--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but…" description: "\"I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth funny is really hard.' But I actually had more problems with people believing me when I told..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg" --- # I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth… ![“I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth funny is really hard.' But I actually had more problems with people believing me when I told the truth on stage.” quote by James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg) > “I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth funny is really hard.' But I actually had more problems with people believing me when I told the truth on stage.” [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is hard to make funny; truth often faces disbelief when presented on stage. **In simple terms:** Truth is serious, not funny. Key Takeaway Find humor beyond factual truth. Themes comedy truth communication Mood witty self‑deprecating Type comedic observational When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - public speaking - writing jokes Key Concepts performance art psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can truth be humorously conveyed? - What makes audiences trust a performer? A Different Perspective Audience may reject truth for entertainment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believing Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-told-433493/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Lie Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-making-1072273/) [Make Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-lie-324682/) [Making Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-truth-1690370/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-stage-1929148/) ## Related quotes > [When I saw Paul Scofield do 'Love's Labor's Lost at Stratford,' that's when I saw the potential of the level of truth that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/when-i-saw-paul-scofield-do-love-s-labor-s-lost-at-stratford-that-s/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [When I saw Paul Scofield do Loves Labors Lost at Stratford, thats when I saw the potential of the level of truth that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/when-i-saw-paul-scofield-do-loves-labors-lost-at-stratford-thats-when/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Telling the truth and making someone cry is better then telling a lie and making someone smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/telling-the-truth-and-making-someone-cry-is-better-then-telling-a-lie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm now the poster child for not believing everything I'm told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-m-now-the-poster-child-for-not-believing-everything-i-m-told/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [“And that was the cruel thing about love. You couldn’t turn it off. You couldn’t pretend it didn’t exist because it was outside logic’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-lewis/and-that-was-the-cruel-thing-about-love-you-couldn-t-turn-it-off-you/) [R.J. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-lewis/) > [“if making things seem prettier than they are is a lie, then making them seem uglier must be another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/if-making-things-seem-prettier-than-they-are-is-a-lie-then-making/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [One of the worst things about trusting someone is really believing that everything they ever told you was the truth. From the I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/telisa-mclaughlin/one-of-the-worst-things-about-trusting-someone-is-really-believing/) [Telisa McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/telisa-mclaughlin/) > [You continue to let yourself get hurt by his lies and his apologies knowing they mean nothing. You try so hard to believe him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-wilson/you-continue-to-let-yourself-get-hurt-by-his-lies-and-his-apologies/) [Sasha Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-wilson/) > [From the moment we are born, people tell us that the world is like this and like that, this way, that way. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/from-the-moment-we-are-born-people-tell-us-that-the-world-is-like/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie and making someone smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/telling-the-truth-and-making-someone-cry-is-better-than-telling-a-lie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Telling the truth and making someone to cry is better than telling a lie and to making someone smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/telling-the-truth-and-making-someone-to-cry-is-better-than-telling-a/) [Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/) > [Poetry is not an assertion of truth, but the making of that truth more fully real to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/poetry-is-not-an-assertion-of-truth-but-the-making-of-that-truth-more/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [And I believe what I believe / Is what makes me what I am / I did not make it, no it is making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/and-i-believe-what-i-believe-is-what-makes-me-what-i-am-i-did-not/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [Making the truth public is a form of justice. This is a moral universe and you've got to take account of the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/making-the-truth-public-is-a-form-of-justice-this-is-a-moral-universe/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by James Acaster > [Until you get left for Mr. Bean, you don't realise how frequently he pops up. There's a shop two streets from my house that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/until-you-get-left-for-mr-bean-you-don-t-realise-how-frequently-he/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I left school and didn't go to university to be in a band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-left-school-and-didn-t-go-to-university-to-be-in-a-band/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [Ross Noble at the Leicester De Montfort Hall on his Randomist tour - it's the only time I've hurt from laughing at a standup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/ross-noble-at-the-leicester-de-montfort-hall-on-his-randomist-tour-it/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [Because such a massive part of stand-up is trying and failing first, I'm not putting as much pressure on. Just going out and doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/because-such-a-massive-part-of-stand-up-is-trying-and-failing-first-i/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [Everyone was wearing jeans, so I started wearing slacks. I'd walk on, and people would laugh before I got to the mic because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/everyone-was-wearing-jeans-so-i-started-wearing-slacks-i-d-walk-on/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I'd say I get heckled quite a lot because I look quite like an easy target. If you're an alpha-male and you think you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-d-say-i-get-heckled-quite-a-lot-because-i-look-quite-like-an-easy/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I'd decided to write about stuff that I would like to hear standup about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-d-decided-to-write-about-stuff-that-i-would-like-to-hear-standup/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [The Rock was one of my favourite comedy characters growing up, and I still think he is. Mainly because he took himself so seriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/the-rock-was-one-of-my-favourite-comedy-characters-growing-up-and-i/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I'm not a big depressive, but I have my moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-m-not-a-big-depressive-but-i-have-my-moments/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I think I can draw both a mainstream audience and an alternative audience to my shows. I also have the ability to disappoint both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-think-i-can-draw-both-a-mainstream-audience-and-an-alternative/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [And that, ladies and gentlemen, sums up the Fringe. Spend a year spitting your guts out writing a show, and people forget your name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/and-that-ladies-and-gentlemen-sums-up-the-fringe-spend-a-year/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I really love standup, and I really love writing standup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-really-love-standup-and-i-really-love-writing-standup/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [My mum is very funny when she wants to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/my-mum-is-very-funny-when-she-wants-to-be/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [The comic I can now never enjoy again is Bill Cosby. He was truly one of the first comedians I got into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/the-comic-i-can-now-never-enjoy-again-is-bill-cosby-he-was-truly-one/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [I remember being four or five, not understanding how to be funny, so just going around the house and my mum and dad's friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-remember-being-four-or-five-not-understanding-how-to-be-funny-so/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) [Explore all 48 James Acaster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) ## More Funny quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) [Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/) [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth funny is really hard.' But I actually had more problems with people believing me when I told the truth on stage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Acaster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-making-the-truth-funny-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-making-the-truth-funny-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e54/james-acaster-14082_funny_i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-m_2599122.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought, 'Anyone can make up a lie, but making the truth funny is really hard.' But I actually had more…” — James Acaster", "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": "James Acaster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought, 'Anyone can make up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-making-the-truth-funny-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-thought-anyone-can-make-up-a-lie-but-making-the-truth-funny-is/#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 } } ] } ```