---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone who wants to make it in comedy…"
description: "\"Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get in there in New York, you're wo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png"
---

#  Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a…

![“Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get in there in New York, you're working eight times a night sometimes. Who's going to be funny, the guy who works once a week, or the guy working eight times a night?” quote by Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png)

> “Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get in there in New York, you're working eight times a night sometimes. Who's going to be funny, the guy who works once a week, or the guy working eight times a night?”

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Comedy is a hyper‑competitive field where sheer volume of work often determines who succeeds.

**In simple terms:** Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

Key Takeaway

Put in the grind to stand out.

Themes

competition hard work creative industries

Mood

determive pressured

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- Stand‑up gigs
- writing sessions
- networking events
- audition panels

Key Concepts

Comedy economics performance pressure career strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you prioritize quantity or quality in your craft?
- How does relentless work affect creativity?

A Different Perspective

Quantity can dilute quality and lead to burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedians/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/)

## Related quotes

> [My idea as far as comedy goes has always been to push the limits of what's acceptable for a woman to do or say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-delaria/my-idea-as-far-as-comedy-goes-has-always-been-to-push-the-limits-of/)

[Lea DeLaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-delaria/)

> [There can be a science to joke writing, there are certainly rules and patterns that can be followed, but I think most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/there-can-be-a-science-to-joke-writing-there-are-certainly-rules-and/)

[Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/)

> [Hard comedy goes for the jocular. Hard comedy is basic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-jocular-hard-comedy-is-basic/)

[Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/)

> [Hard comedy goes for the fences. It's also what you might call take-a-risk comedy because if you don't hit a home run, you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crane/hard-comedy-goes-for-the-fences-it-s-also-what-you-might-call-take-a/)

[Bob Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crane/)

> [I wanted to get the guy who works next to me in the office something he really wants, but how do you wrap up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/i-wanted-to-get-the-guy-who-works-next-to-me-in-the-office-something/)

[Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/)

> [“No, give me a guy who’s in decent shape, who can hold an interesting conversation any day of the week. Give me a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasinda-wilder/no-give-me-a-guy-who-s-in-decent-shape-who-can-hold-an-interesting/)

[Jasinda Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasinda-wilder/)

> [You hear stories of intense actors who can't shed their character and who don't know who they are for a week or two after.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/you-hear-stories-of-intense-actors-who-can-t-shed-their-character-and/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I'm probably a monster-of-the-week guy, and that comes back down to my old favorite show, which as a kid was always Scooby-Doo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-m-probably-a-monster-of-the-week-guy-and-that-comes-back-down-to-my/)

[Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/)

> [I'm not playing for other musicians. We're trying to reach the guy who works all day and wants to spend a buck at night.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-king-cole/i-m-not-playing-for-other-musicians-we-re-trying-to-reach-the-guy-who/)

[Nat King Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-king-cole/)

> [Pretty much whoever wins the tournament at the end of the week is the guy that putted probably the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/retief-goosen/pretty-much-whoever-wins-the-tournament-at-the-end-of-the-week-is-the/)

[Retief Goosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/retief-goosen/)

> [There were a lot of people on the other side of the field saying, 'Maybe he's doing this, not doing that.' It's good to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-cano/there-were-a-lot-of-people-on-the-other-side-of-the-field-saying/)

[Robinson Cano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-cano/)

> [I want people to remember me as a guy who works hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-dos-anjos/i-want-people-to-remember-me-as-a-guy-who-works-hard/)

[Rafael dos Anjos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-dos-anjos/)

> [It's great knowing going into the week that you have a guy like Peyton Manning that's going to throw you the ball. You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/it-s-great-knowing-going-into-the-week-that-you-have-a-guy-like/)

[Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/)

> [I'm a guy who works very hard and if I want something bad enough, I'm going to do anything possible to get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-stamkos/i-m-a-guy-who-works-very-hard-and-if-i-want-something-bad-enough-i-m/)

[Steven Stamkos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-stamkos/)

> [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/)

[Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/)

## More by Dave Chappelle

> [You can become famous but you can't become unfamous. You can become infamous but not unfamous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/you-can-become-famous-but-you-can-t-become-unfamous-you-can-become/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [If someone sits and stares at you while you eat, you won't even eat the way you normally do, because it'll make you so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/if-someone-sits-and-stares-at-you-while-you-eat-you-won-t-even-eat/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [The kid is the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/the-kid-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [I love being famous - it's phenomenal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/i-love-being-famous-it-s-phenomenal/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Skeet Skeet Skeet!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/skeet-skeet-skeet/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [I think every group of black guys should have at least one white guy in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/i-think-every-group-of-black-guys-should-have-at-least-one-white-guy/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [The language you are about to hear... is disturbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/the-language-you-are-about-to-hear-is-disturbing/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [The biggest enemy of an artist is apathy... A kid gets killed by the police and I buy a T-shirt and before I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/the-biggest-enemy-of-an-artist-is-apathy-a-kid-gets-killed-by-the/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [You got to be careful of the company you keep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/you-got-to-be-careful-of-the-company-you-keep/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Man! Fuck that frog!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/man-fuck-that-frog/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [I'm happier in the way a guy gets happier when he starts to mature. It doesn't make things easier, but I'm so much better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/i-m-happier-in-the-way-a-guy-gets-happier-when-he-starts-to-mature-it/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Cause my life is dope, and I do dope sh\*t](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/cause-my-life-is-dope-and-i-do-dope-sh-t/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Bitches! Come over here and show Charlie Murphy yo titties!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/bitches-come-over-here-and-show-charlie-murphy-yo-titties/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

> [Whether it means having a show, or a movie, or just being on a stage, I need an avenue to say what I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/whether-it-means-having-a-show-or-a-movie-or-just-being-on-a-stage-i/)

[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

[Explore all 164 Dave Chappelle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

## More Comedian quotes

> [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/)

[Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/)

> [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [I like to turn up my collar when I'm leaving the theatre and feel like I'm some heroic comedian figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-skinner/i-like-to-turn-up-my-collar-when-i-m-leaving-the-theatre-and-feel/)

[Frank Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-skinner/)

> [The only difference between a comedian and someone else? We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/)

[Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/)

> [When a soldier of the night's watch dies they say, "And now his watch is over." That's what they say when a comedian dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/when-a-soldier-of-the-night-s-watch-dies-they-say-and-now-his-watch/)

[Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/)

> [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/)

[Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/)

> [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/)

[Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/)

> [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/)

[Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/)

> [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/)

[Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/)

> [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. You know, you don't hear too much of that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/it-s-very-rare-that-an-older-comedian-sort-of-slips-into-an-old/)

[Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/)

> [I was a kid, and I would watch standup comics do the 'Tonight Show,' and if Johnny Carson liked you, he'd wave you over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-koy/i-was-a-kid-and-i-would-watch-standup-comics-do-the-tonight-show-and/)

[Jo Koy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-koy/)

> [Gary Greenberg is a thoughtful comedian and a cranky philosopher and a humble pest of a reporter, equal parts Woody Allen, Kierkegaard, and Columbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-lewis-kraus/gary-greenberg-is-a-thoughtful-comedian-and-a-cranky-philosopher-and/)

[Gideon Lewis-Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-lewis-kraus/)

> [For me, comedians are like the epitome for everything great, and they terrify me. I just want to be them. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/)

[Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/)

> [No matter what town we went to, if there was a comedian playing, I'd go watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/no-matter-what-town-we-went-to-if-there-was-a-comedian-playing-i-d-go/)

[Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/)

> [I'm a comedian who happens to be Latino. What's the difference? The difference is, my special will air on Comedy Central, not Telemundo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-a-comedian-who-happens-to-be-latino-what-s-the-difference-the/)

[Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/)

[Browse all 1,775 Comedian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get in there in New York, you're working eight times a night sometimes. Who's going to be funny, the guy who works once a week, or the guy working eight times a night?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dave Chappelle"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy-goes-to-l-a-so-a-million/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comedian"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy-goes-to-l-a-so-a-million/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/dave-chappelle-2477_comedian_everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy_487675.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages…” — Dave Chappelle",
                "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 Chappelle",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Everyone who wants to make it...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy-goes-to-l-a-so-a-million/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/everyone-who-wants-to-make-it-in-comedy-goes-to-l-a-so-a-million/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
