--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not afraid to write about madness. I…" description: "\"I'm not afraid to write about madness. I always figure that whatever most embarrasses you is something that everyone can relate to, really...because we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/david-sedaris-333_audience_i-m-not-afraid-to-write-about-madness-i_2824411.png" --- # I'm not afraid to write about madness. I always figure… ![“I'm not afraid to write about madness. I always figure that whatever most embarrasses you is something that everyone can relate to, really...because we're just not that different. So if you think, 'Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. I can't possibly talk about that,' and you write about it, the…” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/david-sedaris-333_audience_i-m-not-afraid-to-write-about-madness-i_2824411.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/david-sedaris-333_audience_i-m-not-afraid-to-write-about-madness-i_2824411.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/david-sedaris-333_audience_i-m-not-afraid-to-write-about-madness-i_2824411.png) > “I'm not afraid to write about madness. I always figure that whatever most embarrasses you is something that everyone can relate to, really...because we're just not that different. So if you think, 'Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. I can't possibly talk about that,' and you write about it, the audience is gonna be like, 'that happened to me!” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about personal embarrassment reveals shared humanity, making the uncomfortable relatable and comforting. **In simple terms:** Sharing embarrassment shows we’re all similar. Key Takeaway Write openly about awkward moments. Themes vulnerability humor connection Mood reflective lighthearted Type personal humorous When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - personal essays - therapy sessions - social media posts Key Concepts self‑disclosure empathy Questions to Reflect On - What personal truth could you share to help others feel less alone? - How does humor soften painful topics? A Different Perspective Not everyone feels safe exposing personal flaws publicly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-write-308240/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Embarrasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrasses-891029/) [Embarrasses Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrasses-relate-3613433/) [Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassing/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Not afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-afraid/) [Oh my god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh-my-god/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity/) [Write Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-madness-2187443/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If what you want to do is write, then it's madness not to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-neill/if-what-you-want-to-do-is-write-then-it-s-madness-not-to-do-it/) [Joseph O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-neill/) > [“I don’t need to write. Madness or suicide are other options, though not nearly as compelling. But I want to create; I hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chila-woychik/i-don-t-need-to-write-madness-or-suicide-are-other-options-though-not/) [Chila Woychik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chila-woychik/) > [I'm not a nervous person. I'm not afraid to be on TV. I'm only afraid when I write. When I'm at my desk I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-m-not-a-nervous-person-i-m-not-afraid-to-be-on-tv-i-m-only-afraid/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The problem with me is that nothing embarrasses me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/the-problem-with-me-is-that-nothing-embarrasses-me/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [There's a time when I like embarrassing people but when some one embarrasses me I just laugh but this time is different it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shar-rae/there-s-a-time-when-i-like-embarrassing-people-but-when-some-one/) [Shar-rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shar-rae/) > [Attention embarrasses me. I don't like to be on display.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/attention-embarrasses-me-i-don-t-like-to-be-on-display/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I am not going to do anything that embarrasses my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kriti-kharbanda/i-am-not-going-to-do-anything-that-embarrasses-my-parents/) [Kriti Kharbanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kriti-kharbanda/) > [Everything that goes into my mouth seems to make me fat, everything that comes out of my mouth embarrasses me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/everything-that-goes-into-my-mouth-seems-to-make-me-fat-everything/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [it is my conviction that the personality of the writer has nothing to do with the literate product of his mind. And publicity in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/it-is-my-conviction-that-the-personality-of-the-writer-has-nothing-to/) [Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/) > [The problem with me is that nothing embarrasses me. Everything I've done ends up working in my favor. Even when I make mistakes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/the-problem-with-me-is-that-nothing-embarrasses-me-everything-i-ve/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [There's not an awful lot that embarrasses me. I'm the kind of actress that absolutely believes in exposing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/there-s-not-an-awful-lot-that-embarrasses-me-i-m-the-kind-of-actress/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Your mother embarrasses you in front of maybe a couple hundred people. My mother embarrasses me in front of millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/your-mother-embarrasses-you-in-front-of-maybe-a-couple-hundred-people/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) > [If you know me, you know that nothing embarrasses me. Anything could happen to me on live television, and I sincerely don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/if-you-know-me-you-know-that-nothing-embarrasses-me-anything-could/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) > [Money embarrasses me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/money-embarrasses-me/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [The game embarrasses you until you feel inadequate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-crenshaw/the-game-embarrasses-you-until-you-feel-inadequate/) [Ben Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-crenshaw/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not afraid to write about madness. I always figure that whatever most embarrasses you is something that everyone can relate to, really...because we're just not that different. So if you think, 'Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. 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