---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the reason I became funny was…"
description: "\"I think the reason I became funny was because if I made people laugh, they would let me keep talking.\" — Anthony Jeselnik"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png"
---

#  I think the reason I became funny was because if I made…

![“I think the reason I became funny was because if I made people laugh, they would let me keep talking.” quote by Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png)

> “I think the reason I became funny was because if I made people laugh, they would let me keep talking.”

[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.

Humor can be a tool to maintain audience attention and extend speaking time.

**In simple terms:** Being funny keeps people listening.

Key Takeaway

Use humor strategically to engage.

Themes

communication humor attention audience engagement performance

Mood

playful confident

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- stand-up shows
- public speaking
- teaching
- sales pitches

Key Concepts

Social dynamics psychology of laughter strategic self-presentation

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance authenticity with strategic humor?
- When does humor become a barrier?

A Different Perspective

Humor may backfire if perceived as manipulative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-people/) [Keep talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-talking/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [If you're robbing a bank and your pants fall down, I think it's okay to laugh, and let your hostages laugh too, because come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-re-robbing-a-bank-and-your-pants-fall-down-i-think-it-s-okay/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [You gotta just laugh at yourself and let it go and not take things too seriously because life is too short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-hilfiger/you-gotta-just-laugh-at-yourself-and-let-it-go-and-not-take-things/)

[Ally Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-hilfiger/)

> [“Laugh until you cry; never let your eyes look dry This is not a matter of joke; this is all to provoke our sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/laugh-until-you-cry-never-let-your-eyes-look-dry-this-is-not-a-matter/)

[Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/)

> [When the doubts come, see them, feel them, laugh at them and let them go. You cando it and you know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/when-the-doubts-come-see-them-feel-them-laugh-at-them-and-let-them-go/)

Senoraroy

> [“Why not laugh again, and let your joy be my monument?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-roberts/why-not-laugh-again-and-let-your-joy-be-my-monument/)

[Stephanie Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-roberts/)

> [I think there's something funny about people who laugh in the face of convention or surprise us morally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/i-think-there-s-something-funny-about-people-who-laugh-in-the-face-of/)

[Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/)

> [Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/life-does-not-cease-to-be-funny-when-people-die-any-more-than-it/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [But with comedy it's a simple premise. If it's funny, people laugh. If it's not, they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/but-with-comedy-it-s-a-simple-premise-if-it-s-funny-people-laugh-if/)

[Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/)

> [I'm inspired by making people laugh at subjects that should make them cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-m-inspired-by-making-people-laugh-at-subjects-that-should-make-them/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [When the United Nations was born it was believed to be a positive instrument for peace. From this exalted position it became an organization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijaya-lakshmi-pandit/when-the-united-nations-was-born-it-was-believed-to-be-a-positive/)

[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijaya-lakshmi-pandit/)

> [I did play a dentist in Waiting for Guffman. I wrote the speech at the conference. In the original script, when it got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-did-play-a-dentist-in-waiting-for-guffman-i-wrote-the-speech-at-the/)

[Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/)

> [God not only loves his people but delights in each one of us. He takes great pleasure in us. He's actually blessed in keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/god-not-only-loves-his-people-but-delights-in-each-one-of-us-he-takes/)

[David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/)

> [It's just natural, it's not a great disaster. People keep talking about it like it's The End of The Earth. It's only a rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/it-s-just-natural-it-s-not-a-great-disaster-people-keep-talking-about/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Keep talking, someday you'll say something intelligent!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/keep-talking-someday-you-ll-say-something-intelligent/)

[Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/)

> [America's most dangerous and threatening black man is the one who has been kept sealed up by the Northerner in the black ghettos -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/america-s-most-dangerous-and-threatening-black-man-is-the-one-who-has/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

## 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 Comedy quotes

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/)

[Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/)

> [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/)

[Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/)

> [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/)

[Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [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/)

> [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/)

[Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/)

> [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/)

[Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/)

> [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/)

[Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/)

> [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/)

[Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/)

> [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

[Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think the reason I became funny was because if I made people laugh, they would let me keep talking.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anthony Jeselnik"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-because-if-i-made-people-laugh/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comedy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-because-if-i-made-people-laugh/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/anthony-jeselnik-1838_comedy_i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-be_746947.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think the reason I became funny was because if I made people laugh, they would let me keep talking.” — Anthony Jeselnik",
                "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": "Anthony Jeselnik",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think the reason I became...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-because-if-i-made-people-laugh/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-think-the-reason-i-became-funny-was-because-if-i-made-people-laugh/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
