--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believe it or not, I write on stage. I…" description: "\"Believe it or not, I write on stage. I can't write anywhere else; I have to be in a moment. I also have to challenge myself to make something funny out..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/j-b-smoove-3940_along_believe-it-or-not-i-write-on-stage-i-can_1023553.jpg" --- # Believe it or not, I write on stage. I can't write… ![“Believe it or not, I write on stage. I can't write anywhere else; I have to be in a moment. I also have to challenge myself to make something funny out of a premise. I never have my own jokes written. I have to change things as I go along, and I have to entertain myself.” quote by J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/j-b-smoove-3940_along_believe-it-or-not-i-write-on-stage-i-can_1023553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/j-b-smoove-3940_along_believe-it-or-not-i-write-on-stage-i-can_1023553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d5/j-b-smoove-3940_along_believe-it-or-not-i-write-on-stage-i-can_1023553.jpg) > “Believe it or not, I write on stage. I can't write anywhere else; I have to be in a moment. I also have to challenge myself to make something funny out of a premise. I never have my own jokes written. I have to change things as I go along, and I have to entertain myself.” [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He improvises on stage, needing the moment’s energy, constantly adapting jokes and entertaining himself. **In simple terms:** Improvisation fuels his comedy. Key Takeaway Stay present, adapt humor. Themes creativity improvisation performance Mood energetic playful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - workshops - live events - creative writing Key Concepts spontaneity self‑entertainment Questions to Reflect On - How does spontaneity affect your work? - What are the limits of improvisation? A Different Perspective Risk of losing polished material. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I usually write very few stage directions. I think a lot of that is a waste of time. The art of screenwriting is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-frank/i-usually-write-very-few-stage-directions-i-think-a-lot-of-that-is-a/) Scott Frank > [Some of those more out-there jokes were written in the wee hours of the morning. Somehow, they remained funny the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-macfarlane/some-of-those-more-out-there-jokes-were-written-in-the-wee-hours-of/) [Seth MacFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-macfarlane/) > [The trouble with the jokes is that once they're written, I know how they're supposed to work, and all I can do is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/the-trouble-with-the-jokes-is-that-once-they-re-written-i-know-how/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [If a person realized that everything people call happiness, love and joy was just a miscalculation based on a false premise, he'd feel a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-bartol/if-a-person-realized-that-everything-people-call-happiness-love-and/) [Vladimir Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-bartol/) > [The number one premise of business is that it need not be boring or dull. It ought to be fun. If it's not fun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-number-one-premise-of-business-is-that-it-need-not-be-boring-or/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [To a large extent: it's about economy of space. You have so little real estate when you're writing a half hour show. It's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-m-goldstein/to-a-large-extent-it-s-about-economy-of-space-you-have-so-little-real/) Jonathan M. Goldstein > [I don't think that success is the premise to what is good or bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-benguiat/i-don-t-think-that-success-is-the-premise-to-what-is-good-or-bad/) [Ed Benguiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-benguiat/) > [ \[The artist's aim is\] not to instruct the viewer, but to give him information... . The artist would follow his predetermined premise to its… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/the-artist-s-aim-is-not-to-instruct-the-viewer-but-to-give-him/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [The premise, to me, is the most important thing that you have to know going in. It's the problem as you see it. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-winget/the-premise-to-me-is-the-most-important-thing-that-you-have-to-know/) [Larry Winget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-winget/) > [I begin with the premise that behavior is an incredibly important element in medicine. Peoples habits, their willingness to quit smoking, their willingness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-e-varmus/i-begin-with-the-premise-that-behavior-is-an-incredibly-important/) [Harold E. 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What will be is not necessarily what must be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/fatalism-is-a-false-premise-what-will-be-is-not-necessarily-what-must/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [You know, we certainly have a great budget on the show, but the expansions to world of the show really arise because, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-know-we-certainly-have-a-great-budget-on-the-show-but-the/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) ## More by J. B. Smoove > [You know what I like? I like classic stuff. I like 'The Andy Griffith Show' - the variety of characters was so amazing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/you-know-what-i-like-i-like-classic-stuff-i-like-the-andy-griffith/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [You have to fail, man, but you cannot allow failure to stop you from doing what you must do. Failing is just as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/you-have-to-fail-man-but-you-cannot-allow-failure-to-stop-you-from/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [If a director brings a guy to their movie who does improv, they've got to let him do what he does - otherwise it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/if-a-director-brings-a-guy-to-their-movie-who-does-improv-they-ve-got/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [A lot of comedians are selfish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/a-lot-of-comedians-are-selfish/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [Improv relies just as much on listening as it does you delivering dialogue. That's the hard for some people. Some people just concentrate on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/improv-relies-just-as-much-on-listening-as-it-does-you-delivering/) [J. B. 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Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [Man, you can come see me six or seven times in a row and you'll never see the same show twice, because I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/man-you-can-come-see-me-six-or-seven-times-in-a-row-and-you-ll-never/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [I've done everything. Selling door-to-door fire extinguishers... In bars, I used to repair those machines that have 10 different buttons on them to spray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/i-ve-done-everything-selling-door-to-door-fire-extinguishers-in-bars/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [I'm nice with damn kids, man. Kids love me. I can bounce back and forth. I can discipline kids and I can get into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/i-m-nice-with-damn-kids-man-kids-love-me-i-can-bounce-back-and-forth/) [J. B. 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Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [I think what I do in my acting world and what I do in my standup world is bring up a brand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/i-think-what-i-do-in-my-acting-world-and-what-i-do-in-my-standup/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) [Explore all 119 J. B. Smoove quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) ## More Along quotes > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Each time I think I've created time for myself, along comes a throwback to disrupt my private space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/each-time-i-think-i-ve-created-time-for-myself-along-comes-a/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I get along with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-get-along-with-everybody/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! It was good casting, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-west/it-would-have-been-an-interesting-run-if-we-hadn-t-gotten-along-it/) [Dominic West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-west/) > [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/) Peter Orszag > [Just remember: to be grateful and thank the people who are there and support you along the way is a great start to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-davis/just-remember-to-be-grateful-and-thank-the-people-who-are-there-and/) [Meryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-davis/) > [We feel that, with Sidney, we have a great opportunity over the next few years to put a great team on the ice. 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