--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that…" description: "\"When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that I've got to make them laugh or they won't show up next time.\" — Bill Burr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/bill-burr-1900_comedy_when-i-m-up-there-i-m-just-thinking-that_476751.png" --- # When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that I've got to make… ![“When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that I've got to make them laugh or they won't show up next time.” quote by Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/bill-burr-1900_comedy_when-i-m-up-there-i-m-just-thinking-that_476751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/bill-burr-1900_comedy_when-i-m-up-there-i-m-just-thinking-that_476751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/bill-burr-1900_comedy_when-i-m-up-there-i-m-just-thinking-that_476751.png) > “When I'm up there, I'm just thinking that I've got to make them laugh or they won't show up next time.” [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. A performer must keep the audience entertained, or risk losing them forever. **In simple terms:** Comedy must be funny to retain viewers. Key Takeaway Prioritize audience engagement. Themes comedy performance audience engagement Mood anxious determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - stand-up shows - live podcasts - tv specials - online videos Key Concepts humor attention entertainment Questions to Reflect On - How do you gauge if your humor resonates? - What strategies keep a crowd attentive? A Different Perspective If the material isn’t funny, the audience will leave regardless of effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Pay no heed to your enemies' laugh. They won't be able to once you lob off their heads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/pay-no-heed-to-your-enemies-laugh-they-won-t-be-able-to-once-you-lob/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [If you can't laugh, you won't make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/if-you-can-t-laugh-you-won-t-make-it/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [As long as you can laugh at you, it won't bother you when others laugh at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/as-long-as-you-can-laugh-at-you-it-won-t-bother-you-when-others-laugh/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I am the jongleur. I leap and pirouette, and make you laugh. I make fun of those in power, and I show you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-fo/i-am-the-jongleur-i-leap-and-pirouette-and-make-you-laugh-i-make-fun/) [Dario Fo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-fo/) > [I'm nice until you piss me off...then I'm an asshole until you make me laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerett-parker/i-m-nice-until-you-piss-me-off-then-i-m-an-asshole-until-you-make-me/) [Jerett Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerett-parker/) > [Anything with the power to make you laugh over thirty years later isn’t a waste of time. I think something like that is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/anything-with-the-power-to-make-you-laugh-over-thirty-years-later-isn/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“If you have good friends, no matter how life is sucking, they can make you laugh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cast/if-you-have-good-friends-no-matter-how-life-is-sucking-they-can-make/) [Kristin Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cast/) > [Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [The things that make me laugh are considered smart or whatever, I guess. But stuff that's self-consciously intelligent or self-consciously hip or cool, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/the-things-that-make-me-laugh-are-considered-smart-or-whatever-i/) [Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/) > [I like to be around people who make me laugh. It's one of my favorite things on a set. I hate it when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/i-like-to-be-around-people-who-make-me-laugh-it-s-one-of-my-favorite/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [If a woman is funny, that will leave an impression and stay on my brain. A girl should do something, anything, to make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-phillippe/if-a-woman-is-funny-that-will-leave-an-impression-and-stay-on-my/) [Ryan Phillippe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-phillippe/) > [I love the people who can make me laugh when I think I can't even smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/i-love-the-people-who-can-make-me-laugh-when-i-think-i-can-t-even/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I do manage to make others laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-vidyarthi/i-do-manage-to-make-others-laugh/) [Ashish Vidyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-vidyarthi/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [There comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-comes-a-time-in-life-when-you-have-to-let-go-of-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 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. 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