--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think being successful in comedy is…" description: "\"I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.\" — Jimmy Carr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg" --- # I think being successful in comedy is being funny and… ![“I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.” quote by Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg) > “I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.” [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy success starts with humor; extra elements are bonuses, not necessities. **In simple terms:** Humor is core. Key Takeaway Master the basics first. Themes humor craft excellence Mood witty lighthearted Type entertainment motivational When to use this quote - writing jokes - stage presence - media appearances Key Concepts comedy performance Questions to Reflect On - What is your comedic “icing”? - How do you balance basics and extras? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on basics may limit innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-funny/) [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Icing on the cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icing-on-the-cake/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [All I care about is making jokes that are funny and making people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/all-i-care-about-is-making-jokes-that-are-funny-and-making-people/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I've always liked being funny and making people laugh. I was a cut-up when I was a kid and was always doing bits for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/i-ve-always-liked-being-funny-and-making-people-laugh-i-was-a-cut-up-2/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [I've always liked being funny and making people laugh. I was a cut-up when I was a kid, and was always doing bits for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/i-ve-always-liked-being-funny-and-making-people-laugh-i-was-a-cut-up/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [I wanted to see how funny I could be without making the choice that every 10 minutes something big and visual had to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-wanted-to-see-how-funny-i-could-be-without-making-the-choice-that/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [There's nothing that beats proving you're funny by making a funny thing, and right now there are huge outlets for that, with You Tube…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-nothing-that-beats-proving-you-re-funny-by-making-a-funny/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I'm not as serious of a person as people make me out to be. Most people would think that I would be less successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/i-m-not-as-serious-of-a-person-as-people-make-me-out-to-be-most/) T.I > [I can't imagine a successful comedy movie without a successful comedy performance at the heart of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-can-t-imagine-a-successful-comedy-movie-without-a-successful-comedy/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Nobody's ever challenged me and tapped into what I can do. I ain't played a villain which I believe I can do and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lawrence/nobody-s-ever-challenged-me-and-tapped-into-what-i-can-do-i-ain-t/) [Martin Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lawrence/) > [I've a track record of successful comedy films spread over more than a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/govinda/i-ve-a-track-record-of-successful-comedy-films-spread-over-more-than/) [Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/govinda/) > [At this point in my life Ive done a lot of things from stand-up to my own television show for five years to successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lawrence/at-this-point-in-my-life-ive-done-a-lot-of-things-from-stand-up-to-my/) [Martin Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lawrence/) > [When 'Derry Girls' went out in 2018, it quickly became Channel 4's most successful comedy in 13 years, proving what I'd long suspected: that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/when-derry-girls-went-out-in-2018-it-quickly-became-channel-4-s-most/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [People used to make fun of alternative comedy because sometimes it would be someone being funny, and sometimes it was a crazy man with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/people-used-to-make-fun-of-alternative-comedy-because-sometimes-it/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [There's something about comedy, funny things, that people want to pass them along. Serious things and personal things are much more privately enjoyed. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coulton/there-s-something-about-comedy-funny-things-that-people-want-to-pass/) [Jonathan Coulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coulton/) > [If you look up the definition of stand-up comedy, it's funny on purpose. A little bit of pressure there. It's basically acting. You're telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/if-you-look-up-the-definition-of-stand-up-comedy-it-s-funny-on/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [Comedy is not funny. Comedy is hard work and timing and lots and lots of rehearsals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/comedy-is-not-funny-comedy-is-hard-work-and-timing-and-lots-and-lots/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) ## More by Jimmy Carr > [I'm not being condescending, I'm too busy thinking about far more important things you wouldn't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-m-not-being-condescending-i-m-too-busy-thinking-about-far-more/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [There's things that I couldn't joke about but other people could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/there-s-things-that-i-couldn-t-joke-about-but-other-people-could/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [Staying in luxury hotels still gives me a kick, especially Oulton Hall in Yorkshire. I'd stay in a hotel for the breakfast and room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/staying-in-luxury-hotels-still-gives-me-a-kick-especially-oulton-hall/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I worry about my nan. If she's alone and falls, does she make a noise? I'm joking, she's dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-worry-about-my-nan-if-she-s-alone-and-falls-does-she-make-a-noise-i/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [My dad's dying wish was to have his family around him. I can't help thinking he would have been better off with more oxygen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/my-dad-s-dying-wish-was-to-have-his-family-around-him-i-can-t-help/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I don't think young people should have bottoms, they're too young for that sort of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-don-t-think-young-people-should-have-bottoms-they-re-too-young-for/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [“When I travel, I get lovesick. Well, they call it chlamydia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/when-i-travel-i-get-lovesick-well-they-call-it-chlamydia/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I don't see myself as offending people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-don-t-see-myself-as-offending-people/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [TV's not the same buzz. If someone tells you three million people watched the show last week, that's good but, when you walk out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/tv-s-not-the-same-buzz-if-someone-tells-you-three-million-people/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [Even if you're doing the national insurance awards, there's still that excitement when you wonder who is going to win, er, best premiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/even-if-you-re-doing-the-national-insurance-awards-there-s-still-that/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [More people are going out to comedy shows than they were before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/more-people-are-going-out-to-comedy-shows-than-they-were-before/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I was in love with the idea of being in love with a woman way before I was actually in love with one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-was-in-love-with-the-idea-of-being-in-love-with-a-woman-way-before/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [No matter how much you give a homeless person for tea... you never get that tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/no-matter-how-much-you-give-a-homeless-person-for-tea-you-never-get/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [When you eat a lot of spicy food, you can lose your taste. When I was in India last summer, I was listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/when-you-eat-a-lot-of-spicy-food-you-can-lose-your-taste-when-i-was/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [I do realise that when I laugh, it sounds like a seal is being molested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-do-realise-that-when-i-laugh-it-sounds-like-a-seal-is-being-molested/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) [Explore all 100 Jimmy Carr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) ## More Being funny quotes > [Being funny is one of my greatest strengths. I can make girls smile when they're down, and when they're having a good time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/being-funny-is-one-of-my-greatest-strengths-i-can-make-girls-smile/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I direct with energy. I believe in energy. I think energy is an electric thing in actors. I try to inspire, encourage, and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/i-direct-with-energy-i-believe-in-energy-i-think-energy-is-an/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [I think my way of being "funny" is just saying things that people think but have learned not to say, whereas, I haven't learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-chang/i-think-my-way-of-being-funny-is-just-saying-things-that-people-think/) [Victoria Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-chang/) > [I guess I'm pleased and proud of the respect of my peers, and that when I disappear from the scene or from this earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/i-guess-i-m-pleased-and-proud-of-the-respect-of-my-peers-and-that/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [I like to have fun, but I don't think of myself as being funny. But I'm a big jokester, so I make fun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/i-like-to-have-fun-but-i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-being-funny-but-i-m/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [If you don't follow the stock market, you are missing some amazing drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/if-you-don-t-follow-the-stock-market-you-are-missing-some-amazing/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [For my first gig, I got $75. I could make money being funny, so I pursued it as a career and have turned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/for-my-first-gig-i-got-75-i-could-make-money-being-funny-so-i-pursued/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [You know, I love airplane food. I'm not being funny; I'm not being ironic. It reminds me of being 12 years old and putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/you-know-i-love-airplane-food-i-m-not-being-funny-i-m-not-being/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [I was the troublemaker, always being funny - that's just who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smalls/i-was-the-troublemaker-always-being-funny-that-s-just-who-i-am/) [Joan Smalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-smalls/) > [Thing is, I'm a funny actor, but I'm not good at being funny. I'm going to ramble for a second: I'm an actor who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/thing-is-i-m-a-funny-actor-but-i-m-not-good-at-being-funny-i-m-going/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [On 'The Simpsons,' I will say that we definitely like to comment on what's going on in the world, and we try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/on-the-simpsons-i-will-say-that-we-definitely-like-to-comment-on-what/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [He's never portrayed as being funny. He was a very funny, happy, lively person. Fun to be around and exciting. He was my hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hemingway/he-s-never-portrayed-as-being-funny-he-was-a-very-funny-happy-lively/) [Jack Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hemingway/) > [People used to make fun of alternative comedy because sometimes it would be someone being funny, and sometimes it was a crazy man with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/people-used-to-make-fun-of-alternative-comedy-because-sometimes-it/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [One second here and there will make all the difference between something being funny and not being funny. That's why I like going, 'Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/one-second-here-and-there-will-make-all-the-difference-between/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) [Browse all 218 Being funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on the cake.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy Carr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-being-funny-and-making-jokes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-being-funny-and-making-jokes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/jimmy-carr-6018_being-funny_i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-be_2026131.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think being successful in comedy is being funny and making jokes - anything beyond that is the icing on…” — Jimmy Carr", "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": "Jimmy Carr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think being successful in comedy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-being-funny-and-making-jokes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-think-being-successful-in-comedy-is-being-funny-and-making-jokes/#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 } } ] } ```