--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best way to make friends with an…" description: "\"The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender - surrender their defenses, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/frank-capra-12640_audience_the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-aud_470951.jpg" --- # The best way to make friends with an audience is to make… ![“The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender - surrender their defenses, their hostilities. And once you make an audience laugh, they're with you. And they listen to you if you've got something to say. I have a theory that…” quote by Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/frank-capra-12640_audience_the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-aud_470951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/frank-capra-12640_audience_the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-aud_470951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/frank-capra-12640_audience_the-best-way-to-make-friends-with-an-aud_470951.jpg) > “The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender - surrender their defenses, their hostilities. And once you make an audience laugh, they're with you. And they listen to you if you've got something to say. I have a theory that if you can make them laugh, they're your friends.” [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor breaks down barriers, turning listeners into allies who are more receptive to the speaker’s message. **In simple terms:** Making people laugh builds trust and openness. Key Takeaway Use humor to connect and persuade. Themes communication trust humor influence audience engagement Mood engaging lighthearted strategic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - stand‑up comedy - team meetings - marketing presentations - political rallies Key Concepts psychology of laughter social bonding persuasion techniques Questions to Reflect On - How can you gauge when humor is appropriate? - What risks arise from using jokes in serious contexts? A Different Perspective Humor may not work with all audiences and can backfire if perceived as insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Hostility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hostility/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) ## Related quotes > [I think you just have to be yourself instead of catering your sound to a specific audience, make the music you want to make,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-capaldi/i-think-you-just-have-to-be-yourself-instead-of-catering-your-sound/) [Lewis Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-capaldi/) > [I think that 'Fox & Friends' audience is going to increase. That franchise in the morning is very important to any television operation because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/i-think-that-fox-friends-audience-is-going-to-increase-that-franchise/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [When you start, it's not to do with the material so much. It's more to do with how you can control a crowd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/when-you-start-it-s-not-to-do-with-the-material-so-much-it-s-more-to/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/your-purpose-is-to-make-your-audience-see-what-you-saw-hear-what-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I do this acting thing mostly for myself. I like to make a connection and communicate with the audience to make myself feel less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carice-van-houten/i-do-this-acting-thing-mostly-for-myself-i-like-to-make-a-connection/) [Carice van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carice-van-houten/) > [What social media has done - Facebook, Twitter - is show the audience. I don't have an audience. When I make my work, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-pettibon/what-social-media-has-done-facebook-twitter-is-show-the-audience-i/) [Raymond Pettibon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-pettibon/) > [People rewrite the play so much to make it palatable to the audience, to make something clear, that they just deaden it. Like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/people-rewrite-the-play-so-much-to-make-it-palatable-to-the-audience/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [You have to get the attention of the audience. You have to make sure they know you are starting. You have to achieve a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/you-have-to-get-the-attention-of-the-audience-you-have-to-make-sure/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [Don't be too clever for an audience. Make it obvious. Make the subtleties obvious also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/don-t-be-too-clever-for-an-audience-make-it-obvious-make-the/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [It's always a good idea to let the audience make up their own minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-gillen/it-s-always-a-good-idea-to-let-the-audience-make-up-their-own-minds/) [Aidan Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-gillen/) > [I'm interested in putting something on stage that will have a very wide appeal without being condescending; that will reach an audience and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/i-m-interested-in-putting-something-on-stage-that-will-have-a-very/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I have been able to get a small audience. It's not the huge audience, but it's enough to make it possible to play. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-have-been-able-to-get-a-small-audience-it-s-not-the-huge-audience/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I think it's insulting to an audience to make them sit and watch a film and then give them a message in one sentence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-farhadi/i-think-it-s-insulting-to-an-audience-to-make-them-sit-and-watch-a/) [Asghar Farhadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-farhadi/) > [When something is not liked by people, you cannot make it run, however big actor or producer you may be. The audience has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varun-dhawan/when-something-is-not-liked-by-people-you-cannot-make-it-run-however/) [Varun Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varun-dhawan/) ## More by Frank Capra > [Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there! If doors opened for me, they can open for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/friend-you-are-a-divine-mingle-mangle-of-guts-and-stardust-so-hang-in/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [When you get to political machines that can control a state, then you're really into organized crime - almost. You're fighting a political mafia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/when-you-get-to-political-machines-that-can-control-a-state-then-you/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Do not help the quick moneymakers who have delusions about taking possession of classics by smearing them with paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/do-not-help-the-quick-moneymakers-who-have-delusions-about-taking/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Scriptwriting is the toughest part of the whole racket... the least understood and the least noticed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/scriptwriting-is-the-toughest-part-of-the-whole-racket-the-least/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Film is universal. All the countries of the world are making films. Hollywood is the only major unsubsidized center for films. To my knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/film-is-universal-all-the-countries-of-the-world-are-making-films/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I always felt the world cannot fall apart as long as free men see the rainbow, feel the rain and hear the laugh of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/i-always-felt-the-world-cannot-fall-apart-as-long-as-free-men-see-the/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Things own you. That's the trouble with capitalism. Things own you. With communism and fascism - ideas own you. One idea and you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/things-own-you-that-s-the-trouble-with-capitalism-things-own-you-with/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [In our film profession you may have Gable's looks, Tracy's art, Marlene's legs or Liz's violet eyes, but they don't mean a thing without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/in-our-film-profession-you-may-have-gable-s-looks-tracy-s-art-marlene/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Film is one of the three universal languages, the other two: mathematics and music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/film-is-one-of-the-three-universal-languages-the-other-two/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Most of ideologies are not based on the individual - no matter what they say. There are these peoples' democracies, nationalism - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/most-of-ideologies-are-not-based-on-the-individual-no-matter-what/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I'm a living example of getting into films backwards. Merely by accident. Exposure to films and ideas is the best thing that colleges can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/i-m-a-living-example-of-getting-into-films-backwards-merely-by/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I happen to think that Jesus was the greatest hero of all time. I don't think you could invent that kind of a hero.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/i-happen-to-think-that-jesus-was-the-greatest-hero-of-all-time-i-don/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [The best pictures are yet to be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/the-best-pictures-are-yet-to-be-made/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I have a sixth sense for casting. I just have to see and talk to the actors. I never make tests. I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/i-have-a-sixth-sense-for-casting-i-just-have-to-see-and-talk-to-the/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [I think the human spirit is a real powerful spirit. It has no limits and it has no ends. And I hate to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/i-think-the-human-spirit-is-a-real-powerful-spirit-it-has-no-limits/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) [Explore all 54 Frank Capra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best way to make friends with an audience is to make them laugh. You don't get people to laugh unless they surrender - surrender their defenses, their hostilities. And once you make an audience laugh, they're with you. And they listen to you if you've got something to say. 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