--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a dangerous profession I had…" description: "\"It was a dangerous profession I had chosen ... because no one likes a funny kid. In fact, adults are scared silly of them and tend to warn children who..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/art-buchwald-8223_adults_it-was-a-dangerous-profession-i-had-chos_1784040.jpg" --- # It was a dangerous profession I had chosen ... because no… ![“It was a dangerous profession I had chosen ... because no one likes a funny kid. In fact, adults are scared silly of them and tend to warn children who act out that they are going to wind up in prison or worse. It is only when you grow up that they pay you vast sums of money to make them laugh.” quote by Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/art-buchwald-8223_adults_it-was-a-dangerous-profession-i-had-chos_1784040.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/art-buchwald-8223_adults_it-was-a-dangerous-profession-i-had-chos_1784040.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/art-buchwald-8223_adults_it-was-a-dangerous-profession-i-had-chos_1784040.jpg) > “It was a dangerous profession I had chosen ... because no one likes a funny kid. In fact, adults are scared silly of them and tend to warn children who act out that they are going to wind up in prison or worse. It is only when you grow up that they pay you vast sums of money to make them laugh.” [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how society undervalues comedic talent in youth, only rewarding it financially when the performer matures and gains fame. **In simple terms:** Kids who are funny are often discouraged, but later they can earn big money. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture humor early. Themes humor societal values career development Mood reflective critical Type observational social commentary When to use this quote - childhood teasing - career mentorship - entertainment industry - education policy Key Concepts cultural criticism economic incentive Questions to Reflect On - How can we support creative kids without waiting for fame? - What structures can reward humor earlier? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize the experiences of all comedians. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Adults Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-scared-1886905/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Chosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chosen/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-profession-805329/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Funny kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-kid/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Likes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likes/) [Likes Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likes-funny-1886906/) [Make Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-laugh/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [Mathematics is a dangerous profession; an appreciable proportion of us go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/mathematics-is-a-dangerous-profession-an-appreciable-proportion-of-us/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I wanted to be a standup comic because I grew up on Joe Pasquale, Kenny Everett, Tommy Cooper. And everyone likes the funny guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pearson/i-wanted-to-be-a-standup-comic-because-i-grew-up-on-joe-pasquale/) [Adam Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pearson/) > [“It came down to that flexibility of a person’s mind. An ability to withstand horrors and snap back, like a fresh elastic band. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cutter/it-came-down-to-that-flexibility-of-a-person-s-mind-an-ability-to/) [Nick Cutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cutter/) > [Of course, the slightest little mistake on the wire will deprive me of my life, so in that sense, yes, it is a dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/of-course-the-slightest-little-mistake-on-the-wire-will-deprive-me-of/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [Poetry is a dangerous profession between conflict and resolution, between feeling and thought, between becoming and being, between the ultra-personal and the universal -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/poetry-is-a-dangerous-profession-between-conflict-and-resolution/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“Is cooking dangerous?" Most would answer no. But what is a gas range but a short - range flame thrower? Any number of flammable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sakurazaka/is-cooking-dangerous-most-would-answer-no-but-what-is-a-gas-range-but/) [Hiroshi Sakurazaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sakurazaka/) > [It is true that I should have been surprised in the past to learn that Professor Hardy had joined the Oxford Group. But one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/it-is-true-that-i-should-have-been-surprised-in-the-past-to-learn/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The surprising thing is that I was not funny in high school. I was always jealous of the funny kids because they always got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-surprising-thing-is-that-i-was-not-funny-in-high-school-i-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I got into trouble a lot in school. They say you're a disturbance in class. You're a distraction, they're moving you around. You never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfrey/i-got-into-trouble-a-lot-in-school-they-say-you-re-a-disturbance-in/) [Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godfrey/) > [I think I was always a class clown growing up and a funny kid. I never really knew how to channel that until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lapkus/i-think-i-was-always-a-class-clown-growing-up-and-a-funny-kid-i-never/) [Lauren Lapkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lapkus/) > [Comedy wasn't something I chose - it chose me. I was just inherently funny when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/comedy-wasn-t-something-i-chose-it-chose-me-i-was-just-inherently/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [Things that make you weird as a kid will make you great tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-victore/things-that-make-you-weird-as-a-kid-will-make-you-great-tomorrow/) [James Victore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-victore/) > [There are just so many funny kids and teenagers. They're just not aware of how funny they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-bayer/there-are-just-so-many-funny-kids-and-teenagers-they-re-just-not/) [Vanessa Bayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-bayer/) > [I think I was always a pretty funny kid, making my family, friends, and classmates laugh. But I never realized it was an actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/i-think-i-was-always-a-pretty-funny-kid-making-my-family-friends-and/) [Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/) > [I was a hop-around. I hung out with the rockabilly crew, the guys who were trying to be rappers, the funny kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-was-a-hop-around-i-hung-out-with-the-rockabilly-crew-the-guys-who/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) ## More by Art Buchwald > [The things that matter most are not things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/the-things-that-matter-most-are-not-things/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Every time you think television has hit its lowest ebb, a new program comes along to make you wonder where you thought the ebb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/every-time-you-think-television-has-hit-its-lowest-ebb-a-new-program/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I found out I'd spent my whole life believing things that weren't necessarily accurate. My sisters' memories of certain events are entirely different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-found-out-i-d-spent-my-whole-life-believing-things-that-weren-t/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [As the economy gets better, everything else gets worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/as-the-economy-gets-better-everything-else-gets-worse/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I can now say without hesitation the Marine Corps was the best foster home I ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-can-now-say-without-hesitation-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-foster/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Writers are funny about reviews: when they get a good one they ignore it-- but when they get a bad review they never forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/writers-are-funny-about-reviews-when-they-get-a-good-one-they-ignore/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Television has a real problem. They have no page two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/television-has-a-real-problem-they-have-no-page-two/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [No one ever mentioned it, but thousands of men welcomed World War II as a way to escape their humdrum lives rather than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/no-one-ever-mentioned-it-but-thousands-of-men-welcomed-world-war-ii/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Don't commit suicide, because you might change your mind two weeks later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/don-t-commit-suicide-because-you-might-change-your-mind-two-weeks/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [When it came to writing about wine, I did what almost everybody does - faked it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/when-it-came-to-writing-about-wine-i-did-what-almost-everybody-does/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I learned quickly that when I made others laugh, they liked me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-learned-quickly-that-when-i-made-others-laugh-they-liked-me/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [An economist is a man who knows a hundred ways of making love but doesn't know any women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/an-economist-is-a-man-who-knows-a-hundred-ways-of-making-love-but/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Every once in a while your world stands still... There are certain friendships that are so important they leave a mark on you long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/every-once-in-a-while-your-world-stands-still-there-are-certain/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I just don't want to die the same day Castro dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-just-don-t-want-to-die-the-same-day-castro-dies/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [The best way to clean up a son's room is to close the door and pretend it's not part of the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/the-best-way-to-clean-up-a-son-s-room-is-to-close-the-door-and/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) [Explore all 83 Art Buchwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) [K. Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was a dangerous profession I had chosen ... because no one likes a funny kid. In fact, adults are scared silly of them and tend to warn children who act out that they are going to wind up in prison or worse. 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