--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a comedian and I started in stand-up…" description: "\"I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.\" — Jenny Slate" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg" --- # I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22. ![“I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.” quote by Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg) > “I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.” [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Starting a comedy career at 22 shows early commitment and willingness to take risks **In simple terms:** Begin pursuing passions early despite uncertainty Key Takeaway Take bold steps early in your career Themes career risk comedy Mood energetic optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - Launching a comedy routine - seeking stage experience - building confidence Key Concepts Self‑discovery public performance Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you willing to take now? - How does early experience shape long‑term growth? A Different Perspective Early start may lack experience and mentorship ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ## Related quotes > [In 2006, I left my job in sales and marketing to go full-time as a comedian, and I started off doing panto at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/in-2006-i-left-my-job-in-sales-and-marketing-to-go-full-time-as-a/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [As a comedian, I started very apolitical. I definitely never talked about current events or matters of identity, or any of these topics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/as-a-comedian-i-started-very-apolitical-i-definitely-never-talked/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [When I started stand-up, the people I admired most were the people who were the most themselves onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/when-i-started-stand-up-the-people-i-admired-most-were-the-people-who/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [When I started stand-up, the first thing I did was to take an improv class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/when-i-started-stand-up-the-first-thing-i-did-was-to-take-an-improv/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [When I started out in stand-up, I was already used to speaking in front of people, how to project, control my voice - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaboukie-young-white/when-i-started-out-in-stand-up-i-was-already-used-to-speaking-in/) [Jaboukie Young-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaboukie-young-white/) > [When I started stand-up, it was really just to have a go at alpha males essentially, there was no plan and there never has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-just-to-have-a-go-at-alpha/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I started out in stand-up, so it's very satisfying to make people laugh, but it usually means at your own expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-winger/i-started-out-in-stand-up-so-it-s-very-satisfying-to-make-people/) [Debra Winger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-winger/) > [I started out being a stand up and writing my own material. That took me to Talk Soup, where I was writing and performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-tyler/i-started-out-being-a-stand-up-and-writing-my-own-material-that-took/) [Aisha Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-tyler/) > [Sometimes you watch comedians and feel like they're jerking off in front of you, but they want you to see how big it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/sometimes-you-watch-comedians-and-feel-like-they-re-jerking-off-in/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [Racial humor was about 35% of my act when I first started. But I realized that it was a crutch. What brought it home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/racial-humor-was-about-35-of-my-act-when-i-first-started-but-i/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [To my knowledge, I was the first guy really to do what I do. And then later on different comedians started trying doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/to-my-knowledge-i-was-the-first-guy-really-to-do-what-i-do-and-then/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [The only difference between a comedian and someone else? We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) ## More by Jenny Slate > [I think the reason I like making movies sometimes more than doing TV is that you have one task, you only have a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-think-the-reason-i-like-making-movies-sometimes-more-than-doing-tv/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [There was a while when I got really bad stage fright and I basically felt...I was incredibly angry. I felt like everything had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/there-was-a-while-when-i-got-really-bad-stage-fright-and-i-basically/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I'm not one to wallow, but I am one to feel the sting of a slap for a while, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-m-not-one-to-wallow-but-i-am-one-to-feel-the-sting-of-a-slap-for-a/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [You have to be really careful to watch out for the difference between banding together, and being grouped together by people who don't understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/you-have-to-be-really-careful-to-watch-out-for-the-difference-between/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I just want to be able to be creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-just-want-to-be-able-to-be-creative/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I don't like feeling hemmed in and I don't like feeling that I'm repeating myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-don-t-like-feeling-hemmed-in-and-i-don-t-like-feeling-that-i-m/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [Infidelity is not freedom. It's a momentary respite from stressors that are going to come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/infidelity-is-not-freedom-it-s-a-momentary-respite-from-stressors/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I guess some people want to be performers because they want to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-guess-some-people-want-to-be-performers-because-they-want-to-be/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I know that I don't like being teased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-know-that-i-don-t-like-being-teased/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I feel a lot of life in me and a lot of creative energy and I think it's better suited somewhere it can run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-feel-a-lot-of-life-in-me-and-a-lot-of-creative-energy-and-i-think/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [There are so many things I'd like to do. I'd really like to be in a period piece that takes place in old New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/there-are-so-many-things-i-d-like-to-do-i-d-really-like-to-be-in-a/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I don’t think men have time to be funny because they have to make all of our rules about what we can do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-don-t-think-men-have-time-to-be-funny-because-they-have-to-make-all/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [There are so many different stories. You can choose to tell them, or not, but they certainly have the right to exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/there-are-so-many-different-stories-you-can-choose-to-tell-them-or/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [If you make a careless choice, you can really ruin things and it can take awhile for them to repair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/if-you-make-a-careless-choice-you-can-really-ruin-things-and-it-can/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [I have no regrets. The best thing to happen to me was for Lorne Michaels to hire me and fire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-have-no-regrets-the-best-thing-to-happen-to-me-was-for-lorne/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) [Explore all 57 Jenny Slate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) ## More Comedian quotes > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I like to turn up my collar when I'm leaving the theatre and feel like I'm some heroic comedian figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-skinner/i-like-to-turn-up-my-collar-when-i-m-leaving-the-theatre-and-feel/) [Frank Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-skinner/) > [The only difference between a comedian and someone else? We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [When a soldier of the night's watch dies they say, "And now his watch is over." That's what they say when a comedian dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/when-a-soldier-of-the-night-s-watch-dies-they-say-and-now-his-watch/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. You know, you don't hear too much of that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/it-s-very-rare-that-an-older-comedian-sort-of-slips-into-an-old/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [I was a kid, and I would watch standup comics do the 'Tonight Show,' and if Johnny Carson liked you, he'd wave you over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-koy/i-was-a-kid-and-i-would-watch-standup-comics-do-the-tonight-show-and/) [Jo Koy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-koy/) > [Gary Greenberg is a thoughtful comedian and a cranky philosopher and a humble pest of a reporter, equal parts Woody Allen, Kierkegaard, and Columbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-lewis-kraus/gary-greenberg-is-a-thoughtful-comedian-and-a-cranky-philosopher-and/) [Gideon Lewis-Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-lewis-kraus/) > [For me, comedians are like the epitome for everything great, and they terrify me. I just want to be them. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [No matter what town we went to, if there was a comedian playing, I'd go watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/no-matter-what-town-we-went-to-if-there-was-a-comedian-playing-i-d-go/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [I'm a comedian who happens to be Latino. What's the difference? The difference is, my special will air on Comedy Central, not Telemundo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-a-comedian-who-happens-to-be-latino-what-s-the-difference-the/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) [Browse all 1,775 Comedian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jenny Slate" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-up-when-i-was-22/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-up-when-i-was-22/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/jenny-slate-11864_comedian_i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-u_1801389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.” — Jenny Slate", "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": "Jenny Slate", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a comedian and I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-up-when-i-was-22/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-up-when-i-was-22/#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 } } ] } ```