--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a comedy writer, I'm a comedian…" description: "\"I'm not a comedy writer, I'm a comedian, so I only write stuff that I would want to say.\" — Anthony Jeselnik" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedian_i-m-not-a-comedy-writer-i-m-a-comedian-s_2386226.png" --- # I'm not a comedy writer, I'm a comedian, so I only write… ![“I'm not a comedy writer, I'm a comedian, so I only write stuff that I would want to say.” quote by Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedian_i-m-not-a-comedy-writer-i-m-a-comedian-s_2386226.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedian_i-m-not-a-comedy-writer-i-m-a-comedian-s_2386226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedian_i-m-not-a-comedy-writer-i-m-a-comedian-s_2386226.png) > “I'm not a comedy writer, I'm a comedian, so I only write stuff that I would want to say.” [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He creates material that aligns with his personal comedic voice, refusing to write jokes that don’t suit him. **In simple terms:** He only writes jokes he would say himself. Key Takeaway Stay authentic to your own style. Themes authenticity comedy creative integrity Mood confident irreverent Type humorous motivational When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - writing workshop - personal branding - content creation Key Concepts self‑expression audience connection personal brand Questions to Reflect On - Do you write only what you would say? - How does personal taste shape your work? A Different Perspective May limit audience reach if personal taste is niche. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedian Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian-write-2351125/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-writer-289365/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Write Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-stuff/) [Writer Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-comedian-567763/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Louis CK went from a writer/comedian to winning Emmys for his own show because he works his ass off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-alexandro/louis-ck-went-from-a-writer-comedian-to-winning-emmys-for-his-own/) [Ted Alexandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-alexandro/) > [I am not so secretly a comedian. I write a lot of my own material if you've seen videos I've done. I write jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-am-not-so-secretly-a-comedian-i-write-a-lot-of-my-own-material-if/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I had this website that, at one point, I listed myself as 'actor, writer, comedian, and fart enthusiast' just because I thought that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-had-this-website-that-at-one-point-i-listed-myself-as-actor-writer/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [As somebody who started as a writer and comedian, I didn't expect this kind of career, and it's been really amazing to play and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/as-somebody-who-started-as-a-writer-and-comedian-i-didn-t-expect-this/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) > [The idea of two actors in a relationship can be explosive and scary, but the good thing is that he is also a writer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/the-idea-of-two-actors-in-a-relationship-can-be-explosive-and-scary/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [I didn't plan to be the rude middle-class comedian. 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You write down all this stuff - all this bad, stupid stuff - and then you have to get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/songwriting-is-like-editing-you-write-down-all-this-stuff-all-this/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [Anyone watching '30 Rock' always knew Tina Fey was playing a fictionalized version of herself, a workaholic comedy writer who also plays one on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/anyone-watching-30-rock-always-knew-tina-fey-was-playing-a/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Twitter is the most amazing medium for a comedy writer. I can't get in every idea I want on the show no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/twitter-is-the-most-amazing-medium-for-a-comedy-writer-i-can-t-get-in/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I think that's part of being a comedy writer. You have to be confident. If you're sitting around worrying about, like, oh my God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mandel/i-think-that-s-part-of-being-a-comedy-writer-you-have-to-be-confident/) [David Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mandel/) > [I hope and assume that every good comedy writer, no matter the age, has a moment where they discover how great Cheers is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-hope-and-assume-that-every-good-comedy-writer-no-matter-the-age-has/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) ## More by Anthony Jeselnik > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I want people to just be paying attention even if they're not necessarily laughing at something, or if it takes them a while to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-want-people-to-just-be-paying-attention-even-if-they-re-not/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I have a twelve year old sex doll. Brand new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-a-twelve-year-old-sex-doll-brand-new/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Perhaps I'm being too optimistic, but I think this country is finally ready for a black serial killer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/perhaps-i-m-being-too-optimistic-but-i-think-this-country-is-finally/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Father's Day makes me wish I could talk to my Dad just one more time, instead of all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/father-s-day-makes-me-wish-i-could-talk-to-my-dad-just-one-more-time/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [About a year after I moved to Los Angeles, I decided I wanted to be a joke writer for a late night talk show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/about-a-year-after-i-moved-to-los-angeles-i-decided-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [When I was little, I would burn ants with a magnifying glass. But now that I'm older, I'm more of a cat guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/when-i-was-little-i-would-burn-ants-with-a-magnifying-glass-but-now/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I'm fascinated by offensive subject matter. Always have been. It is very natural to me, as any teach I've ever had growing up could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-m-fascinated-by-offensive-subject-matter-always-have-been-it-is/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I got into comedy because I wanted to get into writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-got-into-comedy-because-i-wanted-to-get-into-writing/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I actually never acted on "Deadwood." I have meetings all the time where people look at my IMDb page and see that I played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-actually-never-acted-on-deadwood-i-have-meetings-all-the-time-where/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I was a weird kid because I liked to be alone, but I craved attention. It was important for me to be cool, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-was-a-weird-kid-because-i-liked-to-be-alone-but-i-craved-attention/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I know her in the biblical senseand when I say that, I mean I don't believe a word she says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-know-her-in-the-biblical-senseand-when-i-say-that-i-mean-i-don-t/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I love Pittsburgh. Most of my family still lives there and I try to get back a couple of times a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-love-pittsburgh-most-of-my-family-still-lives-there-and-i-try-to/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I think brilliant stuff comes out of working with limitations. One liners are very limiting, but that's what drew me to them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-think-brilliant-stuff-comes-out-of-working-with-limitations-one/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I love anyone who surprises me and makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-love-anyone-who-surprises-me-and-makes-me-laugh/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) [Explore all 204 Anthony Jeselnik quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) ## More Comedian quotes > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. 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We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [When a soldier of the night's watch dies they say, "And now his watch is over." That's what they say when a comedian dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/when-a-soldier-of-the-night-s-watch-dies-they-say-and-now-his-watch/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. 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I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [No matter what town we went to, if there was a comedian playing, I'd go watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/no-matter-what-town-we-went-to-if-there-was-a-comedian-playing-i-d-go/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [I'm a comedian who happens to be Latino. What's the difference? 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