--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing…" description: "\"The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing, we gotta get rid of that. That has to go! That's just getting sick people to voluntarily stay sicker and sadd..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/chris-gethard-2655_clown_the-whole-romanticized-sad-clown-thing-w_905586.jpg" --- # The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing, we gotta get rid… ![“The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing, we gotta get rid of that. That has to go! That's just getting sick people to voluntarily stay sicker and sadder than they have to be.” quote by Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/chris-gethard-2655_clown_the-whole-romanticized-sad-clown-thing-w_905586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/chris-gethard-2655_clown_the-whole-romanticized-sad-clown-thing-w_905586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/chris-gethard-2655_clown_the-whole-romanticized-sad-clown-thing-w_905586.jpg) > “The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing, we gotta get rid of that. That has to go! That's just getting sick people to voluntarily stay sicker and sadder than they have to be.” [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The “sad clown” trope romanticizes suffering, encouraging people to stay unhealthy; it should be rejected. **In simple terms:** Reject glorifying sadness. Key Takeaway Avoid romanticizing pain. Themes mental health authenticity stigma Mood critical empathetic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - media critique - self‑care practices Key Concepts psychology media representation Questions to Reflect On - How does this trope affect you? - What healthier narratives can replace it? A Different Perspective Some may find value in expressing sadness artistically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Getting Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-sick/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Sad clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad-clown/) ## Related quotes > [The whole romanticized sad clown thing, we have to get rid of that. That has to go. That's just getting sick people to voluntarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/the-whole-romanticized-sad-clown-thing-we-have-to-get-rid-of-that/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [ We spend $3 trillion a year \[on healthcare\] and we're only getting sicker. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-spend-3-trillion-a-year-on-healthcare-and-we-re-only-getting-sicker/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I will sell Chiropractic, serve Chiropractic, and save Chiropractic if it will take me twenty lifetimes to do it. I will promote it within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-palmer/i-will-sell-chiropractic-serve-chiropractic-and-save-chiropractic-if/) [B. J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-palmer/) > [You really come to life on stage but outside - this is a bit of a sad clown cliché - there is that element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-brown/you-really-come-to-life-on-stage-but-outside-this-is-a-bit-of-a-sad/) [Doc Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-brown/) > [I think I'll be a clown when I get grown… There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-think-i-ll-be-a-clown-when-i-get-grown-there-ain-t-one-thing-in/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [In college, I learned that my favorite parts were the sad clown parts. Those are the ones I love because you get to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogler/in-college-i-learned-that-my-favorite-parts-were-the-sad-clown-parts/) [Dan Fogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogler/) > [The Sad Clown, Love's Jester, Her fool, Winds down, Fades Away. Jokes Spent, Brunt of them all. To tired to Dance, Entertain, He turns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/the-sad-clown-love-s-jester-her-fool-winds-down-fades-away-jokes/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [I find I have to be the sad clown: laughing on the outside, crying on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-find-i-have-to-be-the-sad-clown-laughing-on-the-outside-crying-on/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [I am not a sad clown. I am not a sad clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/i-am-not-a-sad-clown-i-am-not-a-sad-clown/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [Behind this is smile, is a sad clown...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhanu/behind-this-is-smile-is-a-sad-clown/) Dhanu > [“Jary, Garge, Elane and Daved Pady emerge from the Lamborgini Veneno like sad clown's from the SICKEST clown car ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinfeld-2000/jary-garge-elane-and-daved-pady-emerge-from-the-lamborgini-veneno/) Seinfeld 2000 > [Dwight is a sad clown. You've seen those paintings of sad clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/dwight-is-a-sad-clown-you-ve-seen-those-paintings-of-sad-clown/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [I don't have much time for the 'sad clown' thing. It's only associated with comedians because of the disparity between feeling like that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-don-t-have-much-time-for-the-sad-clown-thing-it-s-only-associated/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I've always been attracted to sad. If you look at Woody Allen movies, he's often playing a sad clown, and it's always been interesting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-sad-if-you-look-at-woody-allen-movies/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [I know what I look like - a weird, sad clown puppet. I'm fine with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/i-know-what-i-look-like-a-weird-sad-clown-puppet-i-m-fine-with-that/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) ## More by Chris Gethard > [My medications make me easier to deal with. They don't interfere with my creativity or turn me into a zombie or dull my real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/my-medications-make-me-easier-to-deal-with-they-don-t-interfere-with/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I didn't like who I was. I spent a lot of my life regretting who I was, which is a sad thing to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-didn-t-like-who-i-was-i-spent-a-lot-of-my-life-regretting-who-i-was/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [We don't judge people for dying in car crashes. But we do judge people when they die of suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/we-don-t-judge-people-for-dying-in-car-crashes-but-we-do-judge-people/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [If you are dating someone in New York City, and they invite you over to watch a movie, they don't really want to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/if-you-are-dating-someone-in-new-york-city-and-they-invite-you-over/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I think, in my own life, I'm pretty political. I think I have some very strong ideals, and I struggle a lot with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-think-in-my-own-life-i-m-pretty-political-i-think-i-have-some-very/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [The street I lived on for the first handful of years of my life was lined with modest, lower-middle-class houses with small front yards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/the-street-i-lived-on-for-the-first-handful-of-years-of-my-life-was/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I'm not exactly Don Draper when it comes to physical attractiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-m-not-exactly-don-draper-when-it-comes-to-physical-attractiveness/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I am scared of horror movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-am-scared-of-horror-movies/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I am a stereotypical northeasterner. I'm always in a rush. I've attracted stares from out-of-towners when I've shoved past someone blocking the subway door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-am-a-stereotypical-northeasterner-i-m-always-in-a-rush-i-ve/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [There are many hundreds of millions of people who have jobs harder than (mine), and I also remind myself of that every day. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/there-are-many-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-who-have-jobs-harder/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [If I could have enough money that I know I could buy a house someday, and if I want to have kids, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/if-i-could-have-enough-money-that-i-know-i-could-buy-a-house-someday/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Northern New Jersey looks like a cluster of idyllic suburbs, but each of those seemingly normal towns has a dark side that's constantly gossiped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/northern-new-jersey-looks-like-a-cluster-of-idyllic-suburbs-but-each/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Many comedians - both male and female - do have an "I will never date another comedian" rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/many-comedians-both-male-and-female-do-have-an-i-will-never-date/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [West Orange, where I grew up, is the hometown of Ian Ziering from 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' Scott Wolf from 'Party of Five,' David Cassidy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/west-orange-where-i-grew-up-is-the-hometown-of-ian-ziering-from/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Cops in New York City don't have the best reputation. It's a fast-paced city, and they deal with a lot, and many people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/cops-in-new-york-city-don-t-have-the-best-reputation-it-s-a-fast/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) [Explore all 156 Chris Gethard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) ## More Clown quotes > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns...and clowns. (Bobby Pendragon)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-this-world-people-who-hate-clowns/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [I wanted to be a clown when I was a kid, so I love interacting and goofing around with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/i-wanted-to-be-a-clown-when-i-was-a-kid-so-i-love-interacting-and/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [When fighting clowns, always go for the juggler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/when-fighting-clowns-always-go-for-the-juggler/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [You know, I was the class clown in Catholic school, but I never thought I would make a living out of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-know-i-was-the-class-clown-in-catholic-school-but-i-never-thought/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [You see, this heart, won't settle down; just like a child, running, scared, from a clown. Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-see-this-heart-won-t-settle-down-just-like-a-child-running-scared/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Circus clown. That's a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/circus-clown-that-s-a-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I first started getting into acting, I was doing improv in acting class, and I had done a serious monologue and everyone was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/when-i-first-started-getting-into-acting-i-was-doing-improv-in-acting/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“If i'm gonna be described as a clown for my actions, I might aswell be a whole circus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bee/if-i-m-gonna-be-described-as-a-clown-for-my-actions-i-might-aswell-be/) [Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bee/) > [I had a dream that a clown named dimples keep leaving the radio on in my room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-that-a-clown-named-dimples-keep-leaving-the-radio-on-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is that love? It seems like a pale word, too easily tossed about by people who don’t know the meaning of it, who twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/is-that-love-it-seems-like-a-pale-word-too-easily-tossed-about-by/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Browse all 837 Clown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The whole romanticized 'sad clown' thing, we gotta get rid of that. That has to go! 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