--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a…" description: "\"Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for me; it's what I do, and this is what I'm always going to do. And even if I do a TV show, the on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png" --- # Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for… ![“Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for me; it's what I do, and this is what I'm always going to do. And even if I do a TV show, the only reasons to do a TV show is to get more people to know me to come out to my stand-up shows.” quote by Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png) > “Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for me; it's what I do, and this is what I'm always going to do. And even if I do a TV show, the only reasons to do a TV show is to get more people to know me to come out to my stand-up shows.” [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees stand-up as his primary identity, using TV only to attract audiences to his shows. **In simple terms:** Comedy is his main work; TV is a promotional tool. Key Takeaway Focus on your core craft. Themes career identity promotion audience media Mood determined pragmatic Type motivational professional When to use this quote - tour planning - media appearances - marketing strategy Key Concepts personal branding audience building Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance core work with promotional platforms? - What risks arise when expanding beyond your primary medium? A Different Perspective TV exposure may distract from live performance quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-isn-1125940/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-me/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [More people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-people/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons/) [Reasons Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons-tv-1125939/) [Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Stand Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-comic-1125941/) [Stand up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-up/) [Stepping stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stepping-stone/) [Stepping stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stepping-stones/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv/) [Tv Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-reasons-1125938/) [Tv show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-show/) [Tv shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-shows/) [Tvs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tvs/) ## Related quotes > [There are tons of different reasons why you do TV series and why you don't, and how it'll affect your career, and all that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/there-are-tons-of-different-reasons-why-you-do-tv-series-and-why-you/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [The Covert Comic isn't like you. The Covert Comic is love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-alejandro-king/the-covert-comic-isn-t-like-you-the-covert-comic-is-love-you/) [John Alejandro King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-alejandro-king/) > [“Nothing comic isn’t serious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/nothing-comic-isn-t-serious/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [When you're a stand-up comic, you live and die by what you say on stage. There's no director or writer or producer who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maz-jobrani/when-you-re-a-stand-up-comic-you-live-and-die-by-what-you-say-on/) [Maz Jobrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maz-jobrani/) > [A stand-up comic is judged by every line. Singers get applause at the end of their song no matter how bad they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-stand-up-comic-is-judged-by-every-line-singers-get-applause-at-the/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm a stand-up comic, but I also have ideas, and I want to get them out. People think getting in front of the mic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-diaz/i-m-a-stand-up-comic-but-i-also-have-ideas-and-i-want-to-get-them-out/) [Joey Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-diaz/) > [I don't see myself as a stand-up comic doing cynical, mean-spirited or disrespectful stuff. I'm very aware that I don't like to disrespect people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-ullman/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-stand-up-comic-doing-cynical-mean-spirited-or/) [Tracey Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-ullman/) > [Look, you know, you can't please everybody. I'm a stand-up comic. I know that. It doesn't matter how funny you are and how well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gardell/look-you-know-you-can-t-please-everybody-i-m-a-stand-up-comic-i-know/) [Billy Gardell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gardell/) > [I'm not a joke guy; I'm not a stand-up comic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-levy/i-m-not-a-joke-guy-i-m-not-a-stand-up-comic/) [Eugene Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-levy/) > [A really good stand-up comic is a poet; it's about the use of language. It can be really poetic. And I like politically conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-really-good-stand-up-comic-is-a-poet-it-s-about-the-use-of-language/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Seriously, if you want to get inside the head of a stand-up comic, you could do a lot worse than reading Steve Martin's Born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/seriously-if-you-want-to-get-inside-the-head-of-a-stand-up-comic-you/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [To be honest, I wasn't the best stand-up comic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-walsh/to-be-honest-i-wasn-t-the-best-stand-up-comic/) [Bradley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-walsh/) > [I had no desire to be a stand-up comic until I decided to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/i-had-no-desire-to-be-a-stand-up-comic-until-i-decided-to-do-it/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I always had one goal, and that was to be a real funny stand-up comic, and that's pretty much what I'm doing. And everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/i-always-had-one-goal-and-that-was-to-be-a-real-funny-stand-up-comic/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [I knew when I got out of high school that I was going to be a stand-up comic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-koy/i-knew-when-i-got-out-of-high-school-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-stand/) [Jo Koy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-koy/) ## More by Bill Burr > [I love making movies, and being in any that I can be in. I'd like to be in those giant movies, as the fifth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-love-making-movies-and-being-in-any-that-i-can-be-in-i-d-like-to-be/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I love doing radio, and I love doing stand-up, obviously. I'm good flying up to four hours, but anything past that, I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-love-doing-radio-and-i-love-doing-stand-up-obviously-i-m-good/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [It was right after 9/11 and I decided to walk around the grounds of the Pentagon, because I had never been there. Out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/it-was-right-after-9-11-and-i-decided-to-walk-around-the-grounds-of/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [Business runs hot and cold so the more you're in charge of your own destiny, the better off you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/business-runs-hot-and-cold-so-the-more-you-re-in-charge-of-your-own/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [You know, it wasn't even that I'm a funny guy, I just loved stand-up comedy and I wanted to do it. It was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/you-know-it-wasn-t-even-that-i-m-a-funny-guy-i-just-loved-stand-up/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I am so pro-swine flu...I want it. We need a plague. It's got to happen; don't be afraid. It's only going to kill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-am-so-pro-swine-flu-i-want-it-we-need-a-plague-it-s-got-to-happen/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I wish they would teach it in schools: Give people the belief that they are going to do well. A lot of people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-wish-they-would-teach-it-in-schools-give-people-the-belief-that/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [Look how long it took to build the Freedom Tower, and we wanted that. It took 15 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/look-how-long-it-took-to-build-the-freedom-tower-and-we-wanted-that/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [For aspiring comedians? Don't listen to me. Just go on stage and do what you think is funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/for-aspiring-comedians-don-t-listen-to-me-just-go-on-stage-and-do/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [It's a great time to be a comedian because you've got so much more control. You can say what you want to. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/it-s-a-great-time-to-be-a-comedian-because-you-ve-got-so-much-more/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [People make a big deal about podcasts but it's basically an online radio show with the sound effects and sidekicks, but because you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/people-make-a-big-deal-about-podcasts-but-it-s-basically-an-online/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [Do you know how many times a week people ask me why I'm yelling?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/do-you-know-how-many-times-a-week-people-ask-me-why-i-m-yelling/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [You wanna know how you know you're informed as a protestor? They don't show your interview on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/you-wanna-know-how-you-know-you-re-informed-as-a-protestor-they-don-t/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I am so pro-swine flu it's ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-am-so-pro-swine-flu-it-s-ridiculous/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) [Explore all 200 Bill Burr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for me; it's what I do, and this is what I'm always going to do. And even if I do a TV show, the only reasons to do a TV show is to get more people to know me to come out to my stand-up shows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Burr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-stepping-stone-for-me-it-s-what-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-stepping-stone-for-me-it-s-what-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/bill-burr-1900_always_being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-step_1698371.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being a stand-up comic, this isn't a stepping-stone for me; it's what I do, and this is what I'm always…” — Bill Burr", "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": "Bill Burr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being a stand-up comic, this isn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-stepping-stone-for-me-it-s-what-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/being-a-stand-up-comic-this-isn-t-a-stepping-stone-for-me-it-s-what-i/#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 } } ] } ```