--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all know funny people who can't get it…" description: "\"We all know funny people who can't get it down on the page - even funny writers who can't get it down on the page.\" — Calvin Trillin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/calvin-trillin-4656_comedy_we-all-know-funny-people-who-can-t-get-i_235977.png" --- # We all know funny people who can't get it down on the page… ![“We all know funny people who can't get it down on the page - even funny writers who can't get it down on the page.” quote by Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/calvin-trillin-4656_comedy_we-all-know-funny-people-who-can-t-get-i_235977.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/calvin-trillin-4656_comedy_we-all-know-funny-people-who-can-t-get-i_235977.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/285/calvin-trillin-4656_comedy_we-all-know-funny-people-who-can-t-get-i_235977.png) > “We all know funny people who can't get it down on the page - even funny writers who can't get it down on the page.” [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even talented humorists sometimes struggle to translate their wit onto paper, showing a gap between spoken and written comedy. **In simple terms:** Funny people often can’t write their jokes well. Key Takeaway Practice writing to bridge the gap between speaking and writing. Themes creativity communication humor Mood analytical inquisitive Type professional creative When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - scriptwriting - blogging - teaching comedy Key Concepts writing skill performance art Questions to Reflect On - Why is it harder to write jokes? - What techniques improve comedic writing? A Different Perspective May ignore other factors like editing or audience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) ## Related quotes > [“He was a humorist, and everyone knew the funny writers were the most serious sort under their skins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/he-was-a-humorist-and-everyone-knew-the-funny-writers-were-the-most/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [Sometimes when you write something on the page, it can seem very funny, but when you act it out - and this happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-white/sometimes-when-you-write-something-on-the-page-it-can-seem-very-funny/) [Mike White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-white/) > [I have no agenda except to be funny. Neither I or the writers profess to offer any worldly wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-louis-dreyfus/i-have-no-agenda-except-to-be-funny-neither-i-or-the-writers-profess/) [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-louis-dreyfus/) > [I figured all your classes were stuff like Slaughter 101 and Beheading for Beginners." Jace flipped a page. "Very funny, Fray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-figured-all-your-classes-were-stuff-like-slaughter-101-and/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [It's not always easy to go from funny on the page to funny on the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/it-s-not-always-easy-to-go-from-funny-on-the-page-to-funny-on-the/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [I have no agenda except to be funny. Neither I nor the writers profess to offer any worldly wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-louis-dreyfus/i-have-no-agenda-except-to-be-funny-neither-i-nor-the-writers-profess/) [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-louis-dreyfus/) > [My dad would go to work every day and write in a room full of funny people. He enjoyed it. I know great writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/my-dad-would-go-to-work-every-day-and-write-in-a-room-full-of-funny/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Thousands of volumes have been written about aviation, but we do not automatically have thousands of true and special friends in their authors. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/thousands-of-volumes-have-been-written-about-aviation-but-we-do-not/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“There are no blank words. Just blank pages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/there-are-no-blank-words-just-blank-pages/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [“Most writers enjoy two periods of happiness—when a glorious idea comes to mind, and when a last page has been written and you haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-writers-enjoy-two-periods-of-happiness-when-a-glorious-idea/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Funny how the people who know you the least have the most to say about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/funny-how-the-people-who-know-you-the-least-have-the-most-to-say/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think there's something funny about people who laugh in the face of convention or surprise us morally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/i-think-there-s-something-funny-about-people-who-laugh-in-the-face-of/) [Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/) > [It's very funny. People do not want to achieve liberation or be happy. This is the basic guideline they teach you in Spiritual Training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-s-very-funny-people-do-not-want-to-achieve-liberation-or-be-happy/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) ## More by Calvin Trillin > [“I am firmly committed to the proposition that whoever is in power is exceedingly silly… And that goes for the opposition as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/i-am-firmly-committed-to-the-proposition-that-whoever-is-in-power-is/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [People, not just reporters, are more interested in politics than in government, so the actual issues wouldn't be something that interested them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/people-not-just-reporters-are-more-interested-in-politics-than-in/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Perhaps we've time to have a look at the Number Thirty-One bus queue before we turn in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/perhaps-we-ve-time-to-have-a-look-at-the-number-thirty-one-bus-queue/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Irving Wallace family - they have preservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/irving-wallace-family-they-have-preservatives/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [“All White House hopefuls we forewarn: You'll have to prove that you were born. Before Trump hits the state of granite, He must identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/all-white-house-hopefuls-we-forewarn-you-ll-have-to-prove-that-you/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [If bumblebee leavings and stump paste are so good for you, why can't any of those guys (in the health stores) grow full beards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/if-bumblebee-leavings-and-stump-paste-are-so-good-for-you-why-can-t/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [At American weddings, the quality of the food is in inverse proportion to the social position of the bride and groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/at-american-weddings-the-quality-of-the-food-is-in-inverse-proportion/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [As far as I'm concerned, 'whom' is a word that was invented to make everyone sound like a butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-whom-is-a-word-that-was-invented-to-make/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Avoid restaurants with names that are improbable descriptions, such as the Purple Goose, the Blue Kangaroo or the Quilted Orangutan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/avoid-restaurants-with-names-that-are-improbable-descriptions-such-as/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [I don't cook. I don't know anything about food. I've never reviewed a restaurant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/i-don-t-cook-i-don-t-know-anything-about-food-i-ve-never-reviewed-a/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Fairs are good places to eat, particularly for stand-up eaters--which is one of the kinds of eaters I am, although when I eat standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/fairs-are-good-places-to-eat-particularly-for-stand-up-eaters-which/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [When someone reaches middle age, people he knows begin to get put in charge of things, and knowing what he knows about the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/when-someone-reaches-middle-age-people-he-knows-begin-to-get-put-in/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [The interesting thing about class warfare is that it's only class warfare if it's up, not down. If you talk about welfare cheats or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/the-interesting-thing-about-class-warfare-is-that-it-s-only-class/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [I actually think of being funny as an odd turn of mind, like a mild disability, some weird way of looking at the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/i-actually-think-of-being-funny-as-an-odd-turn-of-mind-like-a-mild/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [The price of purity is purists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/the-price-of-purity-is-purists/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) [Explore all 108 Calvin Trillin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) ## 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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