--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My contributions were many: First clown…" description: "\"My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty sayings and flashily dressed, now called master of ceremonies.\" — Jelly Roll Morton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg" --- # My contributions were many: First clown director, with… ![“My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty sayings and flashily dressed, now called master of ceremonies.” quote by Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg) > “My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty sayings and flashily dressed, now called master of ceremonies.” [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He humorously describes his evolution from a playful entertainer to a respected master of ceremonies. **In simple terms:** From clown to master of ceremonies. Key Takeaway Embrace growth and humor in your career. Themes career evolution humor mastery Mood playful confident Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - stage shows - public speaking - creative leadership - entertainment management Key Concepts personal branding performance art Questions to Reflect On - How does humor aid your professional growth? - What steps can you take to become a master in your field? A Different Perspective Self‑deprecation may mask genuine confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [I'm like the master of ceremonies being funny, and then sometimes people you're with, girlfriends and stuff, are like, 'God I wish I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/i-m-like-the-master-of-ceremonies-being-funny-and-then-sometimes/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [“Listen," said the Master, coughing. "Don't search the ends of the Earth looking for your happiness. Perfection is being happy with what you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-poore/listen-said-the-master-coughing-don-t-search-the-ends-of-the-earth/) [Michael Poore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-poore/) > [It may be called the Master Passion, the hunger for self-approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-may-be-called-the-master-passion-the-hunger-for-self-approval/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“One morning the girl was very thoughtful, and answered at random, and did not seem to Toad to be paying proper attention to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/one-morning-the-girl-was-very-thoughtful-and-answered-at-random-and/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [A long memory is the most subversive idea in America. A tautology is a thing which is tautological. A witty saying proves nothing, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/a-long-memory-is-the-most-subversive-idea-in-america-a-tautology-is-a/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [There are three estates in Parliament but in the Reporters' Gallery yonder there sits a Fourth Estate more important far than they all. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-are-three-estates-in-parliament-but-in-the-reporters-gallery/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A WORD OF KINDNESS IS SELDOM SPOKEN IN VAIN, WHILE WITTY SAYINGS ARE AS EASILY LOST AS THE PEARLS SLIPPING FROM A BROKEN STRING.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-m-forni-2/a-word-of-kindness-is-seldom-spoken-in-vain-while-witty-sayings-are/) [P.M. Forni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-m-forni-2/) > [A witty saying proves nothing, but saying something pointless gets people's attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/a-witty-saying-proves-nothing-but-saying-something-pointless-gets/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Old Madame du Deffand and her friends talked for fifty years without stopping. And of it all, what remains? Perhaps three witty sayings. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/old-madame-du-deffand-and-her-friends-talked-for-fifty-years-without/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [An MC is somebody who can control the crowd. An MC is a master of ceremonies so not only can you say your rap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/an-mc-is-somebody-who-can-control-the-crowd-an-mc-is-a-master-of/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [An emcee is a Master of Ceremonies. If you're an emcee, and I am an emcee... I rhyme, you know what I mean? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/an-emcee-is-a-master-of-ceremonies-if-you-re-an-emcee-and-i-am-an/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [If the 'self-life' is supreme, Satan does not have to be invited in. The lines are already set for the 'electric' current to flow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-huegel/if-the-self-life-is-supreme-satan-does-not-have-to-be-invited-in-the/) F. Huegel > [The master of ceremonies asked people to say what they thought the function of the novel might be in modern society, and one critic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-master-of-ceremonies-asked-people-to-say-what-they-thought-the-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [If you can stand on stage and perform a record, you should be able to stand on stage and captivate the audience without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torae/if-you-can-stand-on-stage-and-perform-a-record-you-should-be-able-to/) [Torae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torae/) > [Behind him the Master of Ceremonies cleared his throat. His eyes took on a distant, glazed look.The Stealer of Souls, he said in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/behind-him-the-master-of-ceremonies-cleared-his-throat-his-eyes-took/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Jelly Roll Morton > [Get up from that piano. You hurtin' its feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/get-up-from-that-piano-you-hurtin-its-feelings/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [I have been robbed of three million dollars all told. Everyone today is playing my stuff and I don't even get credit. Kansas City…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/i-have-been-robbed-of-three-million-dollars-all-told-everyone-today/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [I do not claim any of the creation of the blues, although I have written many of them even before Mr. Handy had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/i-do-not-claim-any-of-the-creation-of-the-blues-although-i-have/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [The sporting houses needed professors, and we had so many different styles that... it wouldn't make any difference that you just came from .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/the-sporting-houses-needed-professors-and-we-had-so-many-different/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [You can't make jazz without using certain elements of Latin music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/you-can-t-make-jazz-without-using-certain-elements-of-latin-music/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/jazz-music-is-to-be-played-sweet-soft-plenty-rhythm/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [Rejoice at the death and cry at the birth: New Orleans sticks close to the Scriptures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/rejoice-at-the-death-and-cry-at-the-birth-new-orleans-sticks-close-to/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [In 1908 Handy didn't know anything about the blues and he doesn't know anything about jazz and stomps to this day. I myself figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/in-1908-handy-didn-t-know-anything-about-the-blues-and-he-doesn-t/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [It is evidently known, beyond contradiction, that New Orleans is the cradle of Jazz and I, myself, happened to be the creator in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/it-is-evidently-known-beyond-contradiction-that-new-orleans-is-the/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [Jazz music is a style, not compositions; any kind of music may be played in Jazz if one has the knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/jazz-music-is-a-style-not-compositions-any-kind-of-music-may-be/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [ In the year of 1902, when I was about seventeen years old, I happened to invade one of the sections \[in New Orleans\] where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/in-the-year-of-1902-when-i-was-about-seventeen-years-old-i-happened/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) [Explore all 12 Jelly Roll Morton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) ## More Ceremony quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [There are ceremonious bows that repel one like a cudgel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/there-are-ceremonious-bows-that-repel-one-like-a-cudgel/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [The cocktail party - as the name itself indicates - was originally invented by dogs. They are simply bottom-sniffings raised to the rank of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-cocktail-party-as-the-name-itself-indicates-was-originally/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I am unable to distinguish clearly between your religious ceremonies and apparently identical behavior at the sporting and cultural functions you have transmitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-clearly-between-your-religious-ceremonies/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Singing at the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was amazing and, probably the highlight of this decade is the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/singing-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-sydney-olympics-in-2000-was/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. The happy couple is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/over-the-weekend-former-enron-executives-jeffrey-skilling-and-rebecca/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Japanese tea ceremony,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-berk/japanese-tea-ceremony/) Sheryl Berk > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The trappings of a religious cult tend to fall into candlelit ceremonies and robes and group chanting and singing and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-durkin/the-trappings-of-a-religious-cult-tend-to-fall-into-candlelit/) [Sean Durkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-durkin/) > [No known human group... simply throw out its dead without any ritual or ceremony. In stark contrast, no animal practices burial of dead individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodosius-dobzhansky/no-known-human-group-simply-throw-out-its-dead-without-any-ritual-or/) [Theodosius Dobzhansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodosius-dobzhansky/) [Browse all 534 Ceremony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty sayings and flashily dressed, now called master of ceremonies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jelly Roll Morton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-director-with-witty-sayings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ceremony" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-director-with-witty-sayings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/jelly-roll-morton-36825_ceremony_my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-d_1265616.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My contributions were many: First clown director, with witty sayings and flashily dressed, now called master…” — Jelly Roll Morton", "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": "Jelly Roll Morton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My contributions were many: First clown...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-director-with-witty-sayings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/my-contributions-were-many-first-clown-director-with-witty-sayings/#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 } } ] } ```