--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the big reason most humorists…" description: "\"This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.\" — Garrison Keillor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg" --- # This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't… ![“This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg) > “This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor requires knowledge; without reading, comedians lack the depth to craft intelligent jokes. **In simple terms:** Reading fuels comedic insight. Key Takeaway Read to joke wisely. Themes knowledge humor creativity education literacy Mood witty insightful Type advice observation When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy writing - satirical column creation - improvisational comedy Key Concepts cultural literacy intellectual humor Practical Applications - developing joke material - enhancing comedic scripts Questions to Reflect On - How does reading shape your comedic voice? - What non‑literary experiences can enrich humor? A Different Perspective Some humor thrives on instinct and observation, not formal reading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorists/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [“Admit it: you live in a straitjacket called society that’s chillingly adroit at forcing you to behave. You do what’s expected, right? You rarely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franklin/admit-it-you-live-in-a-straitjacket-called-society-that-s-chillingly/) [Dave Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franklin/) > [“Mathematicians still don’t understand the ball our hands made, or how your electrocuted grandparents made it possible for you to light my cigarettes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-mcdaniel/mathematicians-still-don-t-understand-the-ball-our-hands-made-or-how/) [Jeffrey McDaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-mcdaniel/) > [Humor has to surprise us; otherwise, it isn't funny. It's a death knell for a writer to be labeled a humorist because then it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/humor-has-to-surprise-us-otherwise-it-isn-t-funny-it-s-a-death-knell/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God is a great humorist. He just has a slow audience to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-is-a-great-humorist-he-just-has-a-slow-audience-to-work-with/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I think that you are only obliged to be a humorist from the age of 18 until you turn 30. Past the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-think-that-you-are-only-obliged-to-be-a-humorist-from-the-age-of-18/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The audience is invisible and that's good. Somewhere my voice is drifting through a swine barn and the sound of it seems to perk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-audience-is-invisible-and-that-s-good-somewhere-my-voice-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [It was like two drunks in a back alley throwing punches at each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon/it-was-like-two-drunks-in-a-back-alley-throwing-punches-at-each-other/) [Eamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon/) > [What are children anyway? Midget drunks. They greet you in the morning by kneeing you in the face and talking gibberish. They can't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/what-are-children-anyway-midget-drunks-they-greet-you-in-the-morning/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [“God takes care of drunks and third basemen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-durocher/god-takes-care-of-drunks-and-third-basemen/) [Leo Durocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-durocher/) > [The best drunks are the ones who only hang out with other drunks in places we all know are filled with drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-fitzsimmons/the-best-drunks-are-the-ones-who-only-hang-out-with-other-drunks-in/) [Greg Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-fitzsimmons/) > [I knew how it was with drunks. They ran out of generosity, even for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macdonald/i-knew-how-it-was-with-drunks-they-ran-out-of-generosity-even-for/) [Ross MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-macdonald/) > [“Drunks they may be, but a drunken man knows not fear. Fools, aye, but a fool can kill a king. Rats, that too, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/drunks-they-may-be-but-a-drunken-man-knows-not-fear-fools-aye-but-a/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [God watches over drunks and third baseman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-durocher/god-watches-over-drunks-and-third-baseman/) [Leo Durocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-durocher/) > [“To the poor memories of drunks,' she said. 'To all the lovely nights forever lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-fitts/to-the-poor-memories-of-drunks-she-said-to-all-the-lovely-nights/) S. Fitts > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see, say, thirty cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is-what-s-here-on-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [People do what they are told not to do. It happens time and time again. Here on the frozen tundra, it is known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/people-do-what-they-are-told-not-to-do-it-happens-time-and-time-again/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) [Explore all 304 Garrison Keillor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrison Keillor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/garrison-keillor-1037_bigs_this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fa_26351.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.” — Garrison Keillor", "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": "Garrison Keillor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is the big reason most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/#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 } } ] } ```