--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and…" description: "\"I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and there was a chalkboard on the street out front. It said, Soup of the Day: Cream of Asparagus. Ellen DeGeneres...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/ellen-degeneres-604_asparagus_i-was-doing-stand-up-at-a-restaurant-and_191629.jpg" --- # I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and there was a… ![“I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and there was a chalkboard on the street out front. It said, Soup of the Day: Cream of Asparagus. Ellen DeGeneres.” quote by Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/ellen-degeneres-604_asparagus_i-was-doing-stand-up-at-a-restaurant-and_191629.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/ellen-degeneres-604_asparagus_i-was-doing-stand-up-at-a-restaurant-and_191629.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/ellen-degeneres-604_asparagus_i-was-doing-stand-up-at-a-restaurant-and_191629.jpg) > “I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and there was a chalkboard on the street out front. It said, Soup of the Day: Cream of Asparagus. Ellen DeGeneres.” [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The joke highlights a humorous mismatch between a sophisticated dish name and a simple setting, creating comedic surprise. **In simple terms:** Humor from unexpected contrast. Key Takeaway Embrace absurdity for laughs. Themes humor language surprise Mood lighthearted playful Type observational entertaining When to use this quote - restaurant menus - stand‑up comedy - public signage - daily life Key Concepts comedy social observation Questions to Reflect On - What makes a mundane detail funny? - How does context shape comedy? A Different Perspective Humor may not translate across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asparagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asparagus/) [Asparagus Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asparagus-ellen-2023401/) [Chalkboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chalkboards/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Cream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cream/) [Cream Asparagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cream-asparagus-2023403/) [Ellen Degeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ellen-degeneres/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Restaurant Chalkboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant-chalkboard-2023404/) [Restaurants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurants/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Soup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-soup-2023402/) [Soup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soup/) [Soup Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soup-day-385228/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [I'm sick of Soup Of The Day, man. It's time we make a decision. I need to know what Soup From Now On is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-m-sick-of-soup-of-the-day-man-it-s-time-we-make-a-decision-i-need/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [A clean tie attracts the soup of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dickson/a-clean-tie-attracts-the-soup-of-the-day/) [Paul Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dickson/) > [Whenever I get distracted or bored, my eyes wander over to that chalkboard and I read the words. Some of them grow on me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/whenever-i-get-distracted-or-bored-my-eyes-wander-over-to-that/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [I hardly ever watch my own work. I just end up picking myself apart! I can't even stand to hear myself on voicemail. the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grey-delisle/i-hardly-ever-watch-my-own-work-i-just-end-up-picking-myself-apart-i/) [Grey DeLisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grey-delisle/) > [My voice went recently, never happened before, off like a tap. I had to sit in silence for nine days, chalkboard around my neck.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/my-voice-went-recently-never-happened-before-off-like-a-tap-i-had-to/) [Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/) > [Into the silence rips a sound that makes me let go of Max's hand and cover my ears. It is like the strafe of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/into-the-silence-rips-a-sound-that-makes-me-let-go-of-max-s-hand-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The chalkboards are no longer cutting it. We've got to adapt education at every level to this new paradigm to keep our kids competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-howell/the-chalkboards-are-no-longer-cutting-it-we-ve-got-to-adapt-education/) [Scott Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-howell/) > [By the way, I'm not just one man with a chalkboard. I'm one man with four chalkboards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/by-the-way-i-m-not-just-one-man-with-a-chalkboard-i-m-one-man-with/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just as chalk can be removed from a chalkboard, with sincere repentance, the effects of our transgression can be erased through the atonement of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/just-as-chalk-can-be-removed-from-a-chalkboard-with-sincere/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [Everyday begins like a blank chalkboard, on which each one of us can write the poem of our present and our dreams for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/everyday-begins-like-a-blank-chalkboard-on-which-each-one-of-us-can/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [To write as if your life depended on it; to write across the chalkboard, putting up there in public the words you have dredged;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/to-write-as-if-your-life-depended-on-it-to-write-across-the/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [If I go into a sandwich shop or anywhere that features 'Today's specials' on a chalkboard more than 10 feet away, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/if-i-go-into-a-sandwich-shop-or-anywhere-that-features-today-s/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [I found college awkward: another teacher, same old chalkboard. I felt I was shifting backward, when I expected to shoot forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-paul-barman/i-found-college-awkward-another-teacher-same-old-chalkboard-i-felt-i/) [MC Paul Barman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-paul-barman/) > [My loneliness...still comes over me sometimes...It's a liminal, lost sensation of having wandered wide, endless boulevards, among rows of orange trees, winter butterflies, seasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-roth/my-loneliness-still-comes-over-me-sometimes-it-s-a-liminal-lost/) [Marco Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-roth/) > [I used to think that nails-down-a-chalkboard was the worst sound in the world. Then I moved on to people-eating-cereal-on-the-phone. But only this week did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-used-to-think-that-nails-down-a-chalkboard-was-the-worst-sound-in/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) ## More by Ellen DeGeneres > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think there's too much mult-tasking going on. I think people need to quiet down and focus and be still more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-there-s-too-much-mult-tasking-going-on-i-think-people-need-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [It's our challenges and obstacles that give us layers of depth and make us interesting. Are they fun when they happen? No. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/it-s-our-challenges-and-obstacles-that-give-us-layers-of-depth-and/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I had done a sitcom and a movie and hosted the Emmys, and all of a sudden, I lost everything. As someone put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-had-done-a-sitcom-and-a-movie-and-hosted-the-emmys-and-all-of-a/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The thing everyone should realize is that the key to happiness is being happy for yourself and yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-thing-everyone-should-realize-is-that-the-key-to-happiness-is/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Save a life this Thanksgiving, and join me in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one through Farm Sanctuary's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/save-a-life-this-thanksgiving-and-join-me-in-starting-a-new-tradition/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: Yes. Yes. No. One time in high school. Three times in my twenties. Rocks no salt. Yes. Four. Never.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/answers-to-frequently-asked-questions-yes-yes-no-one-time-in-high/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Actually this is really funny - one time she accidentally forgot to leave a note and I had no idea she had even moved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/actually-this-is-really-funny-one-time-she-accidentally-forgot-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [A circus! 100 clowns of injustice have climbed out of the tiny clown car of this court room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/a-circus-100-clowns-of-injustice-have-climbed-out-of-the-tiny-clown/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Gratitude is looking on the brighter side of the life, even if it means hurting your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/gratitude-is-looking-on-the-brighter-side-of-the-life-even-if-it/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [What's New Orleans without music? And what's music without dancing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/what-s-new-orleans-without-music-and-what-s-music-without-dancing/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The legend goes that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. I was thinking... that must be hard to put all the tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-legend-goes-that-st-patrick-drove-the-snakes-out-of-ireland-i-was/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Quick decision makers are often stuck behind annoying people in line at Starbucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/quick-decision-makers-are-often-stuck-behind-annoying-people-in-line/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Explore all 450 Ellen DeGeneres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## More Asparagus quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [I revere the memory of Mr. F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-revere-the-memory-of-mr-f-as-an-estimable-man-and-most-indulgent/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“As quick as boiled asparagus!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-quick-as-boiled-asparagus/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [(on asparagus) Europeans of the Renaissance swore by it as an aphrodisiac, and the church banned it from nunneries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/on-asparagus-europeans-of-the-renaissance-swore-by-it-as-an/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The attorney general will not cast aspersions on my asparagus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/the-attorney-general-will-not-cast-aspersions-on-my-asparagus/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) > [“keep bees and grow asparagus. listen to the wind instead of the politicians, make up your own stories and believe them if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-waddington/keep-bees-and-grow-asparagus-listen-to-the-wind-instead-of-the/) [Miriam Waddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-waddington/) > [Romesco with asparagus is simple and brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/romesco-with-asparagus-is-simple-and-brilliant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/you-know-when-you-get-your-first-asparagus-or-your-first-acorn-squash/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“What most enraptured me were the asparagus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/what-most-enraptured-me-were-the-asparagus/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Asparagus is the serpent of the vegetable world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/asparagus-is-the-serpent-of-the-vegetable-world/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Marriage? It's like asparagus eaten with vinaigrette or hollandaise, a matter of taste but of no importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/marriage-it-s-like-asparagus-eaten-with-vinaigrette-or-hollandaise-a/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [The love of reading can be contagious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/the-love-of-reading-can-be-contagious/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Until-as often happened during those first months travel, whenever I would feel such happiness-my guilt alarm went off. I heard my ex-husband's voice speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/until-as-often-happened-during-those-first-months-travel-whenever-i/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Pray how does your asparagus perform?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/pray-how-does-your-asparagus-perform/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Browse all 67 Asparagus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asparagus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was doing stand-up at a restaurant and there was a chalkboard on the street out front. It said, Soup of the Day: Cream of Asparagus. 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