--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were…" description: "\"Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.\" — Dave Foley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png" --- # Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main… ![“Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.” quote by Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png) > “Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.” [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously links his career in comedy with his experience of poverty, suggesting both are challenging pursuits. **In simple terms:** Comedy and poverty are tough jobs. Key Takeaway Find humor even in hardship. Themes humor poverty career resilience Mood witty observational Type entertainment social critique When to use this quote - performing on stage - budgeting on a low income - writing jokes about struggle Key Concepts social commentary survival creative expression Questions to Reflect On - What does humor reveal about your hardships? - Can laughter be a coping strategy? A Different Perspective Comedy may mask deeper struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-poverty-5742536/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Main Endeavors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/main-endeavors-5742538/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Main](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-main-5742537/) [Stand Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-comedy/) [Stand up comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-up-comedy/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [I took a stand-up comedy class because I'd always wanted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanie-buss/i-took-a-stand-up-comedy-class-because-i-d-always-wanted-to/) [Jeanie Buss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanie-buss/) > [Now obviously popularity isn't everything when it comes to stand up comedy, but the art form itself is better today than it ever has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/now-obviously-popularity-isn-t-everything-when-it-comes-to-stand-up/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [While awaiting sentencing, I decided to give stand-up comedy a shot. The judge had suggested I get my act together, and I took him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/while-awaiting-sentencing-i-decided-to-give-stand-up-comedy-a-shot/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [As a live stand-up comedy performer, I have the benefit of choosing real entrance music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/as-a-live-stand-up-comedy-performer-i-have-the-benefit-of-choosing/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [For me, the way I stay consistent is through stand-up comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/for-me-the-way-i-stay-consistent-is-through-stand-up-comedy/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [But sometimes it's good to dare yourself to do the unthinkable. And rather than stand in front of an audience with no clothes on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/but-sometimes-it-s-good-to-dare-yourself-to-do-the-unthinkable-and/) [Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/) > [Comedy doesn't really matter that much; I know that. I treat it like an adult - I don't treat it like a child or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/comedy-doesn-t-really-matter-that-much-i-know-that-i-treat-it-like-an/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [About a year after I moved to Los Angeles, I decided I wanted to be a joke writer for a late night talk show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/about-a-year-after-i-moved-to-los-angeles-i-decided-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [You know, it wasn't even that I'm a funny guy, I just loved stand-up comedy and I wanted to do it. It was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/you-know-it-wasn-t-even-that-i-m-a-funny-guy-i-just-loved-stand-up/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [Stand-up comedy is a very hard thing on the spirit. There are people who transcend it, like Jack Benny and Steve Martin, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/stand-up-comedy-is-a-very-hard-thing-on-the-spirit-there-are-people/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [Stand-up comedy is an art form and it dies unless you expand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kinison/stand-up-comedy-is-an-art-form-and-it-dies-unless-you-expand-it/) [Sam Kinison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kinison/) > [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [Stand-up comedy in the end, unlike the rest of the entertainment industry, is a meritocracy. There's a certain level of undeniability you can work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/stand-up-comedy-in-the-end-unlike-the-rest-of-the-entertainment/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I go to a lot of stand-up comedy. I find more inspiration from observational stuff than from rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riz-ahmed/i-go-to-a-lot-of-stand-up-comedy-i-find-more-inspiration-from/) [Riz Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riz-ahmed/) ## More by Dave Foley > [David Steinberg was the reason the Smothers Brothers got cancelled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/david-steinberg-was-the-reason-the-smothers-brothers-got-cancelled/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [I'm the guy with the good attitude towards menstruation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/i-m-the-guy-with-the-good-attitude-towards-menstruation/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [There's something about strip malls that just reeks of my childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/there-s-something-about-strip-malls-that-just-reeks-of-my-childhood/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [I never watched 'Harper's Island.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/i-never-watched-harper-s-island/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [The important thing to remember is that bugs don't actually talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/the-important-thing-to-remember-is-that-bugs-don-t-actually-talk/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, where everything was in a strip mall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/i-grew-up-in-the-suburbs-of-toronto-where-everything-was-in-a-strip/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [If somebody came up with a really good idea, everyone would back it. Especially when we did the show, we had a real dedication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/if-somebody-came-up-with-a-really-good-idea-everyone-would-back-it/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [In a lot of ways, it was a huge relief, not being a member of a troupe, being able to make your own decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/in-a-lot-of-ways-it-was-a-huge-relief-not-being-a-member-of-a-troupe/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [Really, it's only been since the '70s that Canadians have had any pride in their country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/really-it-s-only-been-since-the-70s-that-canadians-have-had-any-pride/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [NBC is working with a team of astrophysicists to create a new day of the week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/nbc-is-working-with-a-team-of-astrophysicists-to-create-a-new-day-of/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [Canadians still spend so much time discussing what it means to be Canadian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/canadians-still-spend-so-much-time-discussing-what-it-means-to-be/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > ['High Stakes' was a very bad movie that I was cast in as a lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/high-stakes-was-a-very-bad-movie-that-i-was-cast-in-as-a-lead/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [I met Kevin when I was 19, at a Second City workshop. We were paired up together in the first class I went to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/i-met-kevin-when-i-was-19-at-a-second-city-workshop-we-were-paired-up/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > ['NewsRadio' was fantastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/newsradio-was-fantastic/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) > [I think we carry around the idea of being a Kid in the Hall as part of our identity. It's a big part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/i-think-we-carry-around-the-idea-of-being-a-kid-in-the-hall-as-part/) [Dave Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) [Explore all 28 Dave Foley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/) ## 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": "Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Foley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-my-two-main-endeavors/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-my-two-main-endeavors/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/dave-foley-21975_comedy_stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-m_2354177.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were my two main endeavors.” — Dave Foley", "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 Foley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-foley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Stand-up comedy and poverty. Those were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-my-two-main-endeavors/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-foley/stand-up-comedy-and-poverty-those-were-my-two-main-endeavors/#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 } } ] } ```