--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it's dirty, it's not funny, but if…" description: "\"If it's dirty, it's not funny, but if it's funny, it's not dirty.\" — Buddy Hackett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/buddy-hackett-20506_comedy_if-it-s-dirty-it-s-not-funny-but-if-it-s_2497610.jpg" --- # If it's dirty, it's not funny, but if it's funny, it's not… ![“If it's dirty, it's not funny, but if it's funny, it's not dirty.” quote by Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/buddy-hackett-20506_comedy_if-it-s-dirty-it-s-not-funny-but-if-it-s_2497610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/buddy-hackett-20506_comedy_if-it-s-dirty-it-s-not-funny-but-if-it-s_2497610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/buddy-hackett-20506_comedy_if-it-s-dirty-it-s-not-funny-but-if-it-s_2497610.jpg) > “If it's dirty, it's not funny, but if it's funny, it's not dirty.” [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor that relies on vulgarity loses its comedic value, while clean jokes lack shock value. **In simple terms:** Dirty jokes aren't funny; clean jokes aren't dirty. Key Takeaway Balance humor with taste. Themes comedy taste boundaries Mood playful reflective Type observational humorous When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - writing scripts - social media posts Key Concepts social norms shock value Questions to Reflect On - What makes a joke cross the line? - How can you be funny without offending? A Different Perspective Humor can be offensive if not mindful of audience sensitivities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I don't really need to be dirty to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-kimmel/i-don-t-really-need-to-be-dirty-to-be-funny/) [Jimmy Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-kimmel/) > [I wanted to do work that elevated. Otherwise, it's cheap funny. It's dirty funny. It's degrading funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-horan/i-wanted-to-do-work-that-elevated-otherwise-it-s-cheap-funny-it-s/) [Monica Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-horan/) > [Life is so much funny if you have dirty mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/life-is-so-much-funny-if-you-have-dirty-mind/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [Vegas needs a really funny, dirty, late-night show, and I'll tell it like it is, I promise you that. And you gotta love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/vegas-needs-a-really-funny-dirty-late-night-show-and-i-ll-tell-it/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [Whether you're old or young or white or black or however, funny is funny, and people want to see those videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glozell/whether-you-re-old-or-young-or-white-or-black-or-however-funny-is/) GloZell > [Prince Charles is so funny. So, so funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/prince-charles-is-so-funny-so-so-funny/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [Brad Paisley is very funny. Who else is funny? I think Reba McEntire is very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-evans/brad-paisley-is-very-funny-who-else-is-funny-i-think-reba-mcentire-is/) [Sara Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-evans/) > [There are things that I won't joke about, but it's not because I don't think they're funny or they can't be made funny. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/there-are-things-that-i-won-t-joke-about-but-it-s-not-because-i-don-t/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [And identity is funny being yourself is funny as you are never yourself to yourself except as you remember yourself and then of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/and-identity-is-funny-being-yourself-is-funny-as-you-are-never/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [You can't fake comedy. You can't make it look beautiful or put an interesting bit of music on in the background: funny can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisling-bea/you-can-t-fake-comedy-you-can-t-make-it-look-beautiful-or-put-an/) [Aisling Bea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisling-bea/) > [It's funny what funny is, because everyone's style is so different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/it-s-funny-what-funny-is-because-everyone-s-style-is-so-different/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [I was never trying to be funny. Being funny feels to me like an alternate form of confessionality - that is, a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chiasson/i-was-never-trying-to-be-funny-being-funny-feels-to-me-like-an/) [Dan Chiasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chiasson/) > [“You know what’s not funny? Funny bones. No, at best they are only mildly amusing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/you-know-what-s-not-funny-funny-bones-no-at-best-they-are-only-mildly/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [What's funny is funny. It doesn't matter what expense it's at. There are people who don't like that and I understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-del-rio/what-s-funny-is-funny-it-doesn-t-matter-what-expense-it-s-at-there/) [Bianca Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-del-rio/) > [I have no line. If I think it's funny, it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-have-no-line-if-i-think-it-s-funny-it-s-funny/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) ## More by Buddy Hackett > [I have the gift of laughter. I can make people laugh at will. In good times and in bad. 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I want to do drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-m-an-actor-i-want-to-do-drama/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [At the Sahara, the seats are banked and most of the audience is looking down at the stage. Everybody in the business knows: Up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/at-the-sahara-the-seats-are-banked-and-most-of-the-audience-is/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [You want to know what makes me tick, I'll tell you what makes me tick. I was a boy growing up in Brooklyn; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/you-want-to-know-what-makes-me-tick-i-ll-tell-you-what-makes-me-tick/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [Golf is more fun than walking naked in a strange place, but not much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/golf-is-more-fun-than-walking-naked-in-a-strange-place-but-not-much/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [Once when I was golfing in Georgia, I hooked the ball into the swamp. I went in after it and found an alligator wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/once-when-i-was-golfing-in-georgia-i-hooked-the-ball-into-the-swamp-i/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [My wife said to me, "I want to be cremated." I said, "How about Tuesday?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/my-wife-said-to-me-i-want-to-be-cremated-i-said-how-about-tuesday/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [Ninety-nine percent is in the delivery. If you have the right voice and the right delivery, you're cocky enough, and you pound down on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/ninety-nine-percent-is-in-the-delivery-if-you-have-the-right-voice/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [If you have the right voice and the right delivery, you're cocky enough, and you pound down on the punch line, you can say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/if-you-have-the-right-voice-and-the-right-delivery-you-re-cocky/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [When I do an hour-and-a-half show, if I don't improvise 20 minutes worth of new material each night, I feel I've let myself down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/when-i-do-an-hour-and-a-half-show-if-i-don-t-improvise-20-minutes/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [I've had a few arguments with people, but I never carry a grudge. You know why? While you're carrying a grudge, they're out dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-ve-had-a-few-arguments-with-people-but-i-never-carry-a-grudge-you/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [You look up at drama, down at comedy. A singer, looking up is okay. A comic, it's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/you-look-up-at-drama-down-at-comedy-a-singer-looking-up-is-okay-a/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [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/) [Explore all 30 Buddy Hackett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) ## 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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