---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every time you talk about politics or…"
description: "\"Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that the moment you open your mouth you're isolating 50% of your audience, in any medium. You're t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png"
---

#  Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that…

![“Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that the moment you open your mouth you're isolating 50% of your audience, in any medium. You're taking 50% of people that'll buy tickets to come see you and you're removing them from the equation.” quote by Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png)

> “Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that the moment you open your mouth you're isolating 50% of your audience, in any medium. You're taking 50% of people that'll buy tickets to come see you and you're removing them from the equation.”

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discussing divisive topics alienates half the audience.

**In simple terms:** Talk can split listeners.

Key Takeaway

Choose topics wisely.

Themes

communication audience polarization

Mood

cautious reflective strategic

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- marketing
- political debate
- social media

Key Concepts

sociology media studies

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you engage diverse views without alienation?
- When is it worth risking audience loss?

A Different Perspective

Avoiding topics may limit authenticity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [Never in the history of cinema has a medium entertained an audience. It's what you do with the medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/never-in-the-history-of-cinema-has-a-medium-entertained-an-audience/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [And that's my message to voters, this isn't about Barack, it's not about person on that ballot -- its about you. And for most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/and-that-s-my-message-to-voters-this-isn-t-about-barack-it-s-not/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [Most importantly, how impressive can I be to people that bought tickets, where they never feel, "It was pretty good." If anyone thinks my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/most-importantly-how-impressive-can-i-be-to-people-that-bought/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [Long Island always seems to be the hardest place for some reason. There are always excuses. People will say, "Well, there's a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/long-island-always-seems-to-be-the-hardest-place-for-some-reason/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [There's one thing my dad taught me: don't talk about politics, because you'll never make anyone happy. Don't even go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cyrus/there-s-one-thing-my-dad-taught-me-don-t-talk-about-politics-because/)

[Noah Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cyrus/)

> [What I love so much about drag is that it has politics at its very core; drag performers aren't afraid to talk about politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-velour/what-i-love-so-much-about-drag-is-that-it-has-politics-at-its-very/)

[Sasha Velour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-velour/)

> [It's not necessarily a brave thing, people talk about what they think about. There's people out there who love to talk about politics or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/it-s-not-necessarily-a-brave-thing-people-talk-about-what-they-think/)

[Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/)

> [How many black people are there in the higher echelons of any industry? We can talk about journalism, we can talk about politics. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/how-many-black-people-are-there-in-the-higher-echelons-of-any/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Gay marriage is absolutely something that I am in full support of and a big advocate of, and I think it's an important issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lynn-sigler-2/gay-marriage-is-absolutely-something-that-i-am-in-full-support-of-and/)

[Jamie-Lynn Sigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lynn-sigler-2/)

> [In the French culture, they talk politics. I didn't find it was part of our culture to have political arguments at the table. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-raver/in-the-french-culture-they-talk-politics-i-didn-t-find-it-was-part-of/)

[Kim Raver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-raver/)

> [You won't hear me talk about my politics, you won't hear me talk about my vegetarianism, you won't hear me comment on the Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-won-t-hear-me-talk-about-my-politics-you-won-t-hear-me-talk-about/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [“You cannot get them to talk of politics so long as they are well employed,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-l-heilbroner/you-cannot-get-them-to-talk-of-politics-so-long-as-they-are-well/)

Robert L. Heilbroner

> [“You obviously haven’t lived in D.C. very long if you think two and a half minutes is too soon to talk politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-smith-ready/you-obviously-haven-t-lived-in-d-c-very-long-if-you-think-two-and-a/)

[Jeri Smith-Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-smith-ready/)

> [We will continue to address things, but in as much as I want to talk about politics as they are related to social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/we-will-continue-to-address-things-but-in-as-much-as-i-want-to-talk/)

[Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/)

> [It's sometimes hard to talk about politics and art. Obviously, I have my core beliefs, but I think art is best when it's troublesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/it-s-sometimes-hard-to-talk-about-politics-and-art-obviously-i-have/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

## More by Jay Mohr

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [You remember from watching the show, there are no "jokes." That's why if you see people on Twitter accusing me of being a "joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/you-remember-from-watching-the-show-there-are-no-jokes-that-s-why-if/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [ I'm telling you, I could teach at a university, \[George\] Carlin, a whole semester. The construction and deconstruction of the words, the language, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-m-telling-you-i-could-teach-at-a-university-george-carlin-a-whole/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [Not everyone likes sports. Gandhi and Malcolm X come to mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/not-everyone-likes-sports-gandhi-and-malcolm-x-come-to-mind/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [ My wife and I have long discussions about \[George\] Carlin, and we refuse to accept that he died an atheist. It's just, confounding. When… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/my-wife-and-i-have-long-discussions-about-george-carlin-and-we-refuse/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [I remember I used to go to The Laugh Factory and just goof off onstage, and then I'd see Dane Cook. He did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-remember-i-used-to-go-to-the-laugh-factory-and-just-goof-off/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“If you want God to laugh, make plans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/if-you-want-god-to-laugh-make-plans/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [I didn't want to fight a guy from England. What if I lose? Not that English guys aren't strong, but who wants to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-didn-t-want-to-fight-a-guy-from-england-what-if-i-lose-not-that/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [All that waiting around for a glimmer of stage time, just getting angry every week... It was just an oppressive, horrible, horrible place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/all-that-waiting-around-for-a-glimmer-of-stage-time-just-getting/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [First of all, my wife writes half my act. I don't know how I could "steal" from my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/first-of-all-my-wife-writes-half-my-act-i-don-t-know-how-i-could/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [If there are 1,500 people in a theater and they're all there to see you, there are no other guys. You're the guy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/if-there-are-1-500-people-in-a-theater-and-they-re-all-there-to-see/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [I'm a comic because I don't want to do the nine-to-five, I have to modify that and say I'm a comic because I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-m-a-comic-because-i-don-t-want-to-do-the-nine-to-five-i-have-to/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [Comedians are always going to be in the showbiz middle class, you're not Brad Pitt; you're never going to be Sam Rockwell or Shia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/comedians-are-always-going-to-be-in-the-showbiz-middle-class-you-re/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [When human beings stop progressing at an endeavor, they stop enjoying it and move on to something else. Not golfers. Masochists, all of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/when-human-beings-stop-progressing-at-an-endeavor-they-stop-enjoying/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [If a waiter or waitress tells me when gratuity is included they automatically get more gratuity. When they hide it I go with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/if-a-waiter-or-waitress-tells-me-when-gratuity-is-included-they/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

[Explore all 106 Jay Mohr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

## More Audience quotes

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/)

[Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/)

> [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/)

[Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/)

> [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/)

[Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/)

> [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/)

[An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/)

> [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/)

[Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/)

> [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/)

[Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/)

> [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/)

[Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/)

> [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/)

[Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/)

> [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/)

[Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/)

> [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/)

[J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/)

> [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/)

[Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/)

> [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/)

[John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/)

[Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that the moment you open your mouth you're isolating 50% of your audience, in any medium. You're taking 50% of people that'll buy tickets to come see you and you're removing them from the equation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jay Mohr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-religion-know-that-the-moment/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Audience"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-religion-know-that-the-moment/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/jay-mohr-4777_audience_every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-re_1064352.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every time you talk about politics or religion, know that the moment you open your mouth you're isolating…” — Jay Mohr",
                "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": "Jay Mohr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every time you talk about politics...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-religion-know-that-the-moment/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/every-time-you-talk-about-politics-or-religion-know-that-the-moment/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
