--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something about being a director…" description: "\"There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to being able to be a stand up. And ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_able_there-is-something-about-being-a-directo_693051.png" --- # There is something about being a director where, for me… ![“There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to being able to be a stand up. And to use my particular sense of humor, and hear people laughing, without me having to stand up in front of an audience and tell jokes.” quote by Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_able_there-is-something-about-being-a-directo_693051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_able_there-is-something-about-being-a-directo_693051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a27/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_able_there-is-something-about-being-a-directo_693051.png) > “There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to being able to be a stand up. And to use my particular sense of humor, and hear people laughing, without me having to stand up in front of an audience and tell jokes.” [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He finds joy in directing because it lets him use humor and entertain without performing live **In simple terms:** Directing lets him be funny and entertain without stage anxiety Key Takeaway Embrace behind‑the‑scenes roles for creative fulfillment Themes creativity humor leadership Mood reflective enthusiastic Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - film production - comedy writing - team leadership Key Concepts directing performance anxiety creative expression Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer influence over spotlight? - How does humor shape your directing style? A Different Perspective May limit personal visibility and recognition ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) ## Related quotes > [I've had friends who have come away who've said, "I shouldn't have become such close friends with the director." You always want to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-booth/i-ve-had-friends-who-have-come-away-who-ve-said-i-shouldn-t-have/) [Douglas Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-booth/) > [In many ways I'm like my mom, who doesn't curse, is always laughing and having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/in-many-ways-i-m-like-my-mom-who-doesn-t-curse-is-always-laughing-and/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [Laughter on American television has taken the place of the chorus in Greek tragedy. In other countries, the business of laughing is left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/laughter-on-american-television-has-taken-the-place-of-the-chorus-in-2/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [I remember seeing Eddie Murphy RAW and seeing people laughing and having a good time and that was the same response I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-remember-seeing-eddie-murphy-raw-and-seeing-people-laughing-and/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [I don't care how loud I'm laughing. I'm having fun and you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-don-t-care-how-loud-i-m-laughing-i-m-having-fun-and-you-re-not/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Christian joy isn’t always laughing, always having a good, hilarious time. Christian joy is the deep, settled peace that comes to live within your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/christian-joy-isn-t-always-laughing-always-having-a-good-hilarious/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [I like laughing and having fun all the time, and I make sure people around me have fun, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupali-ganguly/i-like-laughing-and-having-fun-all-the-time-and-i-make-sure-people/) [Rupali Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupali-ganguly/) > [You can always tell somebody's sense of humor by if they like this movie or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-russell/you-can-always-tell-somebody-s-sense-of-humor-by-if-they-like-this/) [Kurt Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-russell/) > [“I'm quite certain that if I lost my sense of humor, it would most definitely need to be replaced by a padded cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/i-m-quite-certain-that-if-i-lost-my-sense-of-humor-it-would-most/) Comic Strip Mama > [The person who has a sense of humor is not just more relaxed in the face of a potentially stressful situation, but is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morreall/the-person-who-has-a-sense-of-humor-is-not-just-more-relaxed-in-the/) John Morreall > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The most irritating people are those without a sense of humor, amirite?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-irritating-people-are-those-without-a-sense-of-humor-amirite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think God has a sense of humor, and the way my lessons come from God is very funny. I have to laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-nicole-brown/i-think-god-has-a-sense-of-humor-and-the-way-my-lessons-come-from-god/) [Yvette Nicole Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-nicole-brown/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Barry Sonnenfeld > [I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [The first cut I do is usually between five and 10 minutes shorter then the cut that we release. Anything I think isn't working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-first-cut-i-do-is-usually-between-five-and-10-minutes-shorter/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When you're done shooting, the movie that you're going to release when you're done shooting is as bad as it will ever be. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-you-re-done-shooting-the-movie-that-you-re-going-to-release-when/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When I move from being a cameraman to being a director I looked at a lot of other cameramen who tried to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-i-move-from-being-a-cameraman-to-being-a-director-i-looked-at-a/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [The weird thing is that I hate to fly, and the quote that I give people is that every time I get off a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-weird-thing-is-that-i-hate-to-fly-and-the-quote-that-i-give/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [It always happens at the end that you're always under the gun because of various schedules and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/it-always-happens-at-the-end-that-you-re-always-under-the-gun-because/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [There's a series of children's books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is like an incredibly dark version of Roald Dahl. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/there-s-a-series-of-children-s-books-called-a-series-of-unfortunate/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I'm an unusual director in that my cut is usually shorter then the final released film. I like short films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-m-an-unusual-director-in-that-my-cut-is-usually-shorter-then-the/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I don't think Will does get upstaged because his reaction is always funnier than what is actually happening. That is also the reason Tommy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-think-will-does-get-upstaged-because-his-reaction-is-always/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [Growing up, my fascination was all things dinosaur, and as an adult, I've had some success making films about aliens, so this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/growing-up-my-fascination-was-all-things-dinosaur-and-as-an-adult-i/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I play the father in the scene when Will and Tommy go back to Tommy's old apartment. It was a big mistake. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-play-the-father-in-the-scene-when-will-and-tommy-go-back-to-tommy-s/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [They want to let the audience figure things out and let the reaction shot get the laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/they-want-to-let-the-audience-figure-things-out-and-let-the-reaction/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I don't believe in leaving a scene in because it was really hard to shoot, or because it's the reason you took the movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-believe-in-leaving-a-scene-in-because-it-was-really-hard-to/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [We should all relax about life because you don't have a clue as to what's really going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/we-should-all-relax-about-life-because-you-don-t-have-a-clue-as-to/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When Frank the Pug is singing I Will Survive, the only reason it's funny is that Will is in that shot trying not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-frank-the-pug-is-singing-i-will-survive-the-only-reason-it-s/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) [Explore all 25 Barry Sonnenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) ## More Able 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/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [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/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to being able to be a stand up. 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