--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's…" description: "\"Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a home run, you might strike out. It's eithe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg" --- # Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might… ![“Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a home run, you might strike out. It's either a belly laugh or it's no go and no show.” quote by Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg) > “Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a home run, you might strike out. It's either a belly laugh or it's no go and no show.” [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard comedy pushes boundaries, risking failure for big laughs; success yields huge humor, failure leads to silence. **In simple terms:** Risky humor can win big or flop. Key Takeaway Embrace bold jokes, accept possible failure. Themes humor risk creativity Mood playful edgy Type observational motivational When to use this quote - stand‑up performance - TV sketch - improv shows - writing workshops Key Concepts Comedy theory audience expectation Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer safe jokes or daring ones? - How do you gauge audience tolerance? A Different Perspective Not all audiences appreciate extreme jokes, limiting reach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-run/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [Hard comedy goes for the jocular. Hard comedy is basic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-jocular-hard-comedy-is-basic/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [You can't know because everybody's got a different opinion and you might think 'Oh my God, this is amazing,' and people don't get it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mena-suvari/you-can-t-know-because-everybody-s-got-a-different-opinion-and-you/) [Mena Suvari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mena-suvari/) > [My idea as far as comedy goes has always been to push the limits of what's acceptable for a woman to do or say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-delaria/my-idea-as-far-as-comedy-goes-has-always-been-to-push-the-limits-of/) [Lea DeLaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-delaria/) > [There can be a science to joke writing, there are certainly rules and patterns that can be followed, but I think most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/there-can-be-a-science-to-joke-writing-there-are-certainly-rules-and/) [Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/) > [Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy-goes-to-l-a-so-a-million/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [I think comedy has a range, with multiple peaks in different areas. It's like trying to compare Beethoven and the Beatles. Sometimes I hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-think-comedy-has-a-range-with-multiple-peaks-in-different-areas-it/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [It is really hard to do comedy; it takes a lot of energy and focus. It's rather like music: It's a lot of hitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/it-is-really-hard-to-do-comedy-it-takes-a-lot-of-energy-and-focus-it/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [It's an unknown quantity. It's actually almost a cliché to say it, how hard comedy is. What's that famous quote? "Dying is easy, comedy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/it-s-an-unknown-quantity-it-s-actually-almost-a-clich-to-say-it-how/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [Everybody says how hard comedy is, but, when it comes time to honor things, whether it's on a weekly critical basis or whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-reitman/everybody-says-how-hard-comedy-is-but-when-it-comes-time-to-honor/) [Ivan Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-reitman/) > [What kills comedy is an absence of hard comedy commissions, traditional let's-make-every-line-funny comedy commissions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/what-kills-comedy-is-an-absence-of-hard-comedy-commissions/) [Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/) > [I think comedy is drama, often. It's hard to have comedy over a period of time - commercials are one thing, but over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-verbinski/i-think-comedy-is-drama-often-it-s-hard-to-have-comedy-over-a-period/) [Gore Verbinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-verbinski/) > [It's hard in comedy. Everyone's like, 'Oh, I don't want to be pretty! I want to be funny.' It's such a trope, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/it-s-hard-in-comedy-everyone-s-like-oh-i-don-t-want-to-be-pretty-i/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [You can (be a middle-aged comic) if you work very hard at it, because comedy is really hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-denton/you-can-be-a-middle-aged-comic-if-you-work-very-hard-at-it-because/) [Andrew Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-denton/) > [I think that in any role you have, whether TV or film, it's hard to do comedy and drama within one story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callie-thorne/i-think-that-in-any-role-you-have-whether-tv-or-film-it-s-hard-to-do/) [Callie Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callie-thorne/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) ## More by Bob Crane > [I turned down more offers to be Jack Paar or Johnny Carson or Steve Allen before the people on the 'Donna Reed Show' gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-turned-down-more-offers-to-be-jack-paar-or-johnny-carson-or-steve/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Hard comedy goes for the jocular. Hard comedy is basic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-jocular-hard-comedy-is-basic/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [The way I look at it, you've got to quit your TV series before they'll consider you in movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/the-way-i-look-at-it-you-ve-got-to-quit-your-tv-series-before-they-ll/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Wit is a comic's defense weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/wit-is-a-comic-s-defense-weapon/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I don't go for the wild stuff like bell-bottoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-don-t-go-for-the-wild-stuff-like-bell-bottoms/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [The day of the 'Partridge Family' type of show and the 'Brady Bunch' is long gone. The old 'Ozzie and Harriet' days are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/the-day-of-the-partridge-family-type-of-show-and-the-brady-bunch-is/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Maybe, realistically, in a career you have only one hit series. Maybe 'Hogan's' was mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/maybe-realistically-in-a-career-you-have-only-one-hit-series-maybe/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I learn by admiring others, listening and correcting what wouldn't be right for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-learn-by-admiring-others-listening-and-correcting-what-wouldn-t-be/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I liked Art Linkletter's way of conducting an interview while still keeping it light and I even admired Jack Bailey, host of 'Queen for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-liked-art-linkletter-s-way-of-conducting-an-interview-while-still/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I don't smoke, I don't drink, two out of three ain't bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-don-t-smoke-i-don-t-drink-two-out-of-three-ain-t-bad/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I feel the really big stars are in movies, not TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-feel-the-really-big-stars-are-in-movies-not-tv/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Look, I love to sit in with small groups and play the drums. What's wrong with that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/look-i-love-to-sit-in-with-small-groups-and-play-the-drums-what-s/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [I don't dig jogging. I've tried, I really have, but I don't get any enjoyment out of jogging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/i-don-t-dig-jogging-i-ve-tried-i-really-have-but-i-don-t-get-any/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [No one's an overnight sensation unless you're Batman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/no-one-s-an-overnight-sensation-unless-you-re-batman/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Hogan's' came from left field. It isn't 'McHale's' and it isn't 'Combat.' You can't categorize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hogan-s-came-from-left-field-it-isn-t-mchale-s-and-it-isn-t-combat/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) [Explore all 70 Bob Crane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) ## 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. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a home run, you might strike out. It's either a belly laugh or it's no go and no show.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Crane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-also-what-you-might-call-take-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-also-what-you-might-call-take-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/bob-crane-9846_comedy_hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-als_345695.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a…” — Bob Crane", "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": "Bob Crane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hard comedy goes for the fences....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-also-what-you-might-call-take-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-also-what-you-might-call-take-a/#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 } } ] } ```