--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I told jokes badly." description: "\"I told jokes badly.\" — Don Rickles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png" --- # I told jokes badly. ![“I told jokes badly.” quote by Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png) > “I told jokes badly.” [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑deprecating humor reveals confidence and connects with audience. **In simple terms:** He jokes about his own bad jokes. Key Takeaway Use humor to own flaws. Themes humor confidence self‑acceptance Mood playful lighthearted Type comedic motivational When to use this quote - public speaking - team meetings - ice‑breakers Key Concepts self‑deprecation audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - When does self‑mockery become harmful? - How can humor improve morale? A Different Perspective Humor may alienate if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) ## Related quotes > [I've never really told jokes. I'm not good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/i-ve-never-really-told-jokes-i-m-not-good-at-it/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [Every time a woman makes herself laugh at her husband's often-told jokes she betrays him. The man who looks at his woman and says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/every-time-a-woman-makes-herself-laugh-at-her-husband-s-often-told/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [I'd buy joke books and try doing them at school; I always had jokes. That would be my go-to thing at parties: I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/i-d-buy-joke-books-and-try-doing-them-at-school-i-always-had-jokes/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [I was a bit of a show-off at school. I told jokes a lot because I wanted to have friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/i-was-a-bit-of-a-show-off-at-school-i-told-jokes-a-lot-because-i/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [“I decided then and there never to become someone who told jokes when explanations were impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-decided-then-and-there-never-to-become-someone-who-told-jokes-when/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I'm not good with jokes, no. I don't know a joke at all. I like being told jokes, but I can't tell one myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-m-not-good-with-jokes-no-i-don-t-know-a-joke-at-all-i-like-being/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [When I was 14, I thought I was the coolest kid in school because I told everyone the jokes in FHM.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/when-i-was-14-i-thought-i-was-the-coolest-kid-in-school-because-i/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Never take all the sweet things i've told you as jokes, I never joke about my feeling. I mean them! I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luphielia/never-take-all-the-sweet-things-i-ve-told-you-as-jokes-i-never-joke/) Luphielia > [I have some speakers up here, thank God, because last night I didn't have them and I was telling jokes and I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-some-speakers-up-here-thank-god-because-last-night-i-didn-t/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“When the football team was down I just told some jokes and got them laughing their butts off." -Chris Pratt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-allan/when-the-football-team-was-down-i-just-told-some-jokes-and-got-them/) [Joe Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-allan/) > [I never could tell a joke. I just started talking to the audience, and when the drunks would yell, "Hey, when do the broads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-never-could-tell-a-joke-i-just-started-talking-to-the-audience-and/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-difference-of-taste-in-jokes-is-a-great-strain-on-the-affections/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [You remember from watching the show, there are no "jokes." That's why if you see people on Twitter accusing me of being a "joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/you-remember-from-watching-the-show-there-are-no-jokes-that-s-why-if/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## More by Don Rickles > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [They always use the word 'insult' with me, but I don't hurt anybody. I wouldn't be sitting here if I did. I make fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/they-always-use-the-word-insult-with-me-but-i-don-t-hurt-anybody-i/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I don't do impressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-do-impressions/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I have a problem, if the light goes on on TV and it blinks midnight, I don't know how to fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-have-a-problem-if-the-light-goes-on-on-tv-and-it-blinks-midnight-i/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [To my knowledge, I was the first guy really to do what I do. And then later on different comedians started trying doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/to-my-knowledge-i-was-the-first-guy-really-to-do-what-i-do-and-then/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [If something strikes me as funny, I'll put it in my performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/if-something-strikes-me-as-funny-i-ll-put-it-in-my-performance/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [Famous people are deceptive. Deep down, they're just regular people. Like Larry King. We've been friends for forty years. He's one of the few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/famous-people-are-deceptive-deep-down-they-re-just-regular-people/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [It takes many years to be a great comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/it-takes-many-years-to-be-a-great-comedian/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I don't like to compare myself with anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-like-to-compare-myself-with-anybody/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [Now when I'm not working, I don't really hang out with the young comics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/now-when-i-m-not-working-i-don-t-really-hang-out-with-the-young-comics/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [To this day, when I say that I went to the American Academy, people are very impressed. The reputation of the school has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/to-this-day-when-i-say-that-i-went-to-the-american-academy-people-are/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [In our day we went from - we went into saloons. We couldn't cross over like you can today, get a television series and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/in-our-day-we-went-from-we-went-into-saloons-we-couldn-t-cross-over/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [ I don't get into politics. I know \[Donald\] Trump, but I don't follow that. That's just an aside for him when he has nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-get-into-politics-i-know-donald-trump-but-i-don-t-follow-that/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I was always the guy who made jokes and ribbed people at parties. After I went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-was-always-the-guy-who-made-jokes-and-ribbed-people-at-parties/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [When I walk down the street in New York, I swear to God, the building constructor, the guy pounding cement and what not, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/when-i-walk-down-the-street-in-new-york-i-swear-to-god-the-building/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) [Explore all 214 Don Rickles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) ## More Badly quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [There are two ways of knowing if something ends badly: If you're honest with yourself, you just kind of know it. And then there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/there-are-two-ways-of-knowing-if-something-ends-badly-if-you-re/) [Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [“Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-doing-badly/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [You can have everything you want as long as you don't want it badly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/you-can-have-everything-you-want-as-long-as-you-don-t-want-it-badly/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [I was turning up at sets where inexperienced people were making these badly written films - but they were doing it; that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/i-was-turning-up-at-sets-where-inexperienced-people-were-making-these/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [In an era when party fundraising is badly tainted, dinners are a really good way of raising cash for campaigning. Lots of people giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/in-an-era-when-party-fundraising-is-badly-tainted-dinners-are-a/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [I love pushing my boundaries and seeing how far I can go without, you know, dying or injuring myself too badly. On set I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-grammer/i-love-pushing-my-boundaries-and-seeing-how-far-i-can-go-without-you/) [Spencer Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-grammer/) > [Trump spoke badly about women... It sparked worldwide reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-chandrababu-naidu/trump-spoke-badly-about-women-it-sparked-worldwide-reactions/) [N. Chandrababu Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-chandrababu-naidu/) > [People are generally badly advised when they're starting out in the creative field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-lennon/people-are-generally-badly-advised-when-they-re-starting-out-in-the/) [Julian Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-lennon/) > [You know, sometimes you fall in love and you get treated badly, sometimes you get treated well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/you-know-sometimes-you-fall-in-love-and-you-get-treated-badly/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/books-are-well-written-or-badly-written-that-is-all/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Mandela's heroism is the heroism of a man who suffered so badly for what he thought of as freedom. And yet when he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/mandela-s-heroism-is-the-heroism-of-a-man-who-suffered-so-badly-for/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [Some fighters had blinding speed and reflexes in their heyday but faded badly with age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/some-fighters-had-blinding-speed-and-reflexes-in-their-heyday-but/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“the only sin on earth was to do things badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-only-sin-on-earth-was-to-do-things-badly/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) Browse all 351 Badly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I told jokes badly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don Rickles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-told-jokes-badly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Badly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-told-jokes-badly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/don-rickles-1705_badly_i-told-jokes-badly-2371001_2371001.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I told jokes badly.” — Don Rickles", "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": "Don Rickles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I told jokes badly.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-told-jokes-badly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-told-jokes-badly/#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 } } ] } ```