--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the Stephen Sondheim song, when…" description: "\"In the Stephen Sondheim song, when something bad happens in the circus, they send in the clowns. In America's political circus, they send in the lawyer..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/gavin-esler-4699_america_in-the-stephen-sondheim-song-when-someth_835871.png" --- # In the Stephen Sondheim song, when something bad happens… ![“In the Stephen Sondheim song, when something bad happens in the circus, they send in the clowns. In America's political circus, they send in the lawyers.” quote by Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/gavin-esler-4699_america_in-the-stephen-sondheim-song-when-someth_835871.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/gavin-esler-4699_america_in-the-stephen-sondheim-song-when-someth_835871.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/gavin-esler-4699_america_in-the-stephen-sondheim-song-when-someth_835871.png) > “In the Stephen Sondheim song, when something bad happens in the circus, they send in the clowns. In America's political circus, they send in the lawyers.” [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compares political manipulation to circus entertainment, suggesting lawyers are used to distract or pacify. **In simple terms:** Lawyers act as circus clowns in politics. Key Takeaway Question the role of legal rhetoric. Themes politics media distraction Mood critical skeptical Type analysis commentary When to use this quote - elections - public debates - media analysis Key Concepts law public relations Questions to Reflect On - How do lawyers influence public perception? - Can humor replace substantive policy? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex legal functions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) ## Related quotes > [Obviously, we went after Trump quite a bit, but I also feel like, we can't be on anyone's side, really. We need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/obviously-we-went-after-trump-quite-a-bit-but-i-also-feel-like-we-can/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I am delighted at Des's support in these elections. And thank him for his rewrite of the lyrics of Send in the Clowns which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/i-am-delighted-at-des-s-support-in-these-elections-and-thank-him-for/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [“Show tunes are great. Stephen Sondheim. Rodgers and Hammerstein. Wicked. Rent. The Music Man. Almost any musical will do. Except Cats.” “Why? Doesn’t it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/show-tunes-are-great-stephen-sondheim-rodgers-and-hammerstein-wicked/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [Stephen Sondheim told me that Oscar Hammerstein believed everything that he wrote. 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Sheryl Crow has three or four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/the-only-train-song-i-like-is-the-one-that-i-play-in-my-act-drops-of/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [I think Stephen Sondheim is a - and I hardly ever use this word - but this is as close as it gets to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/i-think-stephen-sondheim-is-a-and-i-hardly-ever-use-this-word-but/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [Even though we try not to be nostalgic about drawing from old music, I'm always inspired by things like old Cole Porter songs or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/even-though-we-try-not-to-be-nostalgic-about-drawing-from-old-music-i/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [Popular music of the last 50 years has failed to keep in step with advances in musical theater, namely Stephen Sondheim. But the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephin-merritt/popular-music-of-the-last-50-years-has-failed-to-keep-in-step-with/) [Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephin-merritt/) > [“Stephen Sondheim said : " If you know where you're going, you've gone. Move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-crusie/stephen-sondheim-said-if-you-know-where-you-re-going-you-ve-gone-move/) [Jennifer Crusie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-crusie/) > [“I Read by Stephen Sondheim from "Passion" Fosca: I do not read to think. I do not read to learn. I do not read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-read-by-stephen-sondheim-from-passion-fosca-i-do-not-read-to-think/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [ The thing about Stephen Schwartz is that, while it may be difficult to learn - it's a little bit like\[Stephen\] Sondheim; Sondheim is quite… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-ellis/the-thing-about-stephen-schwartz-is-that-while-it-may-be-difficult-to/) [Kerry Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-ellis/) > [As a person, Stephen Sondheim is a very funny, very dry and very shy man. I've never witnessed any diva-ish moments, he just always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ball/as-a-person-stephen-sondheim-is-a-very-funny-very-dry-and-very-shy/) [Michael Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ball/) > [To my mind, 'Dear Brutus' stands halfway between Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 'Into the Woods'. Like them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/to-my-mind-dear-brutus-stands-halfway-between-shakespeare-s-a/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [My favorite musical...it used to be when I was growing up, Miss Saigon, but I dont know, I dont really like it anymore. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-morrison/my-favorite-musical-it-used-to-be-when-i-was-growing-up-miss-saigon/) [Matthew Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-morrison/) ## More by Gavin Esler > [The skills necessary to change nappies or negotiate Brexit are obviously very different, but both involve a great deal of trust in the competence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/the-skills-necessary-to-change-nappies-or-negotiate-brexit-are/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [The country I live in is never clear about its name. My passport says 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/the-country-i-live-in-is-never-clear-about-its-name-my-passport-says/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Personally, I hope that we British continue to criticise America - just as I hope Americans will criticise us. That is what friends do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/personally-i-hope-that-we-british-continue-to-criticise-america-just/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [As a teenager in Scotland, I had American friends, sons and daughters of officers at a U.S. Air Force base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/as-a-teenager-in-scotland-i-had-american-friends-sons-and-daughters/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [There's no doubt that prog rock has an image problem: many musicians hate the label, and too many people associate it with 10-minute drum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/there-s-no-doubt-that-prog-rock-has-an-image-problem-many-musicians/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [The Cold War, Bosnia and Ukraine remind us that peace is fragile. Iraq and Syria remind us that no society or culture is immune…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/the-cold-war-bosnia-and-ukraine-remind-us-that-peace-is-fragile-iraq/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Let me say it up front: I don't like bad hair or capes. I'm not into witches, warlocks or elves. I would never try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/let-me-say-it-up-front-i-don-t-like-bad-hair-or-capes-i-m-not-into/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Government is not a game show, though at times it is amusing and entertaining to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/government-is-not-a-game-show-though-at-times-it-is-amusing-and/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [My alphabet book at Duddingston Primary, Edinburgh, began traditionally with 'a is for apple,' but when it came to 'g,' it was 'g is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/my-alphabet-book-at-duddingston-primary-edinburgh-began-traditionally/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Democratic government is difficult. It is much more difficult than populists claim. It's not like running a business or a police force. It demands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/democratic-government-is-difficult-it-is-much-more-difficult-than/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [American elections have usually turned on the issues of war, peace and the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/american-elections-have-usually-turned-on-the-issues-of-war-peace-and/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [At seven years old, I won a scholarship to George Heriot's School, an independent school in Edinburgh, and I was there until I was 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/at-seven-years-old-i-won-a-scholarship-to-george-heriot-s-school-an/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [There is so much unreliable information on the internet and in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/there-is-so-much-unreliable-information-on-the-internet-and-in-the/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [International politics attracts politicians who talk a good game, but whose achievements are often slender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/international-politics-attracts-politicians-who-talk-a-good-game-but/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [We need to create a sense of shame about racism, and about leaders who deliberately mislead and lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/we-need-to-create-a-sense-of-shame-about-racism-and-about-leaders-who/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) [Explore all 107 Gavin Esler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? 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