--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was born with a priceless gift, the…" description: "\"I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.\" — Barry Humphries" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg" --- # I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at… ![“I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.” quote by Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg) > “I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.” [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator claims a talent for finding humor in others’ misfortunes, revealing a dark comedic perspective. **In simple terms:** Finding humor in others’ bad luck is a unique gift. Key Takeaway Use wit responsibly, aware of empathy. Themes humor empathy dark comedy social critique Mood ironic playful Type comedic philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up - writing - social interactions Key Concepts ethical comedy psychology of laughter social commentary Questions to Reflect On - When does laughing at others become harmful? - How can satire stay kind? A Different Perspective Risk of cruelty if humor lacks compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Misfortunes of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes-of-others/) ## Related quotes > [Am I old-fashioned? I think I might be. I am a lucky woman, because I was born with a priceless gift... the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/am-i-old-fashioned-i-think-i-might-be-i-am-a-lucky-woman-because-i/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [At this and every season, our Savior invites us to join with HIM and others to offer the priceless gift of JOY.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/at-this-and-every-season-our-savior-invites-us-to-join-with-him-and/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [“I am grateful for the priceless gift of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-am-grateful-for-the-priceless-gift-of-life/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Every day we live is a priceless gift of God, loaded with possibilities to learn something new, to gain fresh insights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-evans/every-day-we-live-is-a-priceless-gift-of-god-loaded-with-2/) [Dale Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-evans/) > [Everyone should consider his body as a priceless gift from one whom he loves above all, a marvelous work of art, of indescribable beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/everyone-should-consider-his-body-as-a-priceless-gift-from-one-whom/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Teaching young people to sell is a priceless gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/teaching-young-people-to-sell-is-a-priceless-gift/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [He had known he wanted her, that it was for all time, but he hadn’t realized what was between them. A priceless gift, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/he-had-known-he-wanted-her-that-it-was-for-all-time-but-he-hadn-t/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [God gave me the same power He gave Jesus. I ask myself daily, Why do I waste such a priceless gift?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-gave-me-the-same-power-he-gave-jesus-i-ask-myself-daily-why-do-i/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“The gift of prayer is priceless gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-gift-of-prayer-is-priceless-gift/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Accept the priceless gift - the joy of work. Apply the greatest value in life: love people and serve them. You will attract big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/accept-the-priceless-gift-the-joy-of-work-apply-the-greatest-value-in/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [“Famous ancient proverb say: Learn to laugh at your own misfortunes, everyone else is!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ancient/famous-ancient-proverb-say-learn-to-laugh-at-your-own-misfortunes/) Ancient > [The best gift you can ever give to anyone is the gift of love, because love is a priceless gift that every one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/the-best-gift-you-can-ever-give-to-anyone-is-the-gift-of-love-because/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [“I've misplaced it all, but I can't seem to lose my brother. It's a priceless gift--to have his love at a time when I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-cole/i-ve-misplaced-it-all-but-i-can-t-seem-to-lose-my-brother-it-s-a/) [Emm Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emm-cole/) > [Every day we live is a priceless gift of God, loaded with possibilities to learn something new, to gain fresh insights into His great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-evans-rogers/every-day-we-live-is-a-priceless-gift-of-god-loaded-with/) Dale Evans Rogers > [If you're awake, you're blessed. Life is a priceless gift, appreciate every minute of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-awake-you-re-blessed-life-is-a-priceless-gift-appreciate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Barry Humphries > [I really feel sorry for kids who aren't interested in history - recent history, either, because it is this that made us what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-really-feel-sorry-for-kids-who-aren-t-interested-in-history-recent/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [The past is so reliable, so delightful and the best place to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/the-past-is-so-reliable-so-delightful-and-the-best-place-to-live/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I am writing a book called 'The History of Australia in Hundred Objects.' It's of things we have invented in Australia. And you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-am-writing-a-book-called-the-history-of-australia-in-hundred/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I've never looked at my Facebook page or my website, because I'm fundamentally an amateur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-ve-never-looked-at-my-facebook-page-or-my-website-because-i-m/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I never thought that I would become a staple in the Australian cultural diet. The equivalent of bread or milk, or a fine old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-never-thought-that-i-would-become-a-staple-in-the-australian/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I love Australia - I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-love-australia-i-think/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I'm approaching 70. Unfortunately, from the wrong direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-m-approaching-70-unfortunately-from-the-wrong-direction/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [Glamour comes from within. My beauty regime begins with my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/glamour-comes-from-within-my-beauty-regime-begins-with-my-personality/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [Oddly enough, Dame Edna is not interested in show business. Her friends in Los Angeles are mostly in the world of petroleum. She used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/oddly-enough-dame-edna-is-not-interested-in-show-business-her-friends/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [New Zealand is a country of thirty thousand million sheep, three million of whom think they are human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/new-zealand-is-a-country-of-thirty-thousand-million-sheep-three/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I hate it when theater people go on about professionalism - aren't they boring? I try to be as unprofessional as possible. And I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-hate-it-when-theater-people-go-on-about-professionalism-aren-t-they/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I like people who are slightly unhygienic. A little grubbiness isn't so bad. BO chic it should be called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-like-people-who-are-slightly-unhygienic-a-little-grubbiness-isn-t/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I've turned from an ordinary Australian housewife into a gigastar, icon, talk-show host, swami, spin doctor... and now I'm a style guru!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-ve-turned-from-an-ordinary-australian-housewife-into-a-gigastar/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [I have charity work that I do. I started my own charity, the Friends of the Prostate, and I'm also working on awareness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-have-charity-work-that-i-do-i-started-my-own-charity-the-friends-of/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) > [There's to be a film about my life. I can give this as an exclusive now. Meryl Streep was offered the part but, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/there-s-to-be-a-film-about-my-life-i-can-give-this-as-an-exclusive/) [Barry Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) [Explore all 63 Barry Humphries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Humphries" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-ability-to-laugh-at-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-ability-to-laugh-at-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afa/barry-humphries-10778_ability_i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-abi_1883040.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was born with a priceless gift, the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.” — Barry Humphries", "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": "Barry Humphries", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-humphries/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was born with a priceless...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-ability-to-laugh-at-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-humphries/i-was-born-with-a-priceless-gift-the-ability-to-laugh-at-the/#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 } } ] } ```