--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love the deadpan. It's such a strong…" description: "\"I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.\" — Craig Robinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg" --- # I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the… ![“I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.” quote by Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg) > “I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.” [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deadpan humor lets listeners infer the speaker’s thoughts, creating engagement and personal interpretation. **In simple terms:** Deadpan lets audience guess the joke. Key Takeaway Use subtle humor to involve your audience. Themes humor communication engagement Mood playful thoughtful Type comedic strategic When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - podcast hosting - teaching - writing - marketing Key Concepts subtlety audience agency interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How does ambiguity affect audience connection? - When is subtlety more effective than explicit jokes? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted if context is unclear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Deadpan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadpan/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > ['Hungama' leaves all problems behind and just lets the audience have a good laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/hungama-leaves-all-problems-behind-and-just-lets-the-audience-have-a/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [“Good storytelling lets the audience relive events in the present so they can understand the forces, choices, and emotions that led the character to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-truby/good-storytelling-lets-the-audience-relive-events-in-the-present-so/) [John Truby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-truby/) > [“Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to point toward Nicholas. He felt a wave of heat and saw spellfire crackle along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/octave-staggered-to-his-feet-his-stick-swinging-back-to-point-toward/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [So, deadpan I think just means not acknowledging for one second that you think that this is funny and clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-warburton/so-deadpan-i-think-just-means-not-acknowledging-for-one-second-that/) [Patrick Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-warburton/) > [Where I come from people are very deadpan with a dry humour that I suppose rubbed off on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/where-i-come-from-people-are-very-deadpan-with-a-dry-humour-that-i/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [When I was doing comedy in New York, before I was in movies, I was never known as the deadpan actress. I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/when-i-was-doing-comedy-in-new-york-before-i-was-in-movies-i-was/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [I have no social agenda with my work. I'm deadpan about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/i-have-no-social-agenda-with-my-work-i-m-deadpan-about-it/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [“He's fucking stone cold deadpan. His pan is so dead he could lay it in a casket and bury it at Bellevue. They made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/he-s-fucking-stone-cold-deadpan-his-pan-is-so-dead-he-could-lay-it-in/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“If you can swing it, getting arrested is the high point of the Fourth of July. Also, the reading of the Declaration of Independence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/if-you-can-swing-it-getting-arrested-is-the-high-point-of-the-fourth/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [I never even thought of myself as deadpan until someone wrote an article about me about a year after I was doing comedy. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-never-even-thought-of-myself-as-deadpan-until-someone-wrote-an/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“Russ decided the best defense was a good offense. "I'm Russell Van Alstyne, Millers Kill chief of police." He held out his hand. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-spencer-fleming/russ-decided-the-best-defense-was-a-good-offense-i-m-russell-van/) [Julia Spencer-Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-spencer-fleming/) > [I've just got a very still, deadpan face, and I know how to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-morgan/i-ve-just-got-a-very-still-deadpan-face-and-i-know-how-to-use-it/) [Diane Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-morgan/) > [Anytime people see an emotion that is not extremely emotional, they call it 'deadpan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/anytime-people-see-an-emotion-that-is-not-extremely-emotional-they/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-audience-is-to-make-them-laugh/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I have been able to get a small audience. It's not the huge audience, but it's enough to make it possible to play. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-have-been-able-to-get-a-small-audience-it-s-not-the-huge-audience/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) ## More by Craig Robinson > [Nick Swardson used to have birthday paint parties. They were phenomenal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/nick-swardson-used-to-have-birthday-paint-parties-they-were-phenomenal/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I'm a Scorpio. I have different mood swings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-m-a-scorpio-i-have-different-mood-swings/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [People do ask me for advice for some reason. And I'll just kind of pose it back to them and let them answer on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/people-do-ask-me-for-advice-for-some-reason-and-i-ll-just-kind-of/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I have a sound. It's called 'funk mixed with stank.' That's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-have-a-sound-it-s-called-funk-mixed-with-stank-that-s-what-i-do/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I worked with Tyler before on 'Daddy's Little Girls'. He couldn't be smarter or more laid back and cool. He's always throwing out lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-worked-with-tyler-before-on-daddy-s-little-girls-he-couldn-t-be/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [Hear a lot of girls say, 'I can be myself around you,' and I'm always thinking, 'Who are you when you're with somebody else?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/hear-a-lot-of-girls-say-i-can-be-myself-around-you-and-i-m-always/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [A music teacher. It was in the inner city at a school called Horace Mann. I think I was most effective when the kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/a-music-teacher-it-was-in-the-inner-city-at-a-school-called-horace/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I do - I do enjoy a good rom-com here and there. Would 'A Fish Called Wanda' be a rom-com?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-do-i-do-enjoy-a-good-rom-com-here-and-there-would-a-fish-called/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [It's good to do something different than the subtleties of 'The Office' all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/it-s-good-to-do-something-different-than-the-subtleties-of-the-office/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [Doing voiceover is so much fun because you can play with the lines as much as you want. You can put a whole bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/doing-voiceover-is-so-much-fun-because-you-can-play-with-the-lines-as/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [Banging on the piano while my grandmother was watching me. I'd run up to her and ask: 'How was that, Grandma?' And she'd say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/banging-on-the-piano-while-my-grandmother-was-watching-me-i-d-run-up/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [It's funny to see how people react to the project, to read their thoughts, and I wonder aloud, 'Did they even watch the movie?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/it-s-funny-to-see-how-people-react-to-the-project-to-read-their/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [As a comic and as an actor, I think you've got to be partially crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/as-a-comic-and-as-an-actor-i-think-you-ve-got-to-be-partially-crazy/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [Comedy chose me. I always had this urge to be silly that I couldn't control. I remember my father having me read 'The Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/comedy-chose-me-i-always-had-this-urge-to-be-silly-that-i-couldn-t/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I'm focused on the work. And now I've done 'Morris' and 'Mr. Robot,' my appetite is whet to go deeper. It's fun, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-m-focused-on-the-work-and-now-i-ve-done-morris-and-mr-robot-my/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) [Explore all 79 Craig Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Craig Robinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/craig-robinson-8676_audience_i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go_290238.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what…” — Craig Robinson", "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": "Craig Robinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I love the deadpan. It's such...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/#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 } } ] } ```