--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a point in portraying surface…" description: "\"There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.\" — Barbara Stanwyck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg" --- # There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where… ![“There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.” quote by Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg) > “There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.” [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line between vulgarity and tragedy/comedy is thin; both can reveal deep human truths when balanced. **In simple terms:** Vulgarity can mask depth. Key Takeaway Use humor wisely to expose truth. Themes humor tragedy vulgarity truth Mood witty cautious Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - theatrical scripts - social satire Key Concepts literature performance art psychology Questions to Reflect On - When does humor become harmful? - How can satire provoke thought without alienation? A Different Perspective Risk of offending audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Tragedy and comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy-and-comedy/) [Vulgarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgarity/) ## Related quotes > [I see tragedy and comedy and pain and irony and all that stuff. But in the end I think life is fascinating, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-see-tragedy-and-comedy-and-pain-and-irony-and-all-that-stuff-but-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Avoiding humiliation is the core of tragedy and comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/avoiding-humiliation-is-the-core-of-tragedy-and-comedy/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [But it is only in epic tragedies that gloom is unrelieved. In real life tragedy and comedy are so intermingled that when one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/but-it-is-only-in-epic-tragedies-that-gloom-is-unrelieved-in-real/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [The tapestry of history that seems so full of tragedy when viewed from the front has countless comic scenes woven into its reverse side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-tapestry-of-history-that-seems-so-full-of-tragedy-when-viewed/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/life-is-a-drama-full-of-tragedy-and-comedy-you-should-learn-to-enjoy/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Wherever comes man comes tragedy and comedy also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/wherever-comes-man-comes-tragedy-and-comedy-also/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [The difference between tragedy and comedy: Tragedy is something awful happening to somebody else, while comedy is something awful happening to somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-allston/the-difference-between-tragedy-and-comedy-tragedy-is-something-awful/) [Aaron Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-allston/) > [Chess is a game sufficiently rich in meaning that it is easily capable of containing elements of both tragedy and comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mcshane/chess-is-a-game-sufficiently-rich-in-meaning-that-it-is-easily/) Luke McShane > [Tragedy and comedy are simply questions of value; a little misfit in life makes us laugh; a great one is tragedy and cause for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/tragedy-and-comedy-are-simply-questions-of-value-a-little-misfit-in/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Human life is a combination of tragedy and comedy. The shapes and designs that surround us are the music accompanying this tragedy and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/human-life-is-a-combination-of-tragedy-and-comedy-the-shapes-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [The difference between tragedy and comedy is the difference between experience and intuition. In the experience we strive against every condition of our animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/the-difference-between-tragedy-and-comedy-is-the-difference-between/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [Is not the decisive difference between comedy and tragedy that tragedy denies us another chance?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/is-not-the-decisive-difference-between-comedy-and-tragedy-that/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The Greek tragedies and comedies are like a roadmap to all the ways in which trying to live this rich, full life can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-c-nussbaum/the-greek-tragedies-and-comedies-are-like-a-roadmap-to-all-the-ways/) [Martha C. Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-c-nussbaum/) > [Sin and grace, absence and presence, tragedy and comedy, they divide the world between them and where they meet head on, the Gospel happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/sin-and-grace-absence-and-presence-tragedy-and-comedy-they-divide-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [One man's vulgarity is another man's lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan-ii/one-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-man-s-lyric/) [John Marshall Harlan II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan-ii/) ## More by Barbara Stanwyck > [“You want the story of my life? Big ideas, small results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/you-want-the-story-of-my-life-big-ideas-small-results/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [It's perhaps not the future I would choose. I still think it's possible to make a success of both marriage and career even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/it-s-perhaps-not-the-future-i-would-choose-i-still-think-it-s/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I'm now the Lord of the Brighton Manor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-m-now-the-lord-of-the-brighton-manor/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [ \[On Marilyn Monroe:\] Her body has gone to her head. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/on-marilyn-monroe-her-body-has-gone-to-her-head/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for doing what I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/career-is-too-pompous-a-word-it-was-a-job-and-i-have-always-felt/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Just be truthful - and if you can fake that, you've got it made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/just-be-truthful-and-if-you-can-fake-that-you-ve-got-it-made/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for what I love doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/career-is-too-pompous-a-word-it-was-a-job-and-i-have-always-felt-2/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Put me in the last fifteen minutes of a picture and I don't care what happened before. I don't even care if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/put-me-in-the-last-fifteen-minutes-of-a-picture-and-i-don-t-care-what/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I couldn't remember my name for weeks. I'd be at the theater and hear them calling 'Miss Stanwyck, Miss Stanwyck,' and I'd think 'Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-couldn-t-remember-my-name-for-weeks-i-d-be-at-the-theater-and-hear/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [My only problem is finding a way to play my fortieth fallen female in a different way from my thirty-ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/my-only-problem-is-finding-a-way-to-play-my-fortieth-fallen-female-in/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [A star is only as good as her last picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/a-star-is-only-as-good-as-her-last-picture/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Eyes are the greatest tool in film. Mr. Capra taught me that. Sure it's nice to say very good dialogue, if you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/eyes-are-the-greatest-tool-in-film-mr-capra-taught-me-that-sure-it-s/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety, and they won't need to paste my face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-m-a-tough-old-broad-from-brooklyn-i-intend-to-go-on-acting-until-i/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead-the-worse-it-smells/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [The boy's got a lot to learn and I've got a lot to teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-boy-s-got-a-lot-to-learn-and-i-ve-got-a-lot-to-teach/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) [Explore all 21 Barbara Stanwyck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) ## 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": "There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Stanwyck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-vulgarity-where-tragedy-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-vulgarity-where-tragedy-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90b/barbara-stanwyck-26778_comedy_there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-v_948523.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.” — Barbara Stanwyck", "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": "Barbara Stanwyck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a point in portraying...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-vulgarity-where-tragedy-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-vulgarity-where-tragedy-and/#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 } } ] } ```