--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The toughest nights when I was a young…" description: "\"The toughest nights when I was a young, unknown comedian were opening for these real old-time Italian singers. I'm like Grace Jones to them. \"This guy ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/jerry-seinfeld-880_comedian_the-toughest-nights-when-i-was-a-young-u_1971187.jpg" --- # The toughest nights when I was a young, unknown comedian… ![“The toughest nights when I was a young, unknown comedian were opening for these real old-time Italian singers. I'm like Grace Jones to them. "This guy is nuts-talking about socks. Where's the wife jokes, where's the fat jokes?"” quote by Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/jerry-seinfeld-880_comedian_the-toughest-nights-when-i-was-a-young-u_1971187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/jerry-seinfeld-880_comedian_the-toughest-nights-when-i-was-a-young-u_1971187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/jerry-seinfeld-880_comedian_the-toughest-nights-when-i-was-a-young-u_1971187.jpg) > “The toughest nights when I was a young, unknown comedian were opening for these real old-time Italian singers. I'm like Grace Jones to them. "This guy is nuts-talking about socks. Where's the wife jokes, where's the fat jokes?"” [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career struggles involve performing for audiences who don't appreciate your style. **In simple terms:** New comedians often feel out of place. Key Takeaway Embrace your unique voice. Themes comedy career perseverance Mood humorous reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up - career beginnings - creative risk Key Concepts audience authentic resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true to your art? - What can you learn from tough crowds? A Different Perspective Not everyone will get your humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Fat jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fat-jokes/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Italian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italian/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [Yo Mama's so fat, she's the reason they invented double doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-s-so-fat-she-s-the-reason-they-invented-double-doors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama is so fat, when you leave a plate of your chicken bones on the floor, she scares off your dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-is-so-fat-when-you-leave-a-plate-of-your-chicken-bones-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo Mama's so fat the army uses her panties for a parachute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-s-so-fat-the-army-uses-her-panties-for-a-parachute/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo mama so fat she uses a mattress for a tampon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-so-fat-she-uses-a-mattress-for-a-tampon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama is so fat, when she walked, her legs reach from the U.S to Africa during each step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-is-so-fat-when-she-walked-her-legs-reach-from-the-u-s-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama's so fat that her belly button makes an echo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-s-so-fat-that-her-belly-button-makes-an-echo/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not big on fat jokes. That's a little beneath me. I'm not a huge fan of making a joke - and as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/i-m-not-big-on-fat-jokes-that-s-a-little-beneath-me-i-m-not-a-huge/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [Yo momma is so fat she sat on Walmart and lowered the prices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-momma-is-so-fat-she-sat-on-walmart-and-lowered-the-prices/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama is so fat and stupid,she got offensive when buzz lightyear said to Infiniti and beyond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-is-so-fat-and-stupid-she-got-offensive-when-buzz-lightyear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo mama is so fat, Bigfoot couldn't believe his eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-is-so-fat-bigfoot-couldn-t-believe-his-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the world gets you down, eat it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-world-gets-you-down-eat-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo mamas so fat the back of her neck looks like a package of hotdogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mamas-so-fat-the-back-of-her-neck-looks-like-a-package-of-hotdogs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are so fat NASA orbits satellites around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-so-fat-nasa-orbits-satellites-around-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama is so fat and dumb she walked to the traffic light, saw a sign that said No U Turn and she said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-is-so-fat-and-dumb-she-walked-to-the-traffic-light-saw-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yo Mama's so fat when she wore high heels she struck oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-s-so-fat-when-she-wore-high-heels-she-struck-oil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jerry Seinfeld > [“i chose not to run”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-chose-not-to-run/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [We’re all trying to get to the same island, whether you swim, fly, surf, or skydive in, it doesn’t matter. What matters is when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/we-re-all-trying-to-get-to-the-same-island-whether-you-swim-fly-surf/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I have a nice bookshelf in my office, but not my house. I'm crass, but not that crass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-a-nice-bookshelf-in-my-office-but-not-my-house-i-m-crass-but/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [There's no downside to fame and people who whine about it make me sick. It's the greatest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/there-s-no-downside-to-fame-and-people-who-whine-about-it-make-me/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [We're all trying to get to the same island — whether you swim, fly, surf, or skydive, it doesn't matter. What matters is when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/we-re-all-trying-to-get-to-the-same-island-whether-you-swim-fly-surf-2/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I was in the drug store the other day trying to get a cold medication...Not easy. There's an entire wall of products you need.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-was-in-the-drug-store-the-other-day-trying-to-get-a-cold-medication/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I went up to the camp and Paul had me eat my first oyster I had never had an oyster in my life. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-went-up-to-the-camp-and-paul-had-me-eat-my-first-oyster-i-had-never/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [Then, finally, the third year, begging the parents, I got the Superman Halloween costume. Cardboard box, self-made top, mask included. Remember the rubber band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/then-finally-the-third-year-begging-the-parents-i-got-the-superman/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [This is really a crazy idea, you know. It probably won't work, but that will be interesting, too. You have to motivate yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/this-is-really-a-crazy-idea-you-know-it-probably-won-t-work-but-that/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [If you get something right, you really feel it, right in your chest, on stage. I think it's an incomparable experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/if-you-get-something-right-you-really-feel-it-right-in-your-chest-on/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [People have an infinite attention span if you are entertaining them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/people-have-an-infinite-attention-span-if-you-are-entertaining-them/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [It's hard to do nothing because you tend to do something and then you have to drop everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/it-s-hard-to-do-nothing-because-you-tend-to-do-something-and-then-you/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [A really hard laugh is like sex-one of the ultimate diversions of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/a-really-hard-laugh-is-like-sex-one-of-the-ultimate-diversions-of/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [There are many things you can point to as proof that the human is not smart. But my personal favorite would have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/there-are-many-things-you-can-point-to-as-proof-that-the-human-is-not/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [You know what I never get with the limo? The tinted windows. Is that so people don't see you? Yeah, what a better way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/you-know-what-i-never-get-with-the-limo-the-tinted-windows-is-that-so/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) [Explore all 342 Jerry Seinfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) ## 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. 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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": "The toughest nights when I was a young, unknown comedian were opening for these real old-time Italian singers. I'm like Grace Jones to them. \"This guy is nuts-talking about socks. 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