--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed…" description: "\"Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't make me laugh.\" — Eddi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg" --- # Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers… ![“Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't make me laugh.” quote by Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg) > “Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't make me laugh.” [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even massive support and prolific output don't guarantee humor; personal taste and delivery matter more than quantity. **In simple terms:** Quantity of jokes doesn't ensure laughter. Key Takeaway Humor is subjective and context‑dependent. Themes subjectivity comedy creativity expectations performance Mood ironic skeptical wry Type anecdotal observational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - TV writing rooms - late‑night monologues - personal entertainment Key Concepts humor audience perception creative collaboration Practical Applications - evaluating joke quality - tailoring material to specific audiences Questions to Reflect On - Why do some jokes fall flat despite expert input? - How does a performer’s style shape audience reaction? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Gags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gags/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [That sun is lookin' good... and hot! Get it? Hilarious! My joke writers are awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bergeron/that-sun-is-lookin-good-and-hot-get-it-hilarious-my-joke-writers-are/) [Tom Bergeron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bergeron/) > [Some comedians are silly or goofy or straight joke writers who avoid anything subversive or political. Others are drawn to it. The beauty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-alexandro/some-comedians-are-silly-or-goofy-or-straight-joke-writers-who-avoid/) [Ted Alexandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-alexandro/) > [All of my comedian friends are some of the best joke writers in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/all-of-my-comedian-friends-are-some-of-the-best-joke-writers-in-the/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [I combined theatre and films with live TV, such as 'The Royal Variety Show,' performing sketches opposite Bob Hope and Maurice Chevalier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-eaton/i-combined-theatre-and-films-with-live-tv-such-as-the-royal-variety/) [Shirley Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-eaton/) > [I watched Ken Burns' Civil War series on PBS. My favorite segment is when Bob Hope entertains the troops at Gettysburg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/i-watched-ken-burns-civil-war-series-on-pbs-my-favorite-segment-is/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [“You have two choices in life: You can stay single and be miserable or get married and wish you were dead.” Bob Hope”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-two-choices-in-life-you-can-stay-single-and-be-miserable-or-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would like to deny all allegations by Bob Hope that during my last game of golf, I hit an eagle, a birdie, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/i-would-like-to-deny-all-allegations-by-bob-hope-that-during-my-last/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [The thing about hoofing is that It's much more intricate than people realize. Occasionally you see some good hoofing on TV. Bob Hope is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/the-thing-about-hoofing-is-that-it-s-much-more-intricate-than-people/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [“This should be my favorite part, being held and crying with Big Bob without hope. We all work so hard all the time. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-should-be-my-favorite-part-being-held-and-crying-with-big-bob/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [On August 28, 2010, Fox News messiah Glenn Beck hosted a 'Restoring Honor' revival meeting featuring sexy guest star Sarah Palin, much as Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/on-august-28-2010-fox-news-messiah-glenn-beck-hosted-a-restoring/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I don't mind personal insults, but when you insult the jokes that I tell you're insulting Fred Allen, Bob Hope, Burns and Allen, Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/i-don-t-mind-personal-insults-but-when-you-insult-the-jokes-that-i/) [Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/) > [“Bob Hope: You live here? Richard Carlson: Yes. Bob Hope: Well, maybe you know what a zombie is? Richard Carlson: When a person dies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dickey/bob-hope-you-live-here-richard-carlson-yes-bob-hope-well-maybe-you/) Paul Dickey > [If all you had to be was a comedian to be a good football player. Bob Hope would be great. But you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/if-all-you-had-to-be-was-a-comedian-to-be-a-good-football-player-bob/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [Groucho, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis it was incredible. It's a thrill to work with people like that, to say 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/groucho-bob-hope-milton-berle-frank-sinatra-sammy-davis-it-was/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## More by Eddie Murphy > [My wife ain't gonna make love to me if I got no money!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/my-wife-ain-t-gonna-make-love-to-me-if-i-got-no-money/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [In a movie like this, the relationship between the two guys is crucial. It sinks or swims on how these two guys are together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/in-a-movie-like-this-the-relationship-between-the-two-guys-is-crucial/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I want a woman who can arouse my intellect as well as my loins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/i-want-a-woman-who-can-arouse-my-intellect-as-well-as-my-loins/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [Whenever I am on camera or doing anything on mic, I don't have any process at all. I just do it and, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/whenever-i-am-on-camera-or-doing-anything-on-mic-i-don-t-have-any/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [The best way you hurt rich people is by turning them into poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/the-best-way-you-hurt-rich-people-is-by-turning-them-into-poor-people/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [White boys always get the Oscar. It's a known fact. Did I ever get a nomination? No! You know why? Cause I hadn't played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/white-boys-always-get-the-oscar-it-s-a-known-fact-did-i-ever-get-a/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [You know, making a movie is a collaborative effort and sometimes all the ingredients don't work out. I know that every now and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/you-know-making-a-movie-is-a-collaborative-effort-and-sometimes-all/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I ain't never been in no cell that had a phone in it. Can I stay for a while? I ordered some pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/i-ain-t-never-been-in-no-cell-that-had-a-phone-in-it-can-i-stay-for-a/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [Mick Jagger's lips' so big, black people be going, "You got some big-ass lips!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/mick-jagger-s-lips-so-big-black-people-be-going-you-got-some-big-ass/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [If you're involved in with something that's original, you know, you'll always go back and try to rehash it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/if-you-re-involved-in-with-something-that-s-original-you-know-you-ll/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [Are you driving with your eyes open? Or are you, like, using "the force"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/are-you-driving-with-your-eyes-open-or-are-you-like-using-the-force/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I been seeing newspapers every Sunday morning, white dudes be in there in their drawers, never having no bulge in they drawers. Smiling at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/i-been-seeing-newspapers-every-sunday-morning-white-dudes-be-in-there/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [This is how you answer a door in my neighborhood. WHO IS IT?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/this-is-how-you-answer-a-door-in-my-neighborhood-who-is-it/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [The white man gets all the best catchphrases!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/the-white-man-gets-all-the-best-catchphrases/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [We want the same effect as if someone's house burned here. We want to give them a normal life as soon as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/we-want-the-same-effect-as-if-someone-s-house-burned-here-we-want-to/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) [Explore all 90 Eddie Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) ## More Bob quotes > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ The most recent incarnation of \[Bob\] Dylan has been the traveling journeyman/ charlatan who sings roots music, snarls dark lyrics that make "All Along… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/the-most-recent-incarnation-of-bob-dylan-has-been-the-traveling/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Because of my tremendous respect for Bob Barker and for the show's high standards of professionalism I consider this a tremendous honor that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-west/because-of-my-tremendous-respect-for-bob-barker-and-for-the-show-s/) [Randy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-west/) > [That's who I wanted to be like was Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/that-s-who-i-wanted-to-be-like-was-bob-dylan/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Listen, the story of the United States is this: One kid, without anything, walks out of his house, down the road, with nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/listen-the-story-of-the-united-states-is-this-one-kid-without/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) Browse all 886 Bob quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't make me laugh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eddie Murphy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bob" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bed/eddie-murphy-7566_bob_over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed_9303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags…” — Eddie Murphy", "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": "Eddie Murphy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Over the past 50 years Bob...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/#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 } } ] } ```