--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody could be a professional…" description: "\"Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you have to do something you don't like to do in order to be a responsible adult and pay the rent.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png" --- # Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you… ![“Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you have to do something you don't like to do in order to be a responsible adult and pay the rent.” quote by David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png) > “Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you have to do something you don't like to do in order to be a responsible adult and pay the rent.” [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the tension between creative passion and adult responsibilities, suggesting art may feel like a chore **In simple terms:** Adult duties can make art feel like work Key Takeaway Balance passion with responsibility Themes creativity responsibility career Mood thoughtful practical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - freelance work - full‑time jobs - creative hobbies Key Concepts artistic integrity financial necessity Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep art enjoyable? - What structures support creative work? A Different Perspective May undervalue the joy of making art ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Cartoonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cartoonist/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-rent-330248/) [Professional Cartoonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-cartoonist-318309/) [Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rent/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible Adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-adult-901202/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think I would've ever dared dreaming of becoming a professional cartoonist. I wouldn't set myself up for that disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-think-i-would-ve-ever-dared-dreaming-of-becoming-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Any working cartoonist will tell you this, anybody who's working in a creative field: at some point, it's a job. You have deadlines. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/any-working-cartoonist-will-tell-you-this-anybody-who-s-working-in-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [You can draw Family Guy when you're 10 years old. You don't have to get any better than that to become a professional cartoonist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/you-can-draw-family-guy-when-you-re-10-years-old-you-don-t-have-to/) [John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/) > [I like to work. I mean, part of it for me is that I was a struggling actor, could barely pay my rent, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/i-like-to-work-i-mean-part-of-it-for-me-is-that-i-was-a-struggling/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [Milos said, You're my first choice. From my point of view, that doesn't pay the rent. I said, Tell me what I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/milos-said-you-re-my-first-choice-from-my-point-of-view-that-doesn-t/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [You have to do whatever jobs you can to pay the rent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/you-have-to-do-whatever-jobs-you-can-to-pay-the-rent/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [“We are all alike; we have no ties, we know nobody, we own nothing. When one of us dies, they scarcely know where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/we-are-all-alike-we-have-no-ties-we-know-nobody-we-own-nothing-when/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [ There are people who are like monkeys in a cage just hitting the coke button. They don't really get that for \[musicians and artists\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/there-are-people-who-are-like-monkeys-in-a-cage-just-hitting-the-coke/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“You don't have to pay its rent just because it is a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/you-don-t-have-to-pay-its-rent-just-because-it-is-a-book/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [I didn't think we would ever make enough money to pay rent by playing music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/i-didn-t-think-we-would-ever-make-enough-money-to-pay-rent-by-playing/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [A lot of times, we also have to live and work. You have to make money to pay rent. In that respect, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/a-lot-of-times-we-also-have-to-live-and-work-you-have-to-make-money/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [“Oldest toy store in the world and they couldn't pay their rent anymore. New York City real estate. Nothing good can stay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-lee-corthron/oldest-toy-store-in-the-world-and-they-couldn-t-pay-their-rent/) [Kara Lee Corthron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-lee-corthron/) > [I pay my rent with my Instagram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-toffolo/i-pay-my-rent-with-my-instagram/) [Georgia Toffolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-toffolo/) > [As long as I can pay rent, that's all I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/as-long-as-i-can-pay-rent-that-s-all-i-care-about/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [By the time you are in your thirties, most of the time, you've got a job, you can pay for your rent, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/by-the-time-you-are-in-your-thirties-most-of-the-time-you-ve-got-a/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) ## More by David Rees > [I have a really analytical approach to art. And the whole idea that you can't analyze what makes a joke funny...I do not agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-have-a-really-analytical-approach-to-art-and-the-whole-idea-that/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't even drink Coke. It tastes like robot sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-even-drink-coke-it-tastes-like-robot-sweat/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I just wanted a really simple, dramatic way so that fans, people who were reading my comic, would be like, "This is something different."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-just-wanted-a-really-simple-dramatic-way-so-that-fans-people-who/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I was just worried that someone was gonna think that I had been commissioned by Jamba Juice to make cartoons about Jamba Juice. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-was-just-worried-that-someone-was-gonna-think-that-i-had-been/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't like when performers rag on their ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend in absentia. If they're not there, it just feels rude... I'm never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-like-when-performers-rag-on-their-ex-girlfriend-or-ex/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I would make a comic for Rolling Stone every two weeks, because they're biweekly. And then I would make weekly comics for my weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-would-make-a-comic-for-rolling-stone-every-two-weeks-because-they/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The way you make money is to do something you don't like to do. And that's how you know you're a virtuous person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-way-you-make-money-is-to-do-something-you-don-t-like-to-do-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I'm interested in the structure of art and how it works. And the content is also interesting, but I don't want to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-m-interested-in-the-structure-of-art-and-how-it-works-and-the/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [“And you know what happened next in my dream? Dick Cheney and I said the same thing at the same time: "Well, we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/and-you-know-what-happened-next-in-my-dream-dick-cheney-and-i-said/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) [Explore all 50 David Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) [K. Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you have to do something you don't like to do in order to be a responsible adult and pay the rent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Rees" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonist-because-you-have-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adults" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonist-because-you-have-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/david-rees-13338_adults_nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonis_1912547.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nobody could be a professional cartoonist, because you have to do something you don't like to do in order to…” — David Rees", "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": "David Rees", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nobody could be a professional cartoonist,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonist-because-you-have-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/nobody-could-be-a-professional-cartoonist-because-you-have-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```