--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really don't know what makes a…" description: "\"I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a family background and environment. Yet if you put the same ingredients in another person, he ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e48/bob-newhart-2419_backgrounds_i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedia_272525.jpg" --- # I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a… ![“I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a family background and environment. Yet if you put the same ingredients in another person, he may never utter a funny line.” quote by Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e48/bob-newhart-2419_backgrounds_i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedia_272525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e48/bob-newhart-2419_backgrounds_i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedia_272525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e48/bob-newhart-2419_backgrounds_i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedia_272525.jpg) > “I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a family background and environment. Yet if you put the same ingredients in another person, he may never utter a funny line.” [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy stems from personal background and environment, yet it cannot be simply copied; humor is deeply individual. **In simple terms:** Comedy isn’t easily replicated. Key Takeaway Cultivate your own voice. Themes comedy family influence creativity Mood thoughtful lighthearted Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - writing jokes - improvisation - family dynamics Key Concepts nature vs nurture authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What personal experiences shape your humor? - Can humor be taught? A Different Perspective Even with similar upbringing, humor varies widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedian Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian-think-510382/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-background/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny Line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-line-1140356/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Ingredients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingredients/) [Ingredients Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingredients-person-1430973/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Makes Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-comedian-297731/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like I don't have all the ingredients a person is supposed to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hamilton/i-feel-like-i-don-t-have-all-the-ingredients-a-person-is-supposed-to/) [Jane Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hamilton/) > [With the stand-up comic on TV, whether it's Seinfeld or Cosby or Roseanne, more important than their knowledge of how to tell a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/with-the-stand-up-comic-on-tv-whether-it-s-seinfeld-or-cosby-or/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [What makes a comedian has nothing to do with religion. Think of Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason, who were all Catholics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/what-makes-a-comedian-has-nothing-to-do-with-religion-think-of-red/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [Twitter makes you a comedian in the same way that digital cameras make you a photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/twitter-makes-you-a-comedian-in-the-same-way-that-digital-cameras/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [I often use humor as a tool in my writing, and sometimes that works and sometimes it sits alone just as a funny line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannes-holm/i-often-use-humor-as-a-tool-in-my-writing-and-sometimes-that-works/) [Hannes Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannes-holm/) > [You can give a guy a funny line, but you can't make him say it funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-garrett/you-can-give-a-guy-a-funny-line-but-you-can-t-make-him-say-it-funny/) [Brad Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-garrett/) > [You shouldn't worry who gets the funny line, just that you're being funny as a double act. With us, it flips all the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-mcpartlin/you-shouldn-t-worry-who-gets-the-funny-line-just-that-you-re-being/) [Ant McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-mcpartlin/) > [If someone's winning an argument wih me, I throw a funny line at him and run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/if-someone-s-winning-an-argument-wih-me-i-throw-a-funny-line-at-him/) [Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/) > [Only funny line I've had was my first day on the set of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They were making me up, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/only-funny-line-i-ve-had-was-my-first-day-on-the-set-of-chitty-chitty/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [If you try to deliver a funny line in a funny way, it comes out as wacky and you ruin the scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/if-you-try-to-deliver-a-funny-line-in-a-funny-way-it-comes-out-as/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [A funny line can never exist on its own. It needs to be surrounded by mood and circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/a-funny-line-can-never-exist-on-its-own-it-needs-to-be-surrounded-by/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Sometimes you do know, in 'Commando' when I said 'I lied', I knew that it was going to be a funny line. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/sometimes-you-do-know-in-commando-when-i-said-i-lied-i-knew-that-it/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [I do a joke in my stand-up where I say I'm a Christian, but I'm not a Christian comedian. I think that's definitely how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelah-johnson/i-do-a-joke-in-my-stand-up-where-i-say-i-m-a-christian-but-i-m-not-a/) [Anjelah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelah-johnson/) > [I think I have got a lot better as an interviewer. I let people talk now which is something you need to do. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-carr/i-think-i-have-got-a-lot-better-as-an-interviewer-i-let-people-talk/) [Alan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-carr/) > [As a comedian, I think you need to keep things real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/as-a-comedian-i-think-you-need-to-keep-things-real/) [Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/) ## More by Bob Newhart > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I didn't need the elf outfit to play an elf; I could just play an elf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-didn-t-need-the-elf-outfit-to-play-an-elf-i-could-just-play-an-elf/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come back, which I think was their way of saying, 'There's nothing out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to-please-come-back-which-i/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I just made the decision that I was going to try comedy, and if didn't work, then I knew it didn't work. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-just-made-the-decision-that-i-was-going-to-try-comedy-and-if-didn-t/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Don't be silly and don't waste your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/don-t-be-silly-and-don-t-waste-your-time/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I'm most proud of the longevity of my marriage, my kids, and my grandchildren. If you don't have that, you really don't have very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-m-most-proud-of-the-longevity-of-my-marriage-my-kids-and-my/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [The best advice I could give someone trying to get into the comedy field is to take advantage of every opportunity you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-best-advice-i-could-give-someone-trying-to-get-into-the-comedy/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [As an actor, you generally want to see the other actor's face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/as-an-actor-you-generally-want-to-see-the-other-actor-s-face/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [You shouldn't get too close to the truth, because then maybe you stop being funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/you-shouldn-t-get-too-close-to-the-truth-because-then-maybe-you-stop/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [But I really believe that if you have the ability, there is an obligation to make people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/but-i-really-believe-that-if-you-have-the-ability-there-is-an/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [The reason I'm a psychologist is based in part on my telephone routines. Much of my humor comes out of reaction to what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-reason-i-m-a-psychologist-is-based-in-part-on-my-telephone/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I think that what comes through in Chicago humor is the affection. Even though you're poking fun at someone or something, there's still an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-think-that-what-comes-through-in-chicago-humor-is-the-affection/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I feel more comfortable in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-feel-more-comfortable-in-comedy/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I made a record album in 1960 and it exploded, and I got all these offers for TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-made-a-record-album-in-1960-and-it-exploded-and-i-got-all-these/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Chuck Lorre and I had been talking about doing one of his shows for a while. I said I'd like to do 'The Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/chuck-lorre-and-i-had-been-talking-about-doing-one-of-his-shows-for-a/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) [Explore all 167 Bob Newhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think it is a sin to look at another person as inferior to yourself because of race or because of ethnic background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-it-is-a-sin-to-look-at-another-person-as-inferior-to-yourself/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The thing that is making jazz healthy today is that people are coming out of other backgrounds - from rock, folk, from ethnic music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/the-thing-that-is-making-jazz-healthy-today-is-that-people-are-coming/) [Billy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-taylor/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. 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