--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On 'The Soup,' we were never a political…" description: "\"On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show.\" — Joel McHale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png" --- # On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show. ![“On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show.” quote by Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png) > “On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show.” [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The program never aimed to be political, focusing on humor instead. **In simple terms:** The Soup was a comedy, not a political show. Key Takeaway Recognize the intended genre of media. Themes media genre humor Mood lighthearted informative Type media entertainment When to use this quote - comedy writing - broadcast analysis - audience expectations Key Concepts television studies entertainment Questions to Reflect On - How does humor influence political awareness? - Should comedy stay apolitical? A Different Perspective Avoiding politics can limit critical discourse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show/) [Soup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soup/) [Soup Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soup-political-4034663/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) ## Related quotes > [My intention with The Soup was to hopefully follow in the footsteps of past hosts, like Greg Kinnear. The pedigree of that show was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/my-intention-with-the-soup-was-to-hopefully-follow-in-the-footsteps/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [When I started 'The Soup' back in 2004, I was so anxious because I can't really read, and I had to read teleprompter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/when-i-started-the-soup-back-in-2004-i-was-so-anxious-because-i-can-t/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I never set out to make a movie that was everything to everybody; if that were the case, we could all just take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-carruth/i-never-set-out-to-make-a-movie-that-was-everything-to-everybody-if/) [Shane Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-carruth/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > ['L.A. Law' has been a bit of a blessing and a curse. First of all, it was a very prestigious show that had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/l-a-law-has-been-a-bit-of-a-blessing-and-a-curse-first-of-all-it-was/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [Audiences want great story telling; it's why white people watch my show 'Black in America.' It's why black people watch 'Latina in America.' All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/audiences-want-great-story-telling-it-s-why-white-people-watch-my/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [The Bushes were certainly part of Texas in their mind, but they didn't have the kind of political flavor that you normally find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-bushes-were-certainly-part-of-texas-in-their-mind-but-they-didn-t/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Homer, Hesiod, Pythagoras, Plato, and Cicero, just to name a few, all lived in pagan societies. Some of the greatest political and military leaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/homer-hesiod-pythagoras-plato-and-cicero-just-to-name-a-few-all-lived/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) > [Many of us believe that we need health care reform. That being said - Americans felt like they weren't being listened to. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-us-believe-that-we-need-health-care-reform-that-being-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To me, looking glamorous on screen has never been about skin show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raveena-tandon/to-me-looking-glamorous-on-screen-has-never-been-about-skin-show/) [Raveena Tandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raveena-tandon/) > [We never thought the show would last this long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shanks/we-never-thought-the-show-would-last-this-long/) [Michael Shanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shanks/) > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [Never in a million years would I imagine Calvin Klein flying me out to my first men's fashion show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dallas/never-in-a-million-years-would-i-imagine-calvin-klein-flying-me-out/) [Cameron Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dallas/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) ## More by Joel McHale > [I don't think the NFL had the slightest intention of taking me, except as maybe a water boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-don-t-think-the-nfl-had-the-slightest-intention-of-taking-me-except/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I love the challenge of an entire year has gone by and how has that affected the character you're playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-love-the-challenge-of-an-entire-year-has-gone-by-and-how-has-that/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [ Well, that would be a title \[the busiest guy in Hollywood\] still reserved for Ryan Seacrest. I have one assistant; he has about nine.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/well-that-would-be-a-title-the-busiest-guy-in-hollywood-still/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [My goal and my career is definitely not to be famous. That's a really horrible goal, just to be famous for the sake of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/my-goal-and-my-career-is-definitely-not-to-be-famous-that-s-a-really/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I'm very happy and being raised Catholic I assume it will end tomorrow. The rug will be pulled out from under me and someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-m-very-happy-and-being-raised-catholic-i-assume-it-will-end/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I don't feel any pressure to joke about #MeToo - in fact, I'd say you shouldn't, because it's a great movement that is exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-don-t-feel-any-pressure-to-joke-about-metoo-in-fact-i-d-say-you/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [People might say it came easy for me. The fact is, I've worked hard on every role. I prepare for each audition...take the script,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/people-might-say-it-came-easy-for-me-the-fact-is-i-ve-worked-hard-on/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > ['Almost Live' allowed me to take chances and try things you can't do on national television. It allowed me to screw up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/almost-live-allowed-me-to-take-chances-and-try-things-you-can-t-do-on/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I was serious about Ultimate Fighting Championship. And I'm not even ashamed to say it because I want free tickets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-was-serious-about-ultimate-fighting-championship-and-i-m-not-even/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I don't really know. I think the first test is when you're very little and you fart, and you laugh at it and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-don-t-really-know-i-think-the-first-test-is-when-you-re-very-little/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [It's an awesome thing to be flung out onto the stage twice a weekend in front of 250 people, and you have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/it-s-an-awesome-thing-to-be-flung-out-onto-the-stage-twice-a-weekend/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I think the smart people will get even smarter, and the dumb people will get even dumber. But I think they all will enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-think-the-smart-people-will-get-even-smarter-and-the-dumb-people/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I love making fun of YouTubers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-love-making-fun-of-youtubers/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [Our mantra is that 90 percent of all television is bad, and ten percent has never been better. We make fun of that 90 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/our-mantra-is-that-90-percent-of-all-television-is-bad-and-ten/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I loved New Jersey. I thought it was the greatest place in the world because on Halloween kids could start trick or treating right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-loved-new-jersey-i-thought-it-was-the-greatest-place-in-the-world/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) [Explore all 82 Joel McHale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) ## More Never quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [I met Rajini sir after 'Jigarthanda,' and he said he liked my film. He told me I could approach him whenever I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthik-subbaraj/i-met-rajini-sir-after-jigarthanda-and-he-said-he-liked-my-film-he/) [Karthik Subbaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthik-subbaraj/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [Never in a million years would I imagine Calvin Klein flying me out to my first men's fashion show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dallas/never-in-a-million-years-would-i-imagine-calvin-klein-flying-me-out/) [Cameron Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dallas/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [I never wanted System to take a hiatus. I think it was a disastrous move for us, because we never reached our peak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-never-wanted-system-to-take-a-hiatus-i-think-it-was-a-disastrous/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) [Browse all 25,855 Never quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel McHale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-show/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Never" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-show/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/joel-mchale-8254_never_on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-sh_2887149.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On 'The Soup,' we were never a political show.” — Joel McHale", "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": "Joel McHale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On 'The Soup,' we were never...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-show/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/on-the-soup-we-were-never-a-political-show/#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 } } ] } ```