--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a stand up, and often in acting, there…" description: "\"As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow, naked hope... These things don't fit on a co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg" --- # As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for… ![“As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow, naked hope... These things don't fit on a comedy stage and if you act you'll get to express them once in a while. Music is a place for the intensely personal.” quote by Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg) > “As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow, naked hope... These things don't fit on a comedy stage and if you act you'll get to express them once in a while. Music is a place for the intensely personal.” [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy often suppresses deep emotions, reserving them for other art forms like music where personal expression is freer. **In simple terms:** Comedy avoids intense feelings; music allows them. Key Takeaway Use appropriate medium for emotional depth. Themes comedy emotion artistic expression Mood reflective introspective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - theatrical performance - songwriting - personal storytelling Key Concepts psychology performance theory Questions to Reflect On - How can a comedian hint at deep feelings without breaking tone? - When is it right to shift to music for expression? A Different Perspective Comedy can still convey subtle emotion when balanced carefully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Intense feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense-feelings/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [“When the time is right, when these feelings of rage and unfairness once again overcome me, I will not faint. I will fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/when-the-time-is-right-when-these-feelings-of-rage-and-unfairness/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [I was raised in a family where none of us ever raised a voice, so there was no room to express feelings of rage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-was-raised-in-a-family-where-none-of-us-ever-raised-a-voice-so/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“..a new baby is not uninterrupted bliss. It's joy mixed with terror, fatigue, depression, intense feelings of helplessness, loneliness and inadequacy. And poop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/a-new-baby-is-not-uninterrupted-bliss-it-s-joy-mixed-with-terror/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [A kiss can be like the world turning over. It can be like the tide of a dragon's dream washing through the unseen world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-elliott/a-kiss-can-be-like-the-world-turning-over-it-can-be-like-the-tide-of/) [Kate Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-elliott/) > [I have very intense feelings of joy or sadness. I used to not like that so much because I was worried it was girly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-have-very-intense-feelings-of-joy-or-sadness-i-used-to-not-like/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I noticed that some of my deadness was being replaced by an intense feeling about the Greek stories and the Bible stories. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/i-noticed-that-some-of-my-deadness-was-being-replaced-by-an-intense/) [Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/) > [“Like other kinds of intelligence, the storyteller's is partly natural, partly trained. It is composed of several qualities, most of which, in normal people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/like-other-kinds-of-intelligence-the-storyteller-s-is-partly-natural/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [“The recovery task for this stage is to take hold of yourself one moment at a time, to recognize that you are a separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-anderson/the-recovery-task-for-this-stage-is-to-take-hold-of-yourself-one/) Susan Anderson > [“Partings make us sad; they make us feel as though we are being beaten up by fate; sometimes they make us feel desperate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lama-surya-das/partings-make-us-sad-they-make-us-feel-as-though-we-are-being-beaten/) [Lama Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lama-surya-das/) > [Then I went to bed and cried into my pillow. I wasn't sad, not at all. It was just so beautiful to have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/then-i-went-to-bed-and-cried-into-my-pillow-i-wasn-t-sad-not-at-all/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [On the rare occasions when I spend a night in Oxford, the keeping of the hours by the clock towers in New College, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/on-the-rare-occasions-when-i-spend-a-night-in-oxford-the-keeping-of/) [A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [“It’s natural to avoid the things we fear. Seeking out what terrifies me seems insane on a certain level, but more and more, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-turner/it-s-natural-to-avoid-the-things-we-fear-seeking-out-what-terrifies/) [Page Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-turner/) > [“Love is floating somewhere in the beautiful horizon with an equal wave length with same frequency of intense feelings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/love-is-floating-somewhere-in-the-beautiful-horizon-with-an-equal/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) > [If someone harmed or tortured or killed one of my children I'd feel everything almost anyone else would feel. I'd probably have intense feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-strawson/if-someone-harmed-or-tortured-or-killed-one-of-my-children-i-d-feel/) [Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/) > [“Jordan once said that basketball “has been everything. My place of refuge, it’s the place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-geoffreys/jordan-once-said-that-basketball-has-been-everything-my-place-of/) Clayton Geoffreys ## More by Hal Sparks > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I admire Laura Bush because she's the only librarian who would marry an illiterate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-admire-laura-bush-because-she-s-the-only-librarian-who-would-marry/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [You would not believe how much time people waste in a day. And how little time they put into things they genuinely love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/you-would-not-believe-how-much-time-people-waste-in-a-day-and-how/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I'm a futurist. Technology is our way out of almost every problem we have. Technology can create a new sense of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-m-a-futurist-technology-is-our-way-out-of-almost-every-problem-we/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [People think that the arts are optional and they aren't. They teach a level of emotional depth that's equally important to mathematic skill. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/people-think-that-the-arts-are-optional-and-they-aren-t-they-teach-a/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Ive been doing stand-up since I was 15 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/ive-been-doing-stand-up-since-i-was-15-years-old/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Political and social change is always a stagger-step process. One step forward, two steps back. They want you to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/political-and-social-change-is-always-a-stagger-step-process-one-step/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I'm a writer, so I like dissecting things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-m-a-writer-so-i-like-dissecting-things/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [If 'Airplane!' comes on, it's like a comfort film. You can always guarantee a laugh watching that movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/if-airplane-comes-on-it-s-like-a-comfort-film-you-can-always/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [The Bush administration made us nostalgic for ... well, any other time in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/the-bush-administration-made-us-nostalgic-for-well-any-other-time-in/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [It's better to waste money than time. You can always get more money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/it-s-better-to-waste-money-than-time-you-can-always-get-more-money/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [If you are for freedom and equal rights, which we hear a lot of talk about these days, then you have to include the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/if-you-are-for-freedom-and-equal-rights-which-we-hear-a-lot-of-talk/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Someone needs to remind American CEOs that if you can't run a company that is innovative, financially sound and doesn't poison the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/someone-needs-to-remind-american-ceos-that-if-you-can-t-run-a-company/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Sometimes I play guitar like a frustrated drummer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/sometimes-i-play-guitar-like-a-frustrated-drummer/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [There is never hesitation about doing stand-up. It's just me doing my thing. Unlike being in a band or a play or something, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/there-is-never-hesitation-about-doing-stand-up-it-s-just-me-doing-my/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) [Explore all 50 Hal Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow, naked hope... These things don't fit on a comedy stage and if you act you'll get to express them once in a while. Music is a place for the intensely personal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hal Sparks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there-is-no-place-for-the-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Act" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there-is-no-place-for-the-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/hal-sparks-13442_act_as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there_1892565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a stand up, and often in acting, there is no place for the most intense feelings. Rage, genuine sorrow…” — Hal Sparks", "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": "Hal Sparks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a stand up, and often...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there-is-no-place-for-the-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/as-a-stand-up-and-often-in-acting-there-is-no-place-for-the-most/#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 } } ] } ```