--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing jokes for others is like having…" description: "\"Writing jokes for others is like having babies for someone else. It's sad. Like the woman who gives up her baby but needs to be close so she secretly b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9f/emo-philips-1788_baby_writing-jokes-for-others-is-like-having_3137888.png" --- # Writing jokes for others is like having babies for someone… ![“Writing jokes for others is like having babies for someone else. It's sad. Like the woman who gives up her baby but needs to be close so she secretly becomes the maid in the household.” quote by Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9f/emo-philips-1788_baby_writing-jokes-for-others-is-like-having_3137888.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9f/emo-philips-1788_baby_writing-jokes-for-others-is-like-having_3137888.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9f/emo-philips-1788_baby_writing-jokes-for-others-is-like-having_3137888.png) > “Writing jokes for others is like having babies for someone else. It's sad. Like the woman who gives up her baby but needs to be close so she secretly becomes the maid in the household.” [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating humor for others can feel like sacrificing personal fulfillment for someone else's joy, leading to emotional emptiness. **In simple terms:** Making jokes for others can feel like giving away a part of yourself. Key Takeaway Recognize your own creative needs. Themes creativity loneliness artistic sacrifice Mood melancholic reflective Type observational self‑critical When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - writing gigs - collaborative projects Key Concepts self‑expression emotional labor Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel your humor reflects your true voice? - How can you retain joy while entertaining others? A Different Perspective Humor can become a burden if not balanced with personal satisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Having a baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-a-baby/) [Household](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/household/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Jokes Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes-like-668410/) [Maid Household](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maid-household-5577849/) [Maids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maids/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Secretly Maid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretly-maid-5577850/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-jokes-425553/) ## Related quotes > [As you go on you realize "Okay I know how to get laughs but am I saying things I want to say? Am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/as-you-go-on-you-realize-okay-i-know-how-to-get-laughs-but-am-i/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I tell a lot of jokes. Most of the jokes just happen to come; they're not planned jokes. I like when people laugh with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/i-tell-a-lot-of-jokes-most-of-the-jokes-just-happen-to-come-they-re/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [“That's how we spent the day drizzling sarcasm over the truth dropping bad jokes like f-bombs...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-tregay/that-s-how-we-spent-the-day-drizzling-sarcasm-over-the-truth-dropping/) [Sarah Tregay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-tregay/) > [But there's times when I like to find the strange angles to something. People go, 'I heard a lot of jokes like that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfrey/but-there-s-times-when-i-like-to-find-the-strange-angles-to-something/) [Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godfrey/) > [I never get tired of 'It Was A Good Day' references or jokes or anything like that. It's just, you know, keeping my biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-never-get-tired-of-it-was-a-good-day-references-or-jokes-or/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I secrete jokes like the pancreas secretes... whatever the pancreas secretes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-brickman/i-secrete-jokes-like-the-pancreas-secretes-whatever-the-pancreas/) [Marshall Brickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-brickman/) > [I could never be a professional comedian, 'cause you have to keep telling the same jokes. For me, they're like word solos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-hitchcock/i-could-never-be-a-professional-comedian-cause-you-have-to-keep/) [Robyn Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-hitchcock/) > [I like smart jokes, I like dumb jokes, and I like dumb jokes done smartly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/i-like-smart-jokes-i-like-dumb-jokes-and-i-like-dumb-jokes-done/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [Even 'Lord of the Rings' had dwarf-tossing jokes in it. It's like, 'Really?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/even-lord-of-the-rings-had-dwarf-tossing-jokes-in-it-it-s-like-really/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [When people dont laugh at my jokes like hahahah it is funny...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-barger/when-people-dont-laugh-at-my-jokes-like-hahahah-it-is-funny/) [Anthony Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-barger/) > [My comedy is not like the tightest thing in the world. There are punchlines, there are jokes, but it's like, I like the space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/my-comedy-is-not-like-the-tightest-thing-in-the-world-there-are/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The stuff that I'm saying, they're not really traditional, structured jokes. It's not like I'm talking about growing up in Chicago or anything remotely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/the-stuff-that-i-m-saying-they-re-not-really-traditional-structured/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [You all watched a sketch about feminism and you didn't even know it because of all the jokes. It's like when Jessica Seinfeld puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-all-watched-a-sketch-about-feminism-and-you-didn-t-even-know-it/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [But it's fun to be something, have that, and you don't have to be real. It's like, comedians. They go on and they're doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/but-it-s-fun-to-be-something-have-that-and-you-don-t-have-to-be-real/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [I do like a well-written sketch with a bunch of jokes in it, and I like stand-up with good jokes in it it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/i-do-like-a-well-written-sketch-with-a-bunch-of-jokes-in-it-and-i/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) ## More by Emo Philips > [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I give money to Unicef because I like the 'bang for your buck' aspect. Here's $10, go and save 1,000 kids from blindness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-give-money-to-unicef-because-i-like-the-bang-for-your-buck-aspect/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Libertarians believe consenting adults have the right to do whatever they choose, except band together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/libertarians-believe-consenting-adults-have-the-right-to-do-whatever/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I love England. 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But I'm fairly confident that I'll be taken off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-don-t-know-if-i-was-put-on-this-earth-for-a-purpose-or-not-but-i-m/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I got a letter from the IRS. Apparently I owe them $800. So I sent them a letter back. I said, If you'll remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-got-a-letter-from-the-irs-apparently-i-owe-them-800-so-i-sent-them/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [If you're worth over $50m you should have to dress like that guy on the Monopoly box. The super-rich shouldn't get all the benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/if-you-re-worth-over-50m-you-should-have-to-dress-like-that-guy-on/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Race is still somewhat of a taboo in comedy. But if you're a minority, then you can make fun of your own minority. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/race-is-still-somewhat-of-a-taboo-in-comedy-but-if-you-re-a-minority/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I like to play chess with bald men in the park although it's hard to find 32 of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-like-to-play-chess-with-bald-men-in-the-park-although-it-s-hard-to/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee - that will do them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/if-computers-get-too-powerful-we-can-organize-them-into-a-committee/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [You don't appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked every day by a middle-aged woman:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/you-don-t-appreciate-a-lot-of-stuff-in-school-until-you-get-older/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Thinking up jokes is easy. The hard part is trying them out on stage, because you never know if they're funny until you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/thinking-up-jokes-is-easy-the-hard-part-is-trying-them-out-on-stage/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) [Explore all 208 Emo Philips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## More Baby quotes > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [“I looked down into my baby’s beautiful green eyes and ached inside. She looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. I kissed her warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-looked-down-into-my-baby-s-beautiful-green-eyes-and-ached-inside/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [I've retired my sneakers for stilettos, baby!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/i-ve-retired-my-sneakers-for-stilettos-baby/) [Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/) > [I didn't expect to be so comfortable handing my child off to a nanny without getting any of her information. As soon as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-didn-t-expect-to-be-so-comfortable-handing-my-child-off-to-a-nanny/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [And I gave you my all, now baby be mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/and-i-gave-you-my-all-now-baby-be-mine/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [Shhh.” He put a finger to her lips. “Hear me out. 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