--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no good reason to change a Neil…" description: "\"“There's no good reason to change a Neil Simon line. The day that I'm funnier than Neil Simon, Hell will be a very chilly place.”\" — Jason Alexander" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/jason-alexander-7419_quote_there-s-no-good-reason-to-change-a-neil_866614.jpg" --- # There's no good reason to change a Neil Simon line. The… ![“There's no good reason to change a Neil Simon line. The day that I'm funnier than Neil Simon, Hell will be a very chilly place.” quote by Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/jason-alexander-7419_quote_there-s-no-good-reason-to-change-a-neil_866614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/jason-alexander-7419_quote_there-s-no-good-reason-to-change-a-neil_866614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/jason-alexander-7419_quote_there-s-no-good-reason-to-change-a-neil_866614.jpg) > ““There's no good reason to change a Neil Simon line. The day that I'm funnier than Neil Simon, Hell will be a very chilly place.”” [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neil Simon’s humor is a benchmark; surpassing it is impossible. **In simple terms:** Accept limits of comedic talent. Key Takeaway Respect your comedic influences. Themes humor hum self-awareness Mood humorous self‑deprecating Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up - scriptwriting - improvisation - teaching comedy Key Concepts comedic legacy creative humility Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn from your idols? - When is it okay to challenge them? A Different Perspective Sticking to limits can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ## Related quotes > [“If heaven was hot and hell was chilly, tell me, why would you go to heaven?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-heaven-was-hot-and-hell-was-chilly-tell-me-why-would-you-go-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Yes, Hawai'i wanted the change that statehood has brought, but we also wanted everything to stay as it was. That is, what we really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellman/yes-hawai-i-wanted-the-change-that-statehood-has-brought-but-we-also/) Mark Ellman > [Neil Simon didn't like it too much when we came out in clown makeup. We stopped doing that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ritter/neil-simon-didn-t-like-it-too-much-when-we-came-out-in-clown-makeup/) [John Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ritter/) > [When I was a kid, my father would read Neil Simon plays with me, when I was going to bed, as bedtime stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-woods/when-i-was-a-kid-my-father-would-read-neil-simon-plays-with-me-when-i-2/) [Zach Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-woods/) > [You can trust a Neil Simon script. Every dot. Every dash; that pause means something. He takes all the jokes out, practically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-elizondo/you-can-trust-a-neil-simon-script-every-dot-every-dash-that-pause/) [Hector Elizondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-elizondo/) > [ Neil \[Simon\] was considered our greatest \[living playwright\] at the time \[of their marriage\]. Maybe he still is; I don't know. But anyway, he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-mason/neil-simon-was-considered-our-greatest-living-playwright-at-the-time/) [Marsha Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-mason/) > [I have been working up until recently with Neil Simon, who has been adapting the character to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/i-have-been-working-up-until-recently-with-neil-simon-who-has-been/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [When I was in high school, I read all of Neil Simon's plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/when-i-was-in-high-school-i-read-all-of-neil-simon-s-plays/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [I liked 'Brighton Beach Memoirs,' which I did with Neil Simon. I kind of was playing him, as Eugene Morris Jerome, and I played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-broderick/i-liked-brighton-beach-memoirs-which-i-did-with-neil-simon-i-kind-of/) [Matthew Broderick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-broderick/) > [I've really enjoyed doing 'Annie Get Your Gun' and loved Neil Simon stuff like 'Chapter Two.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/i-ve-really-enjoyed-doing-annie-get-your-gun-and-loved-neil-simon/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [I toured around the country and met all these Broadway producers who put me in all these Neil Simon plays like 'Brighton Beach Memoirs'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tenney/i-toured-around-the-country-and-met-all-these-broadway-producers-who/) [Jon Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tenney/) > [The 'My Mother the Car' script read like Neil Simon compared to the 'Gilligan's Island' script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-van-dyke/the-my-mother-the-car-script-read-like-neil-simon-compared-to-the/) [Jerry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-van-dyke/) > [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/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) ## More by Jason Alexander > [Isn't it time you came out and told the world what you believe?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/isn-t-it-time-you-came-out-and-told-the-world-what-you-believe/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [I started balding at age 17 and after first being sad, I really embraced it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/i-started-balding-at-age-17-and-after-first-being-sad-i-really/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Every poker player, like every fisherman, needs to have a story in a box, and most poker stories are completely uninteresting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/every-poker-player-like-every-fisherman-needs-to-have-a-story-in-a/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Life and families and babies are all joyous gifts. But if we do not begin to truly account for our numbers, we will surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/life-and-families-and-babies-are-all-joyous-gifts-but-if-we-do-not/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [The necessity for 'professionals' in the entertainment industry is being constantly challenged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/the-necessity-for-professionals-in-the-entertainment-industry-is/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Theater is very much the world I'd like to get back to, particularly in New York, both as an actor and director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/theater-is-very-much-the-world-i-d-like-to-get-back-to-particularly/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Well, let's put in this way, I grew up in West New York, New Jersey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/well-let-s-put-in-this-way-i-grew-up-in-west-new-york-new-jersey/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [Divorce is very difficult, especially on the kids. 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I just cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/i-cannot-tell-people-who-are-struggling-that-i-come-first-i-just/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [The show is like an Edwardian play - emotional life gets stepped on for the sake of accepted manners, and that's terrific for actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/the-show-is-like-an-edwardian-play-emotional-life-gets-stepped-on-for/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) [Explore all 91 Jason Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [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/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. 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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/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There's no good reason to change a Neil Simon line. 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