--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a class clown, of the classic term…" description: "\"I was a class clown, of the classic term for it. I would get the work done easily, and then I would try to deprive other people of their educations. I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/george-carlin-155_attention_i-was-a-class-clown-of-the-classic-term_1592751.jpg" --- # I was a class clown, of the classic term for it. I would… ![“I was a class clown, of the classic term for it. I would get the work done easily, and then I would try to deprive other people of their educations. I developed skills for mimicry, and I was a good showoff. I knew how to get attention, and I knew how to do it in a positive funny way.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/george-carlin-155_attention_i-was-a-class-clown-of-the-classic-term_1592751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/george-carlin-155_attention_i-was-a-class-clown-of-the-classic-term_1592751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/george-carlin-155_attention_i-was-a-class-clown-of-the-classic-term_1592751.jpg) > “I was a class clown, of the classic term for it. I would get the work done easily, and then I would try to deprive other people of their educations. I developed skills for mimicry, and I was a good showoff. I knew how to get attention, and I knew how to do it in a positive funny way.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using humor and performance to gain attention, the speaker turned mischief into a constructive, entertaining skill. **In simple terms:** He turned clowning into a positive, skillful act. Key Takeaway Channel playful energy into purposeful performance. Themes humor attention skill performance Mood playful energetic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - team building - leadership - creative work Key Concepts entertainment social dynamics self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - How can humor be used responsibly? - When does showmanship become distraction? A Different Perspective Risk of being perceived as disruptive or not serious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Class clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-clown/) [Classic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic/) [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Good Showoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-showoff-6040943/) [Mimicry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mimicry/) [Mimicry Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mimicry-good-6040941/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Positive Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-funny-223222/) [Showoff Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showoff-knew-6040944/) [Showoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/showoffs-169807/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Skills Mimicry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills-mimicry-6040942/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Work done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-done/) ## Related quotes > [Tilting his head back he slowly released an enormous quantity of smoke from his mouth and drew it up through his nostrils. He continued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tilting-his-head-back-he-slowly-released-an-enormous-quantity-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I definitely have to give myself permission, like on "Master Swarm," to rip a lead on that. Just play a violin solo that's -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-definitely-have-to-give-myself-permission-like-on-master-swarm-to/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [My background is in musical comedy. I didn't know I was going to be an actor. But all my points of reference have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/my-background-is-in-musical-comedy-i-didn-t-know-i-was-going-to-be-an/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [We fundamentalists are a pack of mood-loving showoffs. I'm sure the Minor Prophets would have found subject for correction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/we-fundamentalists-are-a-pack-of-mood-loving-showoffs-i-m-sure-the/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/arrogant-pompous-obnoxious-vain-cruel-verbose-a-showoff-i-have-been/) [Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/) > [I saw the dance as a vision of ineffable power. A man could, with dignity and a towering majesty, dance. Not mince, cavort, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-limon/i-saw-the-dance-as-a-vision-of-ineffable-power-a-man-could-with/) [Jose Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-limon/) > [I never want to be a showoff or attention getter or something that, truthfully, is kind of repulsive to me, but I get uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-blair/i-never-want-to-be-a-showoff-or-attention-getter-or-something-that/) [Selma Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-blair/) ## More by George Carlin > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a class clown, of the classic term for it. 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