--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It takes somebody smart to play somebody…" description: "\"It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb.\" — Chevy Chase" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg" --- # It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb. ![“It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb.” quote by Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg) > “It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb.” [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that playing the role of a fool requires intelligence, implying a strategic use of feigned ignorance. **In simple terms:** It takes intelligence to act foolishly on purpose. Key Takeaway Use strategic humility when needed. Themes intelligence strategy humor social dynamics Mood witty practical Type advice strategic When to use this quote - negotiations - team leadership - teaching - comedy performance Key Concepts role play psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is playing dumb effective? - How do you reveal true competence later? A Different Perspective Feigning ignorance can backfire if misread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Play Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-somebody/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Somebody Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-dumb-4803525/) [Somebody Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-smart-2221465/) ## Related quotes > [If somebody's dumb enough to ask me to go to a political convention and say something, they're going to have to take what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/if-somebody-s-dumb-enough-to-ask-me-to-go-to-a-political-convention/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [The movies that work are the ones in which somebody very smart figured out how to take all the thematic material, all the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-rudin/the-movies-that-work-are-the-ones-in-which-somebody-very-smart/) [Scott Rudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-rudin/) > [For me, I was somebody who was a smart young guy who didn't do very well in school. The basic system of education, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/for-me-i-was-somebody-who-was-a-smart-young-guy-who-didn-t-do-very/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When you have somebody that's smart and you're not so smart, to me that's modern day slavery because you're being dictated to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hopkins/when-you-have-somebody-that-s-smart-and-you-re-not-so-smart-to-me/) [Bernard Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hopkins/) > [“They think that they’re smart and that the rest of us are dumb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/they-think-that-they-re-smart-and-that-the-rest-of-us-are-dumb/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [I frustrate myself as a writer. There are certain things that I'll think, 'Well, that would be really fun to play... if somebody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-frustrate-myself-as-a-writer-there-are-certain-things-that-i-ll/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Can't force anything. Can't try and make a play that somebody else is supposed to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-garrett/can-t-force-anything-can-t-try-and-make-a-play-that-somebody-else-is/) [Myles Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-garrett/) > [I think it would be very difficult to play somebody if they didn't think they had any virtues or redeeming characteristics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-it-would-be-very-difficult-to-play-somebody-if-they-didn-t/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [When you can hear a violinist, that is better than you, then you learn from him, because if you play with somebody who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruggiero-ricci/when-you-can-hear-a-violinist-that-is-better-than-you-then-you-learn/) [Ruggiero Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruggiero-ricci/) > [If you want to play somebody's music, you'd better go into his house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-mann/if-you-want-to-play-somebody-s-music-you-d-better-go-into-his-house/) [Herbie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-mann/) > [To be able to play somebody that says and does pretty much whatever he wants is great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rapaport/to-be-able-to-play-somebody-that-says-and-does-pretty-much-whatever/) [Michael Rapaport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rapaport/) > [I think I need to play somebody who expresses themselves and is able to communicate on a more open level, something really different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-foy/i-think-i-need-to-play-somebody-who-expresses-themselves-and-is-able/) [Claire Foy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-foy/) > [When you've done something, certainly if you create a piece of music, you then hear it with fresh ears when you play it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/when-you-ve-done-something-certainly-if-you-create-a-piece-of-music/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [When you play with somebody and you don't even talk to each other on the pitch it's really difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/when-you-play-with-somebody-and-you-don-t-even-talk-to-each-other-on/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [When you play somebody, you pick up a lot of their gestures, his voice, the way he speaks, his body language. You don't often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-loggia/when-you-play-somebody-you-pick-up-a-lot-of-their-gestures-his-voice/) [Robert Loggia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-loggia/) ## More by Chevy Chase > [You can't observe as much if you're observed by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/you-can-t-observe-as-much-if-you-re-observed-by-others/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Last good pratfall I did, I broke bones in both hands. I still feel it when people shake my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/last-good-pratfall-i-did-i-broke-bones-in-both-hands-i-still-feel-it/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [What makes a home home? Animals, and a little bit of clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/what-makes-a-home-home-animals-and-a-little-bit-of-clutter/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Step by step, we will break this cycle of silence, poor information and stigma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/step-by-step-we-will-break-this-cycle-of-silence-poor-information-and/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [I think the Clintons are brilliant. I've never met a person as intelligent as Bill, and I think Hillary is right up there with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/i-think-the-clintons-are-brilliant-i-ve-never-met-a-person-as/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Television doesn't make stars. It's the written media, the press, that makes stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/television-doesn-t-make-stars-it-s-the-written-media-the-press-that/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Marge is a terrible name for a mistress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/marge-is-a-terrible-name-for-a-mistress/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [The best advice I can give you about falling is to never land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/the-best-advice-i-can-give-you-about-falling-is-to-never-land/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [We never could have performed live for an hour and a half every week if we were doing drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/we-never-could-have-performed-live-for-an-hour-and-a-half-every-week/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Parrots make great pets. They have more personality than goldfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/parrots-make-great-pets-they-have-more-personality-than-goldfish/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [All my children inherited perfect pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/all-my-children-inherited-perfect-pitch/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [It took me 20 years of making movies to learn how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-took-me-20-years-of-making-movies-to-learn-how-to-do-it/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [With Clinton, there's no question that I would have made fun of his out-and-out lying. But he's also a good friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/with-clinton-there-s-no-question-that-i-would-have-made-fun-of-his/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Break as few bones as possible and make as much noise as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/break-as-few-bones-as-possible-and-make-as-much-noise-as-you-can/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [It's never a good idea for a celebrity to sign autographs or take pictures if a crowd is gathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-s-never-a-good-idea-for-a-celebrity-to-sign-autographs-or-take/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) [Explore all 64 Chevy Chase quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) ## More Dumb quotes > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“War is not nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/war-is-not-nice/) [Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/) > [I love comedy. I love the absurdity of it. I love the kind of intelligence that's required to be dumb in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/i-love-comedy-i-love-the-absurdity-of-it-i-love-the-kind-of/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Me seeing how thick my callous is on my hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/me-seeing-how-thick-my-callous-is-on-my-hand/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [I just don't like that you can either be ugly and smart or pretty and dumb, or ugly and nice or pretty and mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-don-t-like-that-you-can-either-be-ugly-and-smart-or-pretty-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-british-government-has-learned-that-saddam-hussein-recently/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 2,053 Dumb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chevy Chase" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody-dumb/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dumb" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody-dumb/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/chevy-chase-10619_dumb_it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody_2330983.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It takes somebody smart to play somebody dumb.” — Chevy Chase", "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": "Chevy Chase", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It takes somebody smart to play...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody-dumb/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/it-takes-somebody-smart-to-play-somebody-dumb/#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 } } ] } ```