--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm onstage doing standup, no one…" description: "\"When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells \"Cut!\" or tells me what to do. I'm DeRay, and I use my own words. With acting, you're portraying a charact..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/deray-davis-61412_acting_when-i-m-onstage-doing-standup-no-one-ye_977261.jpg" --- # When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells "Cut!" or… ![“When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells "Cut!" or tells me what to do. I'm DeRay, and I use my own words. With acting, you're portraying a character with someone else's words. Still, you definitely want to inject a little of yourself into every role.” quote by DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/deray-davis-61412_acting_when-i-m-onstage-doing-standup-no-one-ye_977261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/deray-davis-61412_acting_when-i-m-onstage-doing-standup-no-one-ye_977261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/deray-davis-61412_acting_when-i-m-onstage-doing-standup-no-one-ye_977261.jpg) > “When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells "Cut!" or tells me what to do. I'm DeRay, and I use my own words. With acting, you're portraying a character with someone else's words. Still, you definitely want to inject a little of yourself into every role.” [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts stand‑up, where he speaks his own material, with acting, where he delivers another's script, emphasizing personal authenticity in performance. **In simple terms:** Stand‑up uses your own words; acting uses someone else’s. Key Takeaway Bring personal voice to any role. Themes authenticity performance creativity Mood confident reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - theater productions - film roles - improvisation workshops Key Concepts self‑expression characterization Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity while honoring a script? - What techniques help blend personal flair with a role? A Different Perspective Balancing personal style with a character’s required tone can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Portraying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-portraying-1915613/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Doing Standup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-standup/) [Onstage Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage-doing-240708/) [Words Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-acting-1915614/) ## Related quotes > [Acting is about portraying something... that dedication or learning the script of it is really important in really getting to know a topic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/acting-is-about-portraying-something-that-dedication-or-learning-the/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [I would love to get into acting. I really enjoy acting - portraying other personalities and approaching different levels and whatnot - that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/i-would-love-to-get-into-acting-i-really-enjoy-acting-portraying/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [I don't know if I change my act from century to century. Sometimes I'm onstage doing imitations and references to people who have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/i-don-t-know-if-i-change-my-act-from-century-to-century-sometimes-i-m/) [Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/) > [I began thinking I would do musical theater because in high school that was really the only sort of curriculum they had as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-mol/i-began-thinking-i-would-do-musical-theater-because-in-high-school/) [Gretchen Mol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-mol/) > [Music is very similar to comedy: It's all about texture, timing, context, vocabulary, performance. When someone's onstage doing a solo, essentially it's the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/music-is-very-similar-to-comedy-it-s-all-about-texture-timing-context/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena that I can't fill because I don't understand what this is. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-d-go-onstage-doing-this-thing-trying-to-fill-this-arena-that-i-can/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I'm not trying to be romantic. I think you can tell when people are trying to be sexy onstage. When I was doing 'All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-not-trying-to-be-romantic-i-think-you-can-tell-when-people-are/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [When you're onstage, it's important to try and feel some type of therapy in getting the material out, because then you don't leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/when-you-re-onstage-it-s-important-to-try-and-feel-some-type-of/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [It's always been about when I do theater, the audience is just a viewer, not taking part in what's onstage. Whereas if you're doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-glaser/it-s-always-been-about-when-i-do-theater-the-audience-is-just-a/) [Jon Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-glaser/) > [When I was onstage doing the work, adrenaline killed the pain because I never hurt in front of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/when-i-was-onstage-doing-the-work-adrenaline-killed-the-pain-because/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I enjoy writing the same way I enjoy doing standup. Part of the challenge is being creative and making it work no matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-fitzsimmons/i-enjoy-writing-the-same-way-i-enjoy-doing-standup-part-of-the/) [Greg Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-fitzsimmons/) > [I love to work. I love doing standup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-love-to-work-i-love-doing-standup/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [When I quit my internship and started doing standup to pursue my dreams and do that full time - I feel like that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-i-quit-my-internship-and-started-doing-standup-to-pursue-my/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [I am happy doing standup so I don't ever want to stop doing it. But I wouldn't mind venturing off and doing other things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-regan/i-am-happy-doing-standup-so-i-don-t-ever-want-to-stop-doing-it-but-i/) [Brian Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-regan/) > [I don't know if there's a strategy really so much as, like I learned doing standup and had to learn fast, you always just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-don-t-know-if-there-s-a-strategy-really-so-much-as-like-i-learned/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) ## More by DeRay Davis > [Praying for family, friends, fans & the entire body of ppl during this hurricane sandy build. May God Bless y'all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-davis/praying-for-family-friends-fans-the-entire-body-of-ppl-during-this/) [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) > [Following the script is one thing, but the unique way in which you deliver your lines is what makes them your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-davis/following-the-script-is-one-thing-but-the-unique-way-in-which-you/) [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) > [I'd like the world to know that I would do what I do for no money. If I could trade my comedy for food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-davis/i-d-like-the-world-to-know-that-i-would-do-what-i-do-for-no-money-if/) [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) > [I think the role of comedy in your life should supersede anything and everything negative. Just by virtue of the fact that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-davis/i-think-the-role-of-comedy-in-your-life-should-supersede-anything-and/) [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) [Explore all 5 DeRay Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [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/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells \"Cut!\" or tells me what to do. I'm DeRay, and I use my own words. With acting, you're portraying a character with someone else's words. 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