--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm happy to start on one topic and end…" description: "\"I'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one entirely, as long as it's funny.\" — Dave Barry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png" --- # I'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one… ![“I'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one entirely, as long as it's funny.” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png) > “I'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one entirely, as long as it's funny.” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer values flexibility in topics, prioritizing humor over consistency, as long as the result remains amusing. **In simple terms:** Humor matters more than staying on one subject. Key Takeaway Embrace humor; stay adaptable. Themes humor flexibility creativity entertainment Mood lighthearted playful Type comedic creative When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - blogging - improv theater Key Concepts comedy writing craft Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep humor inclusive? - When does humor distract from substance? A Different Perspective Humor can be subjective and alienate some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Happy Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-start-823486/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-funny-1439426/) [Start Topic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-topic-1439425/) [Topics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/topics/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't be sad because it's over. Be happy because you can start over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ria-tumimomor/don-t-be-sad-because-it-s-over-be-happy-because-you-can-start-over/) [Ria Tumimomor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ria-tumimomor/) > [But I think you can make fun of anything as long as it's funny enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/but-i-think-you-can-make-fun-of-anything-as-long-as-it-s-funny-enough/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [As long as it's funny, there's no such thing as too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-punch/as-long-as-it-s-funny-there-s-no-such-thing-as-too-far/) [Lucy Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-punch/) > [I'm happy we're about to start inviting people into the thing we've been working on!! It's called Pinwheel, and it's a way to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-fake/i-m-happy-we-re-about-to-start-inviting-people-into-the-thing-we-ve/) [Caterina Fake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-fake/) > [“We must not wait to be happy. We have to start right now, right this very second.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-driver/we-must-not-wait-to-be-happy-we-have-to-start-right-now-right-this/) [Janine Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-driver/) > [I am happy to start from zero, to create, to restart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-massa/i-am-happy-to-start-from-zero-to-create-to-restart/) [Felipe Massa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-massa/) > [“Decide to be HAPPY when you start your day.React with JOY whatever comes your way.You may be hurt by what people say ,but don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/decide-to-be-happy-when-you-start-your-day-react-with-joy-whatever/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [With humor you have so many options with topics and length, I mean I can write humor essays in books now and they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/with-humor-you-have-so-many-options-with-topics-and-length-i-mean-i/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-can-win-an-argument-on-any-topic-against-any-opponent-people-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [We journalists make it a point to know very little about an extremely wide variety of topics; this is how we stay objective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/we-journalists-make-it-a-point-to-know-very-little-about-an-extremely/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The topic of working moms is a tap-dance recital in a minefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/the-topic-of-working-moms-is-a-tap-dance-recital-in-a-minefield/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Karabakh conflict has a strong influence on the political climate both in Azerbaijan and Armenia. It is obvious, too, that the Azerbaijani leadership can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/karabakh-conflict-has-a-strong-influence-on-the-political-climate/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm very concerned with what's going on the news, but I would not call myself a political animal, per se. I pay more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/i-m-very-concerned-with-what-s-going-on-the-news-but-i-would-not-call/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) ## More by Dave Barry > [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## 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'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one entirely, as long as it's funny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Barry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end-on-another-one-entirely-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end-on-another-one-entirely-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/dave-barry-222_comedy_i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end_1732094.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm happy to start on one topic and end on another one entirely, as long as it's funny.” — Dave Barry", "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": "Dave Barry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm happy to start on one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end-on-another-one-entirely-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-m-happy-to-start-on-one-topic-and-end-on-another-one-entirely-as/#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 } } ] } ```