--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What makes a comedian has nothing to do…" description: "\"What makes a comedian has nothing to do with religion. Think of Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason, who were all Catholics.\" — Buddy Hackett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/buddy-hackett-20506_catholic_what-makes-a-comedian-has-nothing-to-do_1441580.jpg" --- # What makes a comedian has nothing to do with religion… ![“What makes a comedian has nothing to do with religion. Think of Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason, who were all Catholics.” quote by Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/buddy-hackett-20506_catholic_what-makes-a-comedian-has-nothing-to-do_1441580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/buddy-hackett-20506_catholic_what-makes-a-comedian-has-nothing-to-do_1441580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/buddy-hackett-20506_catholic_what-makes-a-comedian-has-nothing-to-do_1441580.jpg) > “What makes a comedian has nothing to do with religion. Think of Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Gleason, who were all Catholics.” [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. Comedy talent is independent of religious belief; humor transcends faith. **In simple terms:** Comedy isn’t tied to religion. Key Takeaway Judge humor by skill, not belief. Themes humor religion talent Mood lighthearted analytical Type observational cultural When to use this quote - stand‑up performance - media representation - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts Secularism cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - Can faith shape comedic style? - Do audiences perceive humor differently? A Different Perspective May overlook religious influences on humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I was in love with a lot of people, because I was a student of the game of comedy - Carol Burnett, Jack Benny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/i-was-in-love-with-a-lot-of-people-because-i-was-a-student-of-the/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedian-i-think-it-s-a-family/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [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 am very much inspired by the great masters of entertainment: Bob Hope, George Burns, Jimmy Durante - who never thought about retiring. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-am-very-much-inspired-by-the-great-masters-of-entertainment-bob/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [With a woman I try to photograph her beauty; with a man I try to show his character. Once I photographed a man with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-halsman/with-a-woman-i-try-to-photograph-her-beauty-with-a-man-i-try-to-show/) [Philippe Halsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-halsman/) > [My chief literary influences have been Paul Laurence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman. My favorite public figures include Jimmy Durante, Marlene Dietrich, Mary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/my-chief-literary-influences-have-been-paul-laurence-dunbar-carl/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [I went to a lot of theatre. My parents were very involved with the performing arts. I went to nightclub shows when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainie-kazan/i-went-to-a-lot-of-theatre-my-parents-were-very-involved-with-the/) [Lainie Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainie-kazan/) > [My favorite comedians were Jimmy Durante, George Burns, senior citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bologna/my-favorite-comedians-were-jimmy-durante-george-burns-senior-citizens/) [Joseph Bologna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bologna/) > [When I was young, my parents made me listen to old music and watch Jimmy Durante. I fell in love with the whole mystique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/when-i-was-young-my-parents-made-me-listen-to-old-music-and-watch/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [My dad used to put me in front of the TV screen and made me watch old Jimmy Durante and Dean Martin movies. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/my-dad-used-to-put-me-in-front-of-the-tv-screen-and-made-me-watch-old/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [With Red Skelton, you could fall flat on your face and he'd do his sketch around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-blake/with-red-skelton-you-could-fall-flat-on-your-face-and-he-d-do-his/) [Amanda Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-blake/) > [Bob Hope, Red Skelton, and Eddie Cantor... help us keep our balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hattie-mcdaniel/bob-hope-red-skelton-and-eddie-cantor-help-us-keep-our-balance/) [Hattie McDaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hattie-mcdaniel/) > [Looking back, I didn't realize until years later what a huge influence Red Skelton was in my stage demeanor with the band. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/looking-back-i-didn-t-realize-until-years-later-what-a-huge-influence/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Red Skelton... I broke into tears when I met him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rip-taylor/red-skelton-i-broke-into-tears-when-i-met-him/) [Rip Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rip-taylor/) ## More by Buddy Hackett > [I have the gift of laughter. I can make people laugh at will. In good times and in bad. And that I don't question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-have-the-gift-of-laughter-i-can-make-people-laugh-at-will-in-good/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [I found out that if you made people laugh, they like you. Most people got to like me because I made them laugh. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-found-out-that-if-you-made-people-laugh-they-like-you-most-people/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/my-mother-s-menu-consisted-of-two-choices-take-it-or-leave-it/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [I'm an actor. 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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. 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