous [about comedy] is that you're coming into the room announcing your intentions.\" — Adam McKay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg" --- # I think what's dangerous \[about comedy\] is that you're… ![“I think what's dangerous [about comedy] is that you're coming into the room announcing your intentions.” quote by Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg) > “I think what's dangerous \[about comedy\] is that you're coming into the room announcing your intentions.” [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy’s danger lies in declaring intent, which can limit spontaneity and audience connection. **In simple terms:** Comedy needs subtlety, not overt intent. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity in humor. Themes comedy intent creativity Mood playful analytical Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - improv workshops - scriptwriting - audience feedback Key Concepts theatre communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intent and surprise? - When does clarity enhance comedy? A Different Perspective Over‑cautiousness can dull humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It's one thing to break stuff and damage people's possessions, but when you start aiming at the ideology of America, that's dangerous comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/it-s-one-thing-to-break-stuff-and-damage-people-s-possessions-but/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [See, I'm totally fearless. I got my chops in the most, like, dangerous comedy atmosphere. If you can make it in New York, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maysoon-zayid/see-i-m-totally-fearless-i-got-my-chops-in-the-most-like-dangerous/) [Maysoon Zayid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maysoon-zayid/) > [The safest genre is the horror film. But the most unsafe - the most dangerous - is comedy. Because even if your horror film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-corman/the-safest-genre-is-the-horror-film-but-the-most-unsafe-the-most/) [Roger Corman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-corman/) > [People that want it to just be funny should not despair, because there is so much true crazy comedy coming up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/people-that-want-it-to-just-be-funny-should-not-despair-because-there/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I love edgy comedy. 'Coming to America' still gets me and 'Friday.' I watch old Richard Pryor stand-up on VHS, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamron-hall/i-love-edgy-comedy-coming-to-america-still-gets-me-and-friday-i-watch/) [Tamron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamron-hall/) > [People love authenticity in comedy and, coming from a region, you get a very strong sense of place. They can place you straight away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-love-authenticity-in-comedy-and-coming-from-a-region-you-get-a/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [“Her knees began to shake, not because he was beautiful, which he had always been, but because coming into this room with him here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-michaels/her-knees-began-to-shake-not-because-he-was-beautiful-which-he-had/) [Jess Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-michaels/) > [The Hollywood process is like trying to grill a steak by having a succession of people coming into the room and breathing on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-hollywood-process-is-like-trying-to-grill-a-steak-by-having-a/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I think we've all been in the middle of doing something we cared about, when someone coming in the room and saying 'hello' was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-think-we-ve-all-been-in-the-middle-of-doing-something-we-cared/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [I didn't know why I was coming to this room. Someone just told me to go to Sam Raimi's office. I knew that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/i-didn-t-know-why-i-was-coming-to-this-room-someone-just-told-me-to/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [Originally, I think, I wanted to be an actor. But I got into broadcasting by accident, if you will, because I needed money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/originally-i-think-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-got-into/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [If you're not seeing each other anymore because things are so strained, and your only communication is a weekly e-mail, and you're wondering which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/if-you-re-not-seeing-each-other-anymore-because-things-are-so/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [Stand-up came naturally to me because people in Ireland talk. But that's not talking on panel shows; it is structured fun. It reminds me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/stand-up-came-naturally-to-me-because-people-in-ireland-talk-but-that/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [Nobody, but nobody stays a public-address announcer for more than a couple of years. Truly. Public-address announcing is not a career. Public-address announcers only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-sheppard/nobody-but-nobody-stays-a-public-address-announcer-for-more-than-a/) Bob Sheppard > [I myself have not met a self-confessed liberal since the late fifties (and even then it was a tacky thing to admit, like coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/i-myself-have-not-met-a-self-confessed-liberal-since-the-late-fifties/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) ## More by Adam McKay > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I was a huge fan of comedy in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-comedy-in-high-school/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I think I'm better than Mamet, I would say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-i-m-better-than-mamet-i-would-say/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I'll tell you one thing... no doubt about it, my favorite kind of comedy is talking head comedy. I mean, if it were up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-no-doubt-about-it-my-favorite-kind-of-comedy/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The 'Police Academy' stuff was all hyper-slapsticky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-police-academy-stuff-was-all-hyper-slapsticky/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The only way that Hollywood ever skews toward liberal is because part of what we make out of Hollywood involves writers, actors, directors, musicians,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-only-way-that-hollywood-ever-skews-toward-liberal-is-because-part/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > ['Blazing Saddles' is one of the funniest movies ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/blazing-saddles-is-one-of-the-funniest-movies-ever-made/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [Blanket cynicism toward government has always existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/blanket-cynicism-toward-government-has-always-existed/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I have certain beliefs about how people should treat employees and how companies should be run, but I was really surprised though this process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-have-certain-beliefs-about-how-people-should-treat-employees-and/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [If you're calling yourself a maverick and you're not Dirk Nowitzki, then you are probably not one. In fact, this rule applies to anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/if-you-re-calling-yourself-a-maverick-and-you-re-not-dirk-nowitzki/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [Celebrities and 'famous' people are just regular folks. I know, it's a shocking and potentially dangerous statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/celebrities-and-famous-people-are-just-regular-folks-i-know-it-s-a/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I don't want to speak for my movies; you could say my movies are just completely silly and dumb, but in the case of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-don-t-want-to-speak-for-my-movies-you-could-say-my-movies-are-just/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [A lot of shorts spend too much time setting up the idea; sometimes they meander.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/a-lot-of-shorts-spend-too-much-time-setting-up-the-idea-sometimes/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I think everyone knows the news has become ridiculous. It's entertainment driven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-everyone-knows-the-news-has-become-ridiculous-it-s/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [Word of mouth and the Internet are the only press we have left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/word-of-mouth-and-the-internet-are-the-only-press-we-have-left/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) [Explore all 183 Adam McKay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) ## More Announcing quotes > [I myself have not met a self-confessed liberal since the late fifties (and even then it was a tacky thing to admit, like coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/i-myself-have-not-met-a-self-confessed-liberal-since-the-late-fifties/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [Originally, I think, I wanted to be an actor. But I got into broadcasting by accident, if you will, because I needed money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/originally-i-think-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-got-into/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [If you're not seeing each other anymore because things are so strained, and your only communication is a weekly e-mail, and you're wondering which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/if-you-re-not-seeing-each-other-anymore-because-things-are-so/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [Nobody, but nobody stays a public-address announcer for more than a couple of years. Truly. Public-address announcing is not a career. Public-address announcers only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-sheppard/nobody-but-nobody-stays-a-public-address-announcer-for-more-than-a/) Bob Sheppard > [Stand-up came naturally to me because people in Ireland talk. But that's not talking on panel shows; it is structured fun. It reminds me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/stand-up-came-naturally-to-me-because-people-in-ireland-talk-but-that/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [A group simply announcing a caliphate, is not enough to establish a caliphate,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/a-group-simply-announcing-a-caliphate-is-not-enough-to-establish-a/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [One day I was talking about what I was going to do next, and just found myself announcing it: 'I'm going to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnside/one-day-i-was-talking-about-what-i-was-going-to-do-next-and-just/) [John Burnside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnside/) > [There are times where I'd say the Oval Office, you use to gather the facts. The decisions you probably make late at night, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-times-where-i-d-say-the-oval-office-you-use-to-gather-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There is more in art, with an apology to that much abused word, as applied to photography, than startling display lines, on mounts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-kasebier/there-is-more-in-art-with-an-apology-to-that-much-abused-word-as/) [Gertrude Kasebier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-kasebier/) > [ What happened in Syria was, President \[Barack\] Obama had made a statement announcing what he called his "red line": You can't use chemical weapons,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/what-happened-in-syria-was-president-barack-obama-had-made-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Announcing a withdrawal date, that was wrong. The Taliban may not have watches, but they do have calendars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/announcing-a-withdrawal-date-that-was-wrong-the-taliban-may-not-have/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign announced that it raised over $1.5 million in the 24 hours after he announced his bid. Meanwhile, a 12-year-old on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/bernie-sanders-presidential-campaign-announced-that-it-raised-over-1/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [When a man fails to see the truth of certain generally accepted views, there is no law compelling him to provoke animosity by announcing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/when-a-man-fails-to-see-the-truth-of-certain-generally-accepted-views/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [People have a right to surf the Web without Big Brother watching their every move and announcing it to the world. The Internet marketplace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-speier/people-have-a-right-to-surf-the-web-without-big-brother-watching/) [Jackie Speier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-speier/) > [I had no agenda in writing this play except expressing myself. . . . It later occurred to me that I was not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mart-crowley/i-had-no-agenda-in-writing-this-play-except-expressing-myself-it/) Mart Crowley Browse all 101 Announcing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think what's dangerous [about comedy] is that you're coming into the room announcing your intentions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam McKay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is-that-you-re-coming-into-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Announcing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is-that-you-re-coming-into-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/adam-mckay-2140_announcing_i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is_2674337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think what's dangerous [about comedy] is that you're coming into the room announcing your intentions.” — Adam McKay", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam McKay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think what's dangerous [about comedy]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is-that-you-re-coming-into-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-what-s-dangerous-about-comedy-is-that-you-re-coming-into-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```