--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An academic is what I would have been if…" description: "\"An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been successful as a comedian. I've never had a proper job.\" — David Baddiel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/david-baddiel-4416_academic_an-academic-is-what-i-would-have-been-if_374468.png" --- # An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been… ![“An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been successful as a comedian. I've never had a proper job.” quote by David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/david-baddiel-4416_academic_an-academic-is-what-i-would-have-been-if_374468.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/david-baddiel-4416_academic_an-academic-is-what-i-would-have-been-if_374468.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/david-baddiel-4416_academic_an-academic-is-what-i-would-have-been-if_374468.png) > “An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been successful as a comedian. I've never had a proper job.” [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An academic career may be seen as a fallback for those who fail in more creative pursuits, highlighting societal expectations of success. **In simple terms:** Academics can be viewed as a fallback option. Key Takeaway Value all career paths equally. Themes career expectations success identity humor societal norms Mood contemplative wry Type sociological humorous When to use this quote - Career counseling - education policy - personal development - comedy workshops - media representation Key Concepts Self-worth alternative success creative fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you? - How do societal expectations shape career choices? A Different Perspective The statement may undervalue genuine academic passion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academic/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Fame is an upshot of what I do. If you're a successful comedian or actor, then you're a famous one. But it's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/fame-is-an-upshot-of-what-i-do-if-you-re-a-successful-comedian-or/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Maybe if I could ever be a successful comedian then I could be an example that Christians can also have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-jackson/maybe-if-i-could-ever-be-a-successful-comedian-then-i-could-be-an/) [Victoria Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-jackson/) > [I'd love to be a comedian. I've done a lot, but always in the confines of plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-d-love-to-be-a-comedian-i-ve-done-a-lot-but-always-in-the-confines/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [Oh yeah, I'd love to be a comedian. I've done a lot, but always in the confines of plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/oh-yeah-i-d-love-to-be-a-comedian-i-ve-done-a-lot-but-always-in-the/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [I'm a comedian first. I've learned how to act. I just draw on life experiences and that's how I've learned. I didn't take classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/i-m-a-comedian-first-i-ve-learned-how-to-act-i-just-draw-on-life/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [The greatest comedian I've ever seen is Jack Benny. He wasn't afraid of the silences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-greatest-comedian-i-ve-ever-seen-is-jack-benny-he-wasn-t-afraid/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [As a comedian, I've always tried to bring in trendy issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek/as-a-comedian-i-ve-always-tried-to-bring-in-trendy-issues/) [Vivek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek/) > [My theory as to why I first became a comedian is that my mother was always keenest on my younger brother, Dan. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/my-theory-as-to-why-i-first-became-a-comedian-is-that-my-mother-was/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I get called all kinds of things - an investigative comedian, a comedian activist - I've lost track of what my job title is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/i-get-called-all-kinds-of-things-an-investigative-comedian-a-comedian/) [Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/) > [Now know I well what people sought formerly above all else when they sought Teachers of virtue. Good sleep they sought for themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-know-i-well-what-people-sought-formerly-above-all-else-when-they/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Marx, however imperfectly he worked out the details, set himself the task of discovering the law of motion of capitalism, and if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/marx-however-imperfectly-he-worked-out-the-details-set-himself-the/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [The Carnegie Foundation is well aware of the fact that their reports frequently find their way to dusty archives in academic institutions, but occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-everett-koop/the-carnegie-foundation-is-well-aware-of-the-fact-that-their-reports/) [C. Everett Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-everett-koop/) > [Instead of explaining the sober facts of mechanics and electricity, I want to say a few words about the debt which we owe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-bloch/instead-of-explaining-the-sober-facts-of-mechanics-and-electricity-i/) [Felix Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-bloch/) > [When I went to college, as much as my parents emphasized academic achievement, they emphasized marriage even more. They told me that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-went-to-college-as-much-as-my-parents-emphasized-academic/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## More by David Baddiel > [It was definitely a challenging upbringing. My parents were by no means perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/it-was-definitely-a-challenging-upbringing-my-parents-were-by-no/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [We're not designed to know hundreds of people - we're designed to know four people in our village. So the only way we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/we-re-not-designed-to-know-hundreds-of-people-we-re-designed-to-know/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Now 'South Park' - they are interested in blasphemy. They're interested in creating offence for its own sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/now-south-park-they-are-interested-in-blasphemy-they-re-interested-in/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I have an issue with classical music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-have-an-issue-with-classical-music/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [When I retweet a troll, I'm not thinking of the troll, I'm thinking of the audience: how can I make them laugh with me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/when-i-retweet-a-troll-i-m-not-thinking-of-the-troll-i-m-thinking-of/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Fame is a silly thing that makes your life absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/fame-is-a-silly-thing-that-makes-your-life-absurd/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [For a long time, I used to think that I had a man's brain that I thought more like a man than a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/for-a-long-time-i-used-to-think-that-i-had-a-man-s-brain-that-i/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [All of my children's books are attempts to tap into what I believe to be children's, and to some extent human beings', fantasies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/all-of-my-children-s-books-are-attempts-to-tap-into-what-i-believe-to/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I had probably never met a non-Jew until the age of 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-had-probably-never-met-a-non-jew-until-the-age-of-12/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I'm not saying Jews should only play Jews... I personally think actors should be allowed to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-m-not-saying-jews-should-only-play-jews-i-personally-think-actors/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [My theory as to why I first became a comedian is that my mother was always keenest on my younger brother, Dan. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/my-theory-as-to-why-i-first-became-a-comedian-is-that-my-mother-was/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Most people who know me well say I am almost autistically myself. I like to never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/most-people-who-know-me-well-say-i-am-almost-autistically-myself-i/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Unfortunately, we no longer live in a culture where what is spoken about and what truths are told and what lies are told are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/unfortunately-we-no-longer-live-in-a-culture-where-what-is-spoken/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [There are no gatekeepers in children's literature. There are children who like what you write because it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/there-are-no-gatekeepers-in-children-s-literature-there-are-children/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [It gives me cancer to have an idea but not do it. Whether I get into trouble for it is not as important as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/it-gives-me-cancer-to-have-an-idea-but-not-do-it-whether-i-get-into/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) [Explore all 105 David Baddiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) ## More Academic quotes > [When I went to college, as much as my parents emphasized academic achievement, they emphasized marriage even more. 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Everett Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-everett-koop/) > [Marx, however imperfectly he worked out the details, set himself the task of discovering the law of motion of capitalism, and if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/marx-however-imperfectly-he-worked-out-the-details-set-himself-the/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [Now know I well what people sought formerly above all else when they sought Teachers of virtue. Good sleep they sought for themselves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-know-i-well-what-people-sought-formerly-above-all-else-when-they/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [An academic discipline, or any other semiotic domain, for that matter, is not primarily content, in the sense of facts and principles. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-paul-gee/an-academic-discipline-or-any-other-semiotic-domain-for-that-matter/) [James Paul Gee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-paul-gee/) > [“In the end, ethical interpretation of the Bible means to think critically about how our practices of textual engagement might help us to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/in-the-end-ethical-interpretation-of-the-bible-means-to-think/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [Perhaps art criticism cannot be reformed in a logical sense because it was never well-formed in the first place. Art criticism has long been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-elkins/perhaps-art-criticism-cannot-be-reformed-in-a-logical-sense-because/) [James Elkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-elkins/) > [And I'm the first one to tell people to break the rules. But you can only break the rules once you know what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/and-i-m-the-first-one-to-tell-people-to-break-the-rules-but-you-can/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [Nietzsche's ideas and plans: for example, the idea of giving up the whole wretched academic world to form a secular monastic community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-jaspers/nietzsche-s-ideas-and-plans-for-example-the-idea-of-giving-up-the/) [Karl Jaspers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-jaspers/) > [Quality afterschool programs provide safe, engaging and fun learning experiences to help children and youth develop their social, emotional, physical, cultural and academic skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/quality-afterschool-programs-provide-safe-engaging-and-fun-learning/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [The unary Photograph has every reason to be banal, 'unity' of composition being the first rule of vulgar (and notably, of academic) rhetoric: 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/the-unary-photograph-has-every-reason-to-be-banal-unity-of/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [Doctoral training is devoted almost entirely to learning to do research, even though most Ph.Ds who enter academic life spend far more time teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/doctoral-training-is-devoted-almost-entirely-to-learning-to-do/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [I am not an academic who happens to have written a novel. I am a novelist who happens to be quite good academically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-am-not-an-academic-who-happens-to-have-written-a-novel-i-am-a/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) [Browse all 958 Academic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been successful as a comedian. 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