--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obviously those who burn to be…" description: "\"Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean that they want to be successful comedians. And those are always an elite, microscopic portion ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/dick-cavett-3310_always_obviously-those-who-burn-to-be-professio_2988127.jpg" --- # Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean… ![“Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean that they want to be successful comedians. And those are always an elite, microscopic portion of the population. But oh, how they try.” quote by Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/dick-cavett-3310_always_obviously-those-who-burn-to-be-professio_2988127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/dick-cavett-3310_always_obviously-those-who-burn-to-be-professio_2988127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6aa/dick-cavett-3310_always_obviously-those-who-burn-to-be-professio_2988127.jpg) > “Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean that they want to be successful comedians. And those are always an elite, microscopic portion of the population. But oh, how they try.” [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aspiring comedians often aim for elite success, yet most remain amateurs despite effort. **In simple terms:** Not all who try become great comedians. Key Takeaway Recognize realistic expectations. Themes ambition comedy success elitism Mood cynical realistic Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up gigs - writing jokes - auditioning - career planning Key Concepts talent effort industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What defines true success for you? - How do you measure progress beyond fame? A Different Perspective Talent may be limited; effort alone isn’t enough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedians/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Elite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elite/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Elitism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elitism/) [Jester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jester/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [“Kings kill; jesters don’t; therefore the jesters of the kings are more valuable than the kings!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/kings-kill-jesters-don-t-therefore-the-jesters-of-the-kings-are-more/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Our society, like decadent Rome, has turned into an amusement society, with writers chief among the court jesters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/our-society-like-decadent-rome-has-turned-into-an-amusement-society/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“Self-proclaimed kings are often seen as jesters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/self-proclaimed-kings-are-often-seen-as-jesters/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [“You should have been a jester instead of a knight. (Sin) True, but jesters don’t get to carry a sword. Personally, I like my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinley-macgregor/you-should-have-been-a-jester-instead-of-a-knight-sin-true-but/) [Kinley MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinley-macgregor/) > [Jesters do oft prove prophets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/jesters-do-oft-prove-prophets/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Successful comedians are just as neurotic as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/successful-comedians-are-just-as-neurotic-as-i-am/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [You can see that the successful comedians who have come from New Zealand, like Flight of the Conchords, they had the time to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-matafeo/you-can-see-that-the-successful-comedians-who-have-come-from-new/) Rose Matafeo > [Jesters do often prove prophets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/jesters-do-often-prove-prophets/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Jesters must tremble in fear at the magnificence of your humor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-brogan/jesters-must-tremble-in-fear-at-the-magnificence-of-your-humor/) [Tracy Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-brogan/) > [We're the court jesters of rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-gass/we-re-the-court-jesters-of-rock/) [Kyle Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-gass/) > [It's really not my thing to go after what comedians are doing. Because I always feel like we're jesters at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/it-s-really-not-my-thing-to-go-after-what-comedians-are-doing-because/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Satire must always accompany any free society. It is an absolute necessity. Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-randazzo/satire-must-always-accompany-any-free-society-it-is-an-absolute/) Joe Randazzo > [There is no one force, no group, and no class that is the preserver of liberty. Liberty is preserved by those who are against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burnham/there-is-no-one-force-no-group-and-no-class-that-is-the-preserver-of/) [James Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burnham/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More by Dick Cavett > [A conversation does not have to be scintillating in order to be memorable. I once met a president of the United States, and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/a-conversation-does-not-have-to-be-scintillating-in-order-to-be/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I don't see the future as bright, language-wise. I see it as a glass half empty - and evaporating quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-don-t-see-the-future-as-bright-language-wise-i-see-it-as-a-glass/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I'm not all that enthralled by show business, and I'm not that much of a highbrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-m-not-all-that-enthralled-by-show-business-and-i-m-not-that-much-of/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I know what it feels like to be a gun lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-know-what-it-feels-like-to-be-a-gun-lover/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Meryl Streep belongs on anybody's list of greats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/meryl-streep-belongs-on-anybody-s-list-of-greats/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Radio, which was a much better medium than television will ever be, was easy and pleasant to listen to. Your mind filled automatically with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/radio-which-was-a-much-better-medium-than-television-will-ever-be-was/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I guess the best advice I ever got or anyone could get for doing a talk show, though it has not been easy very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-guess-the-best-advice-i-ever-got-or-anyone-could-get-for-doing-a/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [William F. Buckley was a man who had a great capacity for fun and for amusing himself by amazing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/william-f-buckley-was-a-man-who-had-a-great-capacity-for-fun-and-for/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Just think of all the billions of coincidences that don't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/just-think-of-all-the-billions-of-coincidences-that-don-t-happen/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I eat at this German-Chinese restaurant and the food is delicious. The only problem is that an hour later you're hungry for power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-eat-at-this-german-chinese-restaurant-and-the-food-is-delicious-the/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I have a long list of things that make me mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-have-a-long-list-of-things-that-make-me-mad/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [“The idea that hunting is one against one is ludicrous. It's one animal versus the hunter, the manufacturer of the rifle, the bullet maker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/the-idea-that-hunting-is-one-against-one-is-ludicrous-it-s-one-animal/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Chris Matthews can't start any sentence without 'Let me ask you this... ' And I love Chris Matthews! But almost everybody in journalism does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/chris-matthews-can-t-start-any-sentence-without-let-me-ask-you-this/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [You would have to be naive to think you can appear on television and not have the material edited in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/you-would-have-to-be-naive-to-think-you-can-appear-on-television-and/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [I'm not sure why writing for others became harder. Probably a reluctance to give away anything you might conceivably use yourself caused a block.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-m-not-sure-why-writing-for-others-became-harder-probably-a/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) [Explore all 134 Dick Cavett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obviously those who burn to be professional jesters mean that they want to be successful comedians. 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