--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you do comedy, the audience is not…" description: "\"When you do comedy, the audience is not your boss. They are your collaborators and when you collaborate with someone you don't have to listen to everyt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/baron-vaughn-6620_audience_when-you-do-comedy-the-audience-is-not-y_909707.jpg" --- # When you do comedy, the audience is not your boss. They… ![“When you do comedy, the audience is not your boss. They are your collaborators and when you collaborate with someone you don't have to listen to everything they think or say. Sometimes you're not getting the laughs you want or at the place you want but that doesn't mean it's not funny. It means…” quote by Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/baron-vaughn-6620_audience_when-you-do-comedy-the-audience-is-not-y_909707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/baron-vaughn-6620_audience_when-you-do-comedy-the-audience-is-not-y_909707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/baron-vaughn-6620_audience_when-you-do-comedy-the-audience-is-not-y_909707.jpg) > “When you do comedy, the audience is not your boss. They are your collaborators and when you collaborate with someone you don't have to listen to everything they think or say. Sometimes you're not getting the laughs you want or at the place you want but that doesn't mean it's not funny. It means you haven't explored it enough. I'll get laughs in the places I don't want them and that makes me realize the direction I want to go in.” [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy thrives on collaboration, not hierarchy; creators must explore beyond comfort zones to find genuine humor. **In simple terms:** Comedy is collaborative, not boss‑driven, and requires exploration. Key Takeaway Embrace risk and experiment beyond expectations. Themes creativity collaboration risk audience growth Mood playful encouraging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - writing rooms - online sketches - improv classes Key Concepts improvisation feedback loops creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - What risks have you avoided in your creative work? - How can you balance audience feedback with personal vision? A Different Perspective Audience expectations can limit artistic authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'll get laughs in the places I don't want them and that makes me realize the direction I want to go in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-ll-get-laughs-in-the-places-i-don-t-want-them-and-that-makes-me/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Sometimes you're not getting the laughs you want or at the place you want but that doesn't mean it's not funny. It means you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/sometimes-you-re-not-getting-the-laughs-you-want-or-at-the-place-you/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I did standup while still working for Johnny Carson in the mid-'60s, thus gaining the advantage of at least getting laughs from him about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-did-standup-while-still-working-for-johnny-carson-in-the-mid-60s/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [For my first show at 'SNL', I wrote a Bill Clinton sketch, and during our read-through, it wasn't getting any laughs. This weight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/for-my-first-show-at-snl-i-wrote-a-bill-clinton-sketch-and-during-our/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I want to know why people are getting laughs. Why this joke works and why that one didn't work. It all comes back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-ziggler/i-want-to-know-why-people-are-getting-laughs-why-this-joke-works-and/) [Dolph Ziggler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-ziggler/) > [I always knew I was quite good at getting laughs. At school, I loved having a ready audience if I made a cheeky remark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcintyre/i-always-knew-i-was-quite-good-at-getting-laughs-at-school-i-loved/) [Michael McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcintyre/) > [I love comedy. Playing the underdog, and getting the laughs is my form of entertainment. I could think of nothing different that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-levy/i-love-comedy-playing-the-underdog-and-getting-the-laughs-is-my-form/) [Eugene Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-levy/) > [If the audience knows what's behind the door and the actor does not, that's comedy. If both the audience and the actor do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-helitzer/if-the-audience-knows-what-s-behind-the-door-and-the-actor-does-not/) [Melvin Helitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-helitzer/) > [I found doing that kind of comedy without an audience is just... for me, it's almost impossible. You need the audience to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-found-doing-that-kind-of-comedy-without-an-audience-is-just-for-me/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [When you do comedy in front of an audience, they are the ones who tell you whether it's funny or not and which bits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/when-you-do-comedy-in-front-of-an-audience-they-are-the-ones-who-tell/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think it sort of dawns on you that if you're not gigging constantly you're not actually relevant. You may be relevant to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/i-think-it-sort-of-dawns-on-you-that-if-you-re-not-gigging-constantly/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [It's easier to do comedy with an audience, because their reactions tell you whether or not what your saying qualifies as comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/it-s-easier-to-do-comedy-with-an-audience-because-their-reactions/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [Unlike virtually everyone else, I know how to work a room. That comes in pretty handy. If you're not getting any laughs, then at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-allen/unlike-virtually-everyone-else-i-know-how-to-work-a-room-that-comes/) [Keith Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-allen/) > [It's an ongoing process, in the script, on the set and in the editing room, to make sure you are being true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-turteltaub/it-s-an-ongoing-process-in-the-script-on-the-set-and-in-the-editing/) [Jon Turteltaub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-turteltaub/) > [When you're a comedic actor and you're used to just getting laughs, it's kind of scary to go serious, even for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-price/when-you-re-a-comedic-actor-and-you-re-used-to-just-getting-laughs-it/) [Megyn Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-price/) ## More by Baron Vaughn > [ Basically I made her \[ Sara Pocock\] listen to funk music for a good month, a nonstop stream of George Clinton. I was talking… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/basically-i-made-her-sara-pocock-listen-to-funk-music-for-a-good/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I was processing a lot of different things and kind of looking over a lot of things and rethinking my childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-was-processing-a-lot-of-different-things-and-kind-of-looking-over-a/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [When it was announced that Michael Keaton was going to be Batman, everyone was mad. When they announced that Val Kilmer was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/when-it-was-announced-that-michael-keaton-was-going-to-be-batman/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Black people have to define who we are, or others do it for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/black-people-have-to-define-who-we-are-or-others-do-it-for-us/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [The alphabet was invented in Iraq, so it's a cool place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/the-alphabet-was-invented-in-iraq-so-it-s-a-cool-place/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [What makes a good festival, above all, is the audience. It feels disconnected when it's meant to bring in people from elsewhere and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/what-makes-a-good-festival-above-all-is-the-audience-it-feels/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I'll get laughs in the places I don't want them and that makes me realize the direction I want to go in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-ll-get-laughs-in-the-places-i-don-t-want-them-and-that-makes-me/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Sometimes you're not getting the laughs you want or at the place you want but that doesn't mean it's not funny. It means you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/sometimes-you-re-not-getting-the-laughs-you-want-or-at-the-place-you/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [ \[Harold Pinter\] is a British playwright and is one of my favorite writers. Harold was very obsessed with when memory becomes mythology, that at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/harold-pinter-is-a-british-playwright-and-is-one-of-my-favorite/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [We are constantly consuming entertainment; we treat celebrities like role models and royalty. Sometimes destructive behavior gets ignored, or sometimes the pressure breaks them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/we-are-constantly-consuming-entertainment-we-treat-celebrities-like/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [The audience is not your boss. They are your collaborators and when you collaborate with someone you don't have to listen to everything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/the-audience-is-not-your-boss-they-are-your-collaborators-and-when/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I was really into ska.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-was-really-into-ska/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I was in the middle of filming Season 3 of 'Grace and Frankie.' Then the writing process for 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' was happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-was-in-the-middle-of-filming-season-3-of-grace-and-frankie-then-the/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I remember reading in a comedy book very long ago when I first started, a person said there's a difference between a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-remember-reading-in-a-comedy-book-very-long-ago-when-i-first/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Being around Lily Tomlin has been great, how she treats people, how she handles herself, how she goes about interpreting her character or deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/being-around-lily-tomlin-has-been-great-how-she-treats-people-how-she/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) [Explore all 98 Baron Vaughn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you do comedy, the audience is not your boss. They are your collaborators and when you collaborate with someone you don't have to listen to everything they think or say. Sometimes you're not getting the laughs you want or at the place you want but that doesn't mean it's not funny. It means you haven't explored it enough. 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