--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't teach someone to be funny, but…" description: "\"You can't teach someone to be funny, but you can teach comic timing. If you listen to a good comic, you can learn how to put it on a page.\" — Christoph..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/christopher-moore-353_comedy_you-can-t-teach-someone-to-be-funny-but_2745285.png" --- # You can't teach someone to be funny, but you can teach… ![“You can't teach someone to be funny, but you can teach comic timing. If you listen to a good comic, you can learn how to put it on a page.” quote by Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/christopher-moore-353_comedy_you-can-t-teach-someone-to-be-funny-but_2745285.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/christopher-moore-353_comedy_you-can-t-teach-someone-to-be-funny-but_2745285.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/christopher-moore-353_comedy_you-can-t-teach-someone-to-be-funny-but_2745285.png) > “You can't teach someone to be funny, but you can teach comic timing. If you listen to a good comic, you can learn how to put it on a page.” [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor can be taught through timing and observation, not innate talent. **In simple terms:** Comedy skills come from learning timing. Key Takeaway Study timing, practice observation. Themes creativity learning humor Mood inspirational practical Type educational motivational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - scriptwriting - improv classes - online tutorials Key Concepts comic timing performance writing Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop your unique comedic voice? - What role does audience feedback play? A Different Perspective Humor also requires authenticity and personal voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-learn-3057174/) [Comic Timing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-timing-283875/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-teach-3057175/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen/) [Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/page/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Teach Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-comic-3057172/) [Teach Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-funny-3057173/) [Timing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timing/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [As a comic, you learn to use your voice because you don't have the benefit of visual things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/as-a-comic-you-learn-to-use-your-voice-because-you-don-t-have-the/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [Everybody I know who is funny, it's in them. You can teach timing, or some people are able to tell a joke, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/everybody-i-know-who-is-funny-it-s-in-them-you-can-teach-timing-or/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [People are either funny or they're not, and you can't teach that - but you can teach people to work together to make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-besser/people-are-either-funny-or-they-re-not-and-you-can-t-teach-that-but/) [Matt Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-besser/) > [It's hard to transfer one person's type of comic timing or approach to another person's. It's something you innately hear like a rhythm in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-tomei/it-s-hard-to-transfer-one-person-s-type-of-comic-timing-or-approach/) [Marisa Tomei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-tomei/) > [I am genuinely interested in comedy and I know that I have good comic timing as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/i-am-genuinely-interested-in-comedy-and-i-know-that-i-have-good-comic/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [ I just devoured all of his \[Buster Keaton’s\] films because his sense of comic timing was amazing. He’s the closest a human being has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/i-just-devoured-all-of-his-buster-keaton-s-films-because-his-sense-of/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [After we'd filmed one series of 'Kiss Me Kate,' everyone was saying: 'The guy's got great comic timing,' - that was the first I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-boyd/after-we-d-filmed-one-series-of-kiss-me-kate-everyone-was-saying-the/) [Darren Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-boyd/) > [I don't think comic timing is the same as music timing, but I definitely find that I've learned from just writing in general that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-don-t-think-comic-timing-is-the-same-as-music-timing-but-i/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I'd love to do comedy. And I think I have pretty good sense of comic timing, so I'd really like to try that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-perkins/i-d-love-to-do-comedy-and-i-think-i-have-pretty-good-sense-of-comic/) [Emily Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-perkins/) > [The audience has reacted well to my comic timing. But, I also have other aspects to my acting talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kartik-aaryan/the-audience-has-reacted-well-to-my-comic-timing-but-i-also-have/) [Kartik Aaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kartik-aaryan/) > [My comic timing is quite good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sameera-reddy/my-comic-timing-is-quite-good/) [Sameera Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sameera-reddy/) > [I would love to do something like Austin Powers to show off my comic timing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uma-thurman/i-would-love-to-do-something-like-austin-powers-to-show-off-my-comic/) [Uma Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uma-thurman/) > [Comic timing is something you are either born with or do not have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/comic-timing-is-something-you-are-either-born-with-or-do-not-have/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) > [I played few hero roles in the initial days of my career, but audiences loved me for my comic timing and, therefore, I later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/i-played-few-hero-roles-in-the-initial-days-of-my-career-but/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [As much effort it takes in nailing great comic timing, it takes the same effort to ace any dance step or a romantic dialogue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/as-much-effort-it-takes-in-nailing-great-comic-timing-it-takes-the/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) ## More by Christopher Moore > [“Love them all," said Renoir. "That is the secret, young man. Love them all." The painter let go of his arm and shrugged. "Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/love-them-all-said-renoir-that-is-the-secret-young-man-love-them-all/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. 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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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