--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I become involved with things that speak…" description: "\"I become involved with things that speak to me and move me and make me laugh and frighten me.\" — Joe Mantello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg" --- # I become involved with things that speak to me and move me… ![“I become involved with things that speak to me and move me and make me laugh and frighten me.” quote by Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg) > “I become involved with things that speak to me and move me and make me laugh and frighten me.” [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Engage with work that resonates emotionally, provoking both joy and fear. **In simple terms:** Seek art that moves you. Key Takeaway Pursue emotionally resonant experiences. Themes art emotion inspiration fear humor Mood thoughtful inspirational Type creative reflective When to use this quote - theatre - visual art - music - literature - film Key Concepts aesthetic response personal growth creative risk Questions to Reflect On - What art has made you laugh and fear? - How do you balance humor and dread? A Different Perspective Not all resonant work is accessible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Frighten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frighten/) [Involved Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved-things-433761/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh Frighten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-frighten-2426454/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-laugh/) [Make me laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-me-laugh/) [Move](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Things Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-speak-692635/) ## Related quotes > [The men who cannot laugh at themselves frighten me even more than those who laugh at everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-perry/the-men-who-cannot-laugh-at-themselves-frighten-me-even-more-than/) [Anne Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-perry/) > [You know what make me laugh? Good, clean, honest humor. Not-trying-to-be-funny humor. Like Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell got that kind of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/you-know-what-make-me-laugh-good-clean-honest-humor-not-trying-to-be/) [Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/) > [For me, the most attractive thing in a man is the ability to make me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-king/for-me-the-most-attractive-thing-in-a-man-is-the-ability-to-make-me/) [Mollie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-king/) > [When I was in my late teens, I discovered 'Fawlty Towers' and 'Monty Python,' and they still make me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-evans/when-i-was-in-my-late-teens-i-discovered-fawlty-towers-and-monty/) [Shaun Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-evans/) > [Believe it or not, I make myself laugh. Sometimes when I have thoughts or say some things that are funny, it just makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/believe-it-or-not-i-make-myself-laugh-sometimes-when-i-have-thoughts/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [There's something about a Christmas sweater that will always make me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/there-s-something-about-a-christmas-sweater-that-will-always-make-me/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [The funniest guy I've ever worked with - it's just one of those things, again, where we look at each other and just laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-banks/the-funniest-guy-i-ve-ever-worked-with-it-s-just-one-of-those-things/) [Jonathan Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-banks/) > [You know, honestly, if a girl can make me laugh, I'm pretty much sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lochte/you-know-honestly-if-a-girl-can-make-me-laugh-i-m-pretty-much-sold/) [Ryan Lochte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lochte/) > [When I play a game, I want to play, not necessarily laugh. If you try to make me laugh at the expense of interactivity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/when-i-play-a-game-i-want-to-play-not-necessarily-laugh-if-you-try-to/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [I love men who make me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/i-love-men-who-make-me-laugh/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) > [I don't think there's anything Craig Ferguson could say that would make me laugh. Ad-libbing is not the same as entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kindler/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-craig-ferguson-could-say-that-would/) [Andy Kindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kindler/) > [I'd go mad if I didn't have things to make me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-rose/i-d-go-mad-if-i-didn-t-have-things-to-make-me-laugh/) [Stuart Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-rose/) > [The things that make me laugh are considered smart or whatever, I guess. But stuff that's self-consciously intelligent or self-consciously hip or cool, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/the-things-that-make-me-laugh-are-considered-smart-or-whatever-i/) [Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/) > [I like to be around people who make me laugh. It's one of my favorite things on a set. I hate it when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/i-like-to-be-around-people-who-make-me-laugh-it-s-one-of-my-favorite/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [I try to write the books I would love to come upon that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-try-to-write-the-books-i-would-love-to-come-upon-that-are-honest/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by Joe Mantello > [My preference is for people who come to rehearsal and get into the ring. I like a muscular actor who's playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-preference-is-for-people-who-come-to-rehearsal-and-get-into-the/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [If I hadn't gone into the theater, I would be a painter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/if-i-hadn-t-gone-into-the-theater-i-would-be-a-painter/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I don't believe really good plays - interesting plays, complicated plays - can mean just one thing to every single person in the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-don-t-believe-really-good-plays-interesting-plays-complicated-plays/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I have a concentrated period of work for about five months, and then I take a bunch of time off. That's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-have-a-concentrated-period-of-work-for-about-five-months-and-then-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [In 'The Humans,' there's a gay character, and the fact that she's gay is probably the least interesting thing about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/in-the-humans-there-s-a-gay-character-and-the-fact-that-she-s-gay-is/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Alison Pill is the unsung hero of 'Three Tall Women' to me. She's extraordinary in this part, and she makes it look easy. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/alison-pill-is-the-unsung-hero-of-three-tall-women-to-me-she-s/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [But there is a process that happens when you're making something, be it a musical or a new play. That process takes time, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/but-there-is-a-process-that-happens-when-you-re-making-something-be/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I tend to go toward things that make me afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-tend-to-go-toward-things-that-make-me-afraid/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I do not resent Sarah Jessica Parker. We've been friends for decades. I just do not like what 'Sex and the City' did to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-do-not-resent-sarah-jessica-parker-we-ve-been-friends-for-decades-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Jayne Houdyshell and I - when I was 17 years old - did summer stock together at the Timber Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/jayne-houdyshell-and-i-when-i-was-17-years-old-did-summer-stock/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I think, as written, 'Assassins' simply acknowledges the very human need to be acknowledged. As director, I've got to put aside any particular biases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-think-as-written-assassins-simply-acknowledges-the-very-human-need/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [There are plenty of other actors who are wonderful that just don't work in a way that I work, or our methods aren't necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/there-are-plenty-of-other-actors-who-are-wonderful-that-just-don-t/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [I have a responsibility to diversity onstage, but one of the things I've heard about our production of 'Boys' is that it's a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-have-a-responsibility-to-diversity-onstage-but-one-of-the-things-i/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [Is it perfect? Absolutely not! But there was an audience for 'Wicked,' and our producers were smart enough to reach that audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/is-it-perfect-absolutely-not-but-there-was-an-audience-for-wicked-and/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [My first real job as a director was working with Robbie Baitz on his play 'Three Hotels.' It was an incredible collaboration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-first-real-job-as-a-director-was-working-with-robbie-baitz-on-his/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) [Explore all 45 Joe Mantello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) ## More Frighten quotes > [“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-they-don-t-realize-is-this-yes-they-frighten-me-but-i-have/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I can't help it when people are frightened," says Merricat. "I always want to frighten them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-can-t-help-it-when-people-are-frightened-says-merricat-i-always/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [Of all the things in life that could frighten you, you worry about my driving?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-marie/of-all-the-things-in-life-that-could-frighten-you-you-worry-about-my/) [Megan Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-marie/) > [“If we knew we could carry our memories to wherever we go next, then there would be nothing to fear. It's just the thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-knew-we-could-carry-our-memories-to-wherever-we-go-next-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If my accomplishments frighten someone, it's nothing to do with me - that's to do with them. But the men who are in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/if-my-accomplishments-frighten-someone-it-s-nothing-to-do-with-me/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [“Rumors to frighten honest men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-blade/rumors-to-frighten-honest-men/) [Adam Blade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-blade/) > [I’ve given pure sex appeal very little thought. If I had to think about it I’m sure it would frighten me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-ve-given-pure-sex-appeal-very-little-thought-if-i-had-to-think/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“I think somebody deliberately wanted to frighten her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-think-somebody-deliberately-wanted-to-frighten-her/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Not stories told by wolf or man to frighten children, of Wolfbane and of werewolves, of grasht and goblins and of silly vampires, fables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-clement-davies/not-stories-told-by-wolf-or-man-to-frighten-children-of-wolfbane-and/) [David Clement-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-clement-davies/) > [“I am not afraid of death, which after all can't be far away. What does frighten me, though, is the halfway stage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-thomas/i-am-not-afraid-of-death-which-after-all-can-t-be-far-away-what-does/) [Rosie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-thomas/) > [As a man grows older it is harder and harder to frighten him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/as-a-man-grows-older-it-is-harder-and-harder-to-frighten-him/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [“She had a murderer to find, and an island to frighten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/she-had-a-murderer-to-find-and-an-island-to-frighten/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“What should be standing in the shoes of passion, and be walking on the plans of action is sitting in the ink on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/what-should-be-standing-in-the-shoes-of-passion-and-be-walking-on-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but by God, they frighten me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-what-effect-these-men-will-have-upon-the-enemy-but-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You may fear what you see, you may be frighten of what you saw, but what you think you may have seen will haunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-ernest-kallendrine/you-may-fear-what-you-see-you-may-be-frighten-of-what-you-saw-but/) [J Ernest Kallendrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-ernest-kallendrine/) [Browse all 158 Frighten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frighten/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I become involved with things that speak to me and move me and make me laugh and frighten me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Mantello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak-to-me-and-move-me-and-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Frighten" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak-to-me-and-move-me-and-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/joe-mantello-14720_frighten_i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak_2660806.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I become involved with things that speak to me and move me and make me laugh and frighten me.” — Joe Mantello", "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 Mantello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I become involved with things that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak-to-me-and-move-me-and-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/i-become-involved-with-things-that-speak-to-me-and-move-me-and-make/#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 } } ] } ```