--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that comedy really tells you how…" description: "\"I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg" --- # I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other… ![“I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know when you're failing in comedy. When you go to a comedy and you don't hear anybody laughing, you know that you've failed.” quote by Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg) > “I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know when you're failing in comedy. When you go to a comedy and you don't hear anybody laughing, you know that you've failed.” [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy provides immediate feedback; laughter signals success, silence signals failure, unlike drama's subtle cues. **In simple terms:** Comedy shows success instantly through laughter. Key Takeaway Use audience reaction to gauge performance. Themes humor feedback performance audience creativity Mood reflective analytical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - writing workshops - team presentations - pilot testing Key Concepts comedic timing social perception risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you interpret silent audiences? - Can you improve comedy without audience feedback? A Different Perspective Laughter may be influenced by mood, not quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There are certain actors who, when they appear in a drama, you know exactly what you're going to get. That's not me - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-are-certain-actors-who-when-they-appear-in-a-drama-you-know/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-don-t-think-comedy-really-does-change-people-s-minds-i-think-you/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [People think drama drives story, but I think the comedy is really the heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/people-think-drama-drives-story-but-i-think-the-comedy-is-really-the/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I think comedy is a really, really good tool for trying to say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/i-think-comedy-is-a-really-really-good-tool-for-trying-to-say/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [“There are just some people in the world you can’t please except by not pleasing them. And life’s too short for making drama, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/there-are-just-some-people-in-the-world-you-can-t-please-except-by/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [Real people avoid drama because they know their time is precious and choose not to waste it on unimportant people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-people-avoid-drama-because-they-know-their-time-is-precious-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I lose the first set, I still have two more. Let's not make a drama, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/if-i-lose-the-first-set-i-still-have-two-more-let-s-not-make-a-drama/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) > [With drama, you know if you're having a true moment, but in comedy, if somebody doesn't laugh, then you know you're not being funny.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-nevin/with-drama-you-know-if-you-re-having-a-true-moment-but-in-comedy-if/) [Brooke Nevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-nevin/) > [Drama is many times like poison in the air. You watch people on TV, co-workers, friends, and family thrive in it, breathing it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/drama-is-many-times-like-poison-in-the-air-you-watch-people-on-tv-co/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [“don't play role in Drama that i well know about the content of script. i can count your steps after this. don't forget who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikke-achmad/don-t-play-role-in-drama-that-i-well-know-about-the-content-of-script/) [ikke achmad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikke-achmad/) > [The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in real time if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-comedy-if-you-screen-a-drama-you/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [I really enjoy comedy, but I also still really enjoy the drama aspect. So, I don't like to narrow my possible chances out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-durance/i-really-enjoy-comedy-but-i-also-still-really-enjoy-the-drama-aspect/) [Erica Durance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-durance/) > [What is comedy? Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/what-is-comedy-comedy-is-the-art-of-making-people-laugh-without/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I was voted Most Humorous in my senior class in high school, and I was a fan of comedy, my whole life. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-riggle/i-was-voted-most-humorous-in-my-senior-class-in-high-school-and-i-was/) [Rob Riggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-riggle/) > [I'm always very fearful when academics get ahold of comedy. Comedy is such a clear thing - people laugh, or they don't laugh. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-michaels/i-m-always-very-fearful-when-academics-get-ahold-of-comedy-comedy-is/) [Lorne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-michaels/) ## More by Carl Reiner > [People have a comic bent or an angularity to their thinking, and those are the people who make jokes. And it's usually people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/people-have-a-comic-bent-or-an-angularity-to-their-thinking-and-those/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I've seen the invention of television and performed on television even before my family owned one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-ve-seen-the-invention-of-television-and-performed-on-television/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [Going through war and living is a very important process. You realize how vulnerable you are and how lucky you are to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/going-through-war-and-living-is-a-very-important-process-you-realize/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I write books that way - I put a first line down and say, "Where does this go?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-write-books-that-way-i-put-a-first-line-down-and-say-where-does/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I'm not a believer, I call myself an atheist. It was man who invented God. I once wrote that there are 15 things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-m-not-a-believer-i-call-myself-an-atheist-it-was-man-who-invented/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I was a Teletype operator in the army, so that's where I learned to type. One day, I went downstairs to see if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-was-a-teletype-operator-in-the-army-so-that-s-where-i-learned-to/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [Every morning, I would actually look at the obituaries before I had breakfast. And as a joke I said if I was not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/every-morning-i-would-actually-look-at-the-obituaries-before-i-had/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [Writing is the basis of all, because creating something that didn't even exist before is like taking an empty canvass. It is a wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/writing-is-the-basis-of-all-because-creating-something-that-didn-t/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I only please myself. I figure I'm just one of many people. I'm not that different from anybody else and I don't have great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-only-please-myself-i-figure-i-m-just-one-of-many-people-i-m-not/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [You can get the best out of people if they're happy and not worried or not frightened that they're going to make a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/you-can-get-the-best-out-of-people-if-they-re-happy-and-not-worried/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [It's like a bird. If he knew what he was doing, he would fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/it-s-like-a-bird-if-he-knew-what-he-was-doing-he-would-fall/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > ['The Dick Van Dyke Show' was my labor of love. When asked the best thing I ever did - that was it. I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/the-dick-van-dyke-show-was-my-labor-of-love-when-asked-the-best-thing/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [My father was a watchmaker and an inventor. I saw him working in the house every day. The work ethic, I got from him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/my-father-was-a-watchmaker-and-an-inventor-i-saw-him-working-in-the/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [When you denigrate people, they have two ways to fight back - with their fists and guns, or their mouths. And mouths are seemingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/when-you-denigrate-people-they-have-two-ways-to-fight-back-with-their/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [I love tweeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-love-tweeting/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) [Explore all 57 Carl Reiner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) ## 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": "I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know when you're failing in comedy. When you go to a comedy and you don't hear anybody laughing, you know that you've failed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Reiner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how-it-is-the-other-thing-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how-it-is-the-other-thing-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/carl-reiner-12014_comedy_i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how_236238.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know…” — Carl Reiner", "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": "Carl Reiner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that comedy really tells...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how-it-is-the-other-thing-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how-it-is-the-other-thing-about/#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 } } ] } ```