--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to get more serialized. I had…" description: "\"I wanted to get more serialized. I had this idea for an event that would click onto everybody's mortality. I said, \"I want somebody to die.\" Fortunatel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/denis-leary-1350_ashes_i-wanted-to-get-more-serialized-i-had-th_1670039.jpg" --- # I wanted to get more serialized. I had this idea for an… ![“I wanted to get more serialized. I had this idea for an event that would click onto everybody's mortality. I said, "I want somebody to die." Fortunately for me, when I was toying with that idea, John Landgraf, who's the head of FX but also a very smart executive, came up with the idea of the ashes…” quote by Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/denis-leary-1350_ashes_i-wanted-to-get-more-serialized-i-had-th_1670039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/denis-leary-1350_ashes_i-wanted-to-get-more-serialized-i-had-th_1670039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/denis-leary-1350_ashes_i-wanted-to-get-more-serialized-i-had-th_1670039.jpg) > “I wanted to get more serialized. I had this idea for an event that would click onto everybody's mortality. I said, "I want somebody to die." Fortunately for me, when I was toying with that idea, John Landgraf, who's the head of FX but also a very smart executive, came up with the idea of the ashes in the maracas. He called me up and said, "Listen, what about this, they get the ashes in a box and when they get them, they shake them and they sound like maracas." And I was like, "Okay, now I've got my throughline."” [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a darkly comic idea of using ashes in maracas to remind people of mortality, turning grief into performance. **In simple terms:** Turning death into a performance art. Key Takeaway Use humor to confront mortality. Themes mortality humor performance art Mood dark reflective thoughtful Type comedian storytelling When to use this quote - theatre - stand‑up comedy - rituals Key Concepts ash maracas creative storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can humor help process grief? - When does it become disrespectful? A Different Perspective The joke may trivialize loss for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) [Ashes Maracas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes-maracas-848639/) [Boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxes/) [Clicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clicks/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Idea Ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-ashes-848640/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Serialized Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serialized-idea-848641/) [Shakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakes/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Very smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-smart/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Serialized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-serialized-848642/) ## Related quotes > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [The dog is very smart. He feels sorry for me because I receive so much mail; that's why he tries to bite the mailman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-dog-is-very-smart-he-feels-sorry-for-me-because-i-receive-so-much/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [She's kind of a walking poem, she's this perfect beauty...but at the same time very deep, very smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/she-s-kind-of-a-walking-poem-she-s-this-perfect-beauty-but-at-the/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [I don't care. I mean, I've been stupid in the past, and I've learned from that. Some actors actually think about what they're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-quinn/i-don-t-care-i-mean-i-ve-been-stupid-in-the-past-and-i-ve-learned/) [Aidan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-quinn/) > [My mother is very, very smart and commands respect because she has a lot of respect for herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/my-mother-is-very-very-smart-and-commands-respect-because-she-has-a/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [every smart / Is eased in telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgiana-goddard-king/every-smart-is-eased-in-telling/) [Georgiana Goddard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgiana-goddard-king/) > [First of all, with Mitt Romney, I was saying to the Mormons - the Mormons are very smart people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/first-of-all-with-mitt-romney-i-was-saying-to-the-mormons-the-mormons/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Hillary called and it was a lovely call. And it was a tough call for her. I mean, I can imagine. Tougher for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-called-and-it-was-a-lovely-call-and-it-was-a-tough-call-for/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think the American people are very smart in understanding our country is very trustworthy with nuclear weapons. We've had them from the beginning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-barbour/i-think-the-american-people-are-very-smart-in-understanding-our/) [Haley Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-barbour/) > [I prefer to make up my own quotes and attribute them to very smart people, so that I can use them to win arguments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-prefer-to-make-up-my-own-quotes-and-attribute-them-to-very-smart/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [How do you measure whether or not a strategy of economic growth that is articulated by a very smart, capable economist actually yields growth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/how-do-you-measure-whether-or-not-a-strategy-of-economic-growth-that/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I had seen Shawn Levy's movie just before, Just Married. And I think when I met him too, he's very smart and together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/i-had-seen-shawn-levy-s-movie-just-before-just-married-and-i-think/) [Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/) > [I'm not anti-Muslim, I'm not anti-immigration; I'm saying we've got big problems in our cities. It's not very smart to make the problem bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pim-fortuyn/i-m-not-anti-muslim-i-m-not-anti-immigration-i-m-saying-we-ve-got-big/) [Pim Fortuyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pim-fortuyn/) > [I don't analyze what I'm doing. I've read convincing interpretations of my work, and sometimes I've noticed something that I wasn't aware of, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-don-t-analyze-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-read-convincing-interpretations/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [Particularly, the actors, to have analyzed the script in great detail from the point of view of their specific character. So that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/particularly-the-actors-to-have-analyzed-the-script-in-great-detail/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) ## More by Denis Leary > [I'm sick and tired of our generation being called the TV generation. What do you expect? We watched Lee Harvey Oswald get his brains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-our-generation-being-called-the-tv-generation/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [My father left Ireland because he did not want to muck horse manure for the rest of his life, and he wanted to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/my-father-left-ireland-because-he-did-not-want-to-muck-horse-manure/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I've eaten things that didn't complain this much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-ve-eaten-things-that-didn-t-complain-this-much/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [What I've learned is that life is too short and movies are too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-life-is-too-short-and-movies-are-too-long/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Yeah, I love living in New York, man, and people who live in New York, we wear that fact like a badge right on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/yeah-i-love-living-in-new-york-man-and-people-who-live-in-new-york-we/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I've always had a thing for Catwoman. Michelle Pfeiffer or Halle Berry in tight leather pants, with the boots - I'm pretty good with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-ve-always-had-a-thing-for-catwoman-michelle-pfeiffer-or-halle-berry/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I spent a long time working in the movies to figure out that kind of acting and also how to write and produce for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-spent-a-long-time-working-in-the-movies-to-figure-out-that-kind-of/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I do have to say that I think that President Obama is the greatest President in the history of all of our Presidents, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-do-have-to-say-that-i-think-that-president-obama-is-the-greatest/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I don't want to see a 'Sopranos' movie. This is just me. I like to think the end is where it was on TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-don-t-want-to-see-a-sopranos-movie-this-is-just-me-i-like-to-think/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [The best comedy audiences in the country and this is tried and true, I'm not just saying it, in my opinion are Boston, Atlanta,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/the-best-comedy-audiences-in-the-country-and-this-is-tried-and-true-i/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Happy Easter everyone! Jesus dies, comes back from the dead - and we get chocolate eggs. It's like turn-down service from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/happy-easter-everyone-jesus-dies-comes-back-from-the-dead-and-we-get/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I believe in prescription drugs. I believe in feeling better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-believe-in-prescription-drugs-i-believe-in-feeling-better/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't feel like acting, or you're getting older and settling down, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-really-want-to-have-a-back-up-plan-so-when-you-don-t-feel-like/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [You try to - you want to fly on both sides of the political fence because that's where the - where the comedy is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-try-to-you-want-to-fly-on-both-sides-of-the-political-fence/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I'm not really a Spider-Man fan. I'm more of a Batman guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-m-not-really-a-spider-man-fan-i-m-more-of-a-batman-guy/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) [Explore all 252 Denis Leary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) ## More Ashes quotes > [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter-not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to have a gravestone. I want to have all my friends burn me and then snort the ashes. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-don-t-want-to-have-a-gravestone-i-want-to-have-all-my-friends-burn/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [He said that he will never let you cry,he will always be there for you no matter how hard the situation is,that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhra/he-said-that-he-will-never-let-you-cry-he-will-always-be-there-for/) [Zhra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhra/) > [“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-past-is-to-be-learned-from-but-not-lived-in-we-look-back-to-claim/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [When any civilization is dust and ashes," he said, "art is all that's left over. Images, words, music. Imaginative structures. Meaning—human meaning, that is—is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-any-civilization-is-dust-and-ashes-he-said-art-is-all-that-s/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There is nothing quite like an Ashes trip Down Under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/there-is-nothing-quite-like-an-ashes-trip-down-under/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I think momentum is huge in sport, especially in a series like the Ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stokes/i-think-momentum-is-huge-in-sport-especially-in-a-series-like-the/) [Ben Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stokes/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“When you burn a bridge, you have to be prepared to live with some ashes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/when-you-burn-a-bridge-you-have-to-be-prepared-to-live-with-some-ashes/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [I would rather be ashes than dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-would-rather-be-ashes-than-dust/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) [Browse all 900 Ashes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to get more serialized. I had this idea for an event that would click onto everybody's mortality. I said, \"I want somebody to die.\" Fortunately for me, when I was toying with that idea, John Landgraf, who's the head of FX but also a very smart executive, came up with the idea of the ashes in the maracas. 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