--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started stand-up, it was really…" description: "\"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 been really.\" — Joe Lycett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg" --- # When I started stand-up, it was really just to have a go… ![“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 been really.” quote by Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg) > “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 been really.” [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He began comedy to challenge dominant masculine norms without a clear plan, embracing spontaneity. **In simple terms:** Comedy started as a critique of alpha males. Key Takeaway Question gender norms. Themes gender social critique spontaneity Mood playful provocative Type personal social When to use this quote - stand‑up - social commentary - personal growth Key Concepts masculinity performance art Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to challenge norms? - How does improvisation shape your message? A Different Perspective Lack of direction can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alpha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alpha/) [Alpha Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alpha-males-1344500/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Just Alpha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-alpha-5443497/) [Males Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males-essentially-5443498/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plan/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-stand-2033516/) ## Related quotes > [“Where were the Kristen Ashley alpha males? I wanted one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-ulen-curtis/where-were-the-kristen-ashley-alpha-males-i-wanted-one/) [Laurel Ulen Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-ulen-curtis/) > [I have this theory that alpha males are actually not alpha males. They're actually very scared - particularly scared of competition from a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/i-have-this-theory-that-alpha-males-are-actually-not-alpha-males-they/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [If I could sum up 'Shadow's Claim' in six words: cage fights with hot alpha males. Seriously, though, while the fights are the backdrop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/if-i-could-sum-up-shadow-s-claim-in-six-words-cage-fights-with-hot/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I remember as a young man seeing these bigger-than-life, strong images of black manhood in the form of Jim Brown and Fred Williamson, Jim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/i-remember-as-a-young-man-seeing-these-bigger-than-life-strong-images/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I love alpha males.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/i-love-alpha-males/) [Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/) > [I think beta males on an evolutionary basis are much more successful than the alpha males are. You don't hear much about us, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-think-beta-males-on-an-evolutionary-basis-are-much-more-successful/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Newsrooms are still highly competitive, demanding environments. You have to be robust to hold your own amidst the alpha males and females.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-nightingale/newsrooms-are-still-highly-competitive-demanding-environments-you/) [Mary Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-nightingale/) > [It's never occurred to me - and I don't know what right mixture of upbringing this was - that my opinion wasn't as important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iliza-shlesinger/it-s-never-occurred-to-me-and-i-don-t-know-what-right-mixture-of/) [Iliza Shlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iliza-shlesinger/) > [When you think about little league football, high school, and even on to college even more so, you're dealing with a lot of guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/when-you-think-about-little-league-football-high-school-and-even-on/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [...the most common cause of death among alpha males was ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/the-most-common-cause-of-death-among-alpha-males-was-ego/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [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/) > [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, 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/) > [I am a comedian and I started in stand-up when I was 22.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-am-a-comedian-and-i-started-in-stand-up-when-i-was-22/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [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/) ## More by Joe Lycett > [I love painting. I love writing. I love creating and being around people who are creating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-love-painting-i-love-writing-i-love-creating-and-being-around/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I think it's something to do with the nurturing side of the psyche; tying up a sunflower or whatever and helping it grow, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-think-it-s-something-to-do-with-the-nurturing-side-of-the-psyche/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I love 'Pointless.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-love-pointless/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I buy flowers for myself all the time. I'm comedy's Elton John.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-buy-flowers-for-myself-all-the-time-i-m-comedy-s-elton-john/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Life is hard. There's parking fines, PPI, the Kardashians - it's a marvel any of us manage to get out of bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/life-is-hard-there-s-parking-fines-ppi-the-kardashians-it-s-a-marvel/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [You should always ask for a refund at the theatre, apart from my shows, of course, where I won't be handing out any refunds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/you-should-always-ask-for-a-refund-at-the-theatre-apart-from-my-shows/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Even though I now eat meat, I have halloumi every day - even at breakfast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/even-though-i-now-eat-meat-i-have-halloumi-every-day-even-at-breakfast/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I did a tweet about LGBTQ+ and someone was saying 'what's the + and what's the Q?' and some people would be like 'you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-did-a-tweet-about-lgbtq-and-someone-was-saying-what-s-the-and-what/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I'm good at throwing fabric on myself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-m-good-at-throwing-fabric-on-myself/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I don't have too much of a grand plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-don-t-have-too-much-of-a-grand-plan/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I keep getting mobbed in M&S and Debenhams. I feel like Barry Manilow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-keep-getting-mobbed-in-m-s-and-debenhams-i-feel-like-barry-manilow/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I nearly got hit by a car while I was trying to write a stupid joke but a female sheep stood in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-nearly-got-hit-by-a-car-while-i-was-trying-to-write-a-stupid-joke/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [I'm not that sort of writer where I can restrict myself to a theme, just in case nothing good comes of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-m-not-that-sort-of-writer-where-i-can-restrict-myself-to-a-theme/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Alan Carr is an out and proud gay man but there isn't a famous bisexual equivalent - it's a lot rarer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/alan-carr-is-an-out-and-proud-gay-man-but-there-isn-t-a-famous/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Best place I've visited is probably Tanzania when I was younger and I'd love to go to America as I haven't been to loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/best-place-i-ve-visited-is-probably-tanzania-when-i-was-younger-and-i/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) [Explore all 88 Joe Lycett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) ## More Alpha quotes > [Shut up, Jacob. Oops, Im sorry I mean, shut up, most high Alpha. -Leah Clearwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn/shut-up-jacob-oops-im-sorry-i-mean-shut-up-most-high-alpha-leah/) [The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn/) > [One glance and I knew exactly who and what he was. The classic alpha male, the kind who had spurred evolution forward about five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/one-glance-and-i-knew-exactly-who-and-what-he-was-the-classic-alpha/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“The alpha male must not be a wife beta.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdal-hakim-murad/the-alpha-male-must-not-be-a-wife-beta/) [Abdal Hakim Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdal-hakim-murad/) > [“Alpha bitches are all the same underneath. Don't know how to give an inch even if their damn fool lives depend on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-rogers/alpha-bitches-are-all-the-same-underneath-don-t-know-how-to-give-an/) [Moira Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-rogers/) > [“I want everyone to get plenty of rest tonight, because tomorrow, we make plans to bury the new council chair. And don't worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/i-want-everyone-to-get-plenty-of-rest-tonight-because-tomorrow-we/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Um, Faythe?” Marc reached for my arm, and a small grin turned up one corner of his beautiful mouth. “As my first official piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/um-faythe-marc-reached-for-my-arm-and-a-small-grin-turned-up-one/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“Where were the Kristen Ashley alpha males? I wanted one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-ulen-curtis/where-were-the-kristen-ashley-alpha-males-i-wanted-one/) [Laurel Ulen Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-ulen-curtis/) > [James is a domineering alpha male which is why I'm so attracted to him and why I sometimes hate him. And I'm a mouthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-madeley/james-is-a-domineering-alpha-male-which-is-why-i-m-so-attracted-to/) [Chloe Madeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-madeley/) > [...the most common cause of death among alpha males was ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/the-most-common-cause-of-death-among-alpha-males-was-ego/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [“I could feel his whole body trying to claim me, want me, own me in lust, and it made me feel so valuable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-thrust/i-could-feel-his-whole-body-trying-to-claim-me-want-me-own-me-in-lust/) [Fiona Thrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-thrust/) > [“Wow. You guys are like a broken record. Don't you ever get tired of the whole 'knock 'em our and drag 'em back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/wow-you-guys-are-like-a-broken-record-don-t-you-ever-get-tired-of-the/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [When you think about little league football, high school, and even on to college even more so, you're dealing with a lot of guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/when-you-think-about-little-league-football-high-school-and-even-on/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [“ Alpha can refer to the first of something," said Kai, "or the beginning of everything . It can be attributed to a particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/alpha-can-refer-to-the-first-of-something-said-kai-or-the-beginning/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [I'm the kid in school who always, you know, got the straight A's. I got to be that, you know, alpha aggressive work-ethic guy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/i-m-the-kid-in-school-who-always-you-know-got-the-straight-a-s-i-got/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [“He froze, becoming stone still. As the hover climbed the hill to the palace, his shoulders sank, and he returned his gaze to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-froze-becoming-stone-still-as-the-hover-climbed-the-hill-to-the/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) [Browse all 196 Alpha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alpha/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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 been really.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Lycett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-just-to-have-a-go-at-alpha/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alpha" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-just-to-have-a-go-at-alpha/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/joe-lycett-7749_alpha_when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-ju_1489626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I started stand-up, it was really just to have a go at alpha males essentially, there was no plan and…” — Joe Lycett", "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": "Joe Lycett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I started stand-up, it was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-just-to-have-a-go-at-alpha/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/when-i-started-stand-up-it-was-really-just-to-have-a-go-at-alpha/#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 } } ] } ```