--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fun thing about journalism is if you…" description: "\"The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story about something, you can now ask three intelligent questions about it. Or say three intelligent ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg" --- # The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story… ![“The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story about something, you can now ask three intelligent questions about it. Or say three intelligent things. And that gets people talking.” quote by Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg) > “The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story about something, you can now ask three intelligent questions about it. Or say three intelligent things. And that gets people talking.” [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Journalism thrives on curiosity; asking or stating insightful points sparks dialogue and engagement. **In simple terms:** Good questions spark conversation. Key Takeaway Ask and share thoughtful insights. Themes communication media curiosity Mood inquisitive energetic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - news reporting - interviews - public speaking Key Concepts journalism critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What question would deepen your understanding of a story? - How can you balance insight with brevity? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can hinder spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Fun things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun-things/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [A researcher has to be able to identify key points and suggest intelligent questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/a-researcher-has-to-be-able-to-identify-key-points-and-suggest/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [There exist a lot of questions that the fools can ask, and the intelligent cannot answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/there-exist-a-lot-of-questions-that-the-fools-can-ask-and-the/) [George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/) > [“Do not ask intelligent rich people what car they driver, but what books they read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/do-not-ask-intelligent-rich-people-what-car-they-driver-but-what/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [I'd like to make a fundamental impact on one of the most exciting, intelligent questions of all time. Can we use software and hardware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/i-d-like-to-make-a-fundamental-impact-on-one-of-the-most-exciting/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [My favorite thing is still journalism. I'm almost 50. This has been my life ever since I was in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/my-favorite-thing-is-still-journalism-i-m-almost-50-this-has-been-my/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [I think the most important thing journalism taught me is to mine for details. The details are key. You can't try to be funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/i-think-the-most-important-thing-journalism-taught-me-is-to-mine-for/) [Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/) > [Speaking to the subject is the most overrated thing in journalism,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/speaking-to-the-subject-is-the-most-overrated-thing-in-journalism/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The only thing which can keep journalism alive - journalism, which is born of the moment, serves the moment, and, as a rule, dies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-augusta-ward/the-only-thing-which-can-keep-journalism-alive-journalism-which-is/) [Mary Augusta Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-augusta-ward/) > [As journalism dies, I kind of feel like I want some skills besides writing. I'd like to be able to write movies or host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/as-journalism-dies-i-kind-of-feel-like-i-want-some-skills-besides/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [People should be conscious of the large contribution made by anything that gets people together easily in the reduction of loneliness and emotional well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/people-should-be-conscious-of-the-large-contribution-made-by-anything/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [We're not the first people to climb up something or do a backflip during a set, but we want to do something that gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-joseph/we-re-not-the-first-people-to-climb-up-something-or-do-a-backflip/) [Tyler Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-joseph/) > [ I think anything that gets people outside \[is good\] - I'm a big supporter of public parks and public spaces. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/i-think-anything-that-gets-people-outside-is-good-i-m-a-big-supporter/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [Jurgen Klopp is Shankly reincarnated in a German body, because he gets the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-grobbelaar/jurgen-klopp-is-shankly-reincarnated-in-a-german-body-because-he-gets/) [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-grobbelaar/) > [Either a good or a bad reputation outruns and gets before people wherever they go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/either-a-good-or-a-bad-reputation-outruns-and-gets-before-people/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Indian country is small, word gets around about how people conduct themselves when they come into your community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/indian-country-is-small-word-gets-around-about-how-people-conduct/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) ## More by Joel Stein > [I want to be heavily tied to a city that I write for every week, that knows my stuff and I can interact with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-want-to-be-heavily-tied-to-a-city-that-i-write-for-every-week-that/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I never thought to look at the New York Times one, even though I knew people were pissed off. I've seen YouTube videos from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-never-thought-to-look-at-the-new-york-times-one-even-though-i-knew/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [When wine drinkers tell me they taste notes of cherries, tobacco and rose petals, usually all I can detect is a whole lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-wine-drinkers-tell-me-they-taste-notes-of-cherries-tobacco-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [When Time got rid of my column, I thought it was all over. It was really sad. And then, I just started pushing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-time-got-rid-of-my-column-i-thought-it-was-all-over-it-was/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [ I have some idea that if I pick on \[boy band\] One Direction, I'll get a ton of hate mail, because I know that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-have-some-idea-that-if-i-pick-on-boy-band-one-direction-i-ll-get-a/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I don't read "letters" sections of magazines, but I'll read anyone's blog post about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-don-t-read-letters-sections-of-magazines-but-i-ll-read-anyone-s/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I've definitely written people e-mails telling them I've loved their stories, but that seems more like a professional journalist thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-ve-definitely-written-people-e-mails-telling-them-i-ve-loved-their/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I can't imagine what someone would write that would infuriate me. Maybe if my loved one had died of some disease and someone was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-can-t-imagine-what-someone-would-write-that-would-infuriate-me/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [People would ask if I wanted to host things and I was like, "No, I'm a writer, I don't host things." Just thinking I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/people-would-ask-if-i-wanted-to-host-things-and-i-was-like-no-i-m-a/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I don't like to be in the forest. It's a weird thing. I've learned to have a general appreciation for nature, which has taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-don-t-like-to-be-in-the-forest-it-s-a-weird-thing-i-ve-learned-to/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [Early on, even in college, I figured out that it was just more interesting to me to create content than to write about other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/early-on-even-in-college-i-figured-out-that-it-was-just-more/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I think I realized that Dave Barry was funnier than I'll ever be, and he made no attempt to make any actual points. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-think-i-realized-that-dave-barry-was-funnier-than-i-ll-ever-be-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I always thought that being at Time and tweaking your bosses and exploiting your expense account was just fun. Just joyous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-always-thought-that-being-at-time-and-tweaking-your-bosses-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I'm not that clued into what people are that touchy about and how many of them there are and how niche these niches are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-m-not-that-clued-into-what-people-are-that-touchy-about-and-how/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [I can't imagine deer hunting. I used to think I couldn't imagine deer hunting because killing a deer seemed so awful. But now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/i-can-t-imagine-deer-hunting-i-used-to-think-i-couldn-t-imagine-deer/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) [Explore all 55 Joel Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story about something, you can now ask three intelligent questions about it. Or say three intelligent things. And that gets people talking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Stein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you-go-do-a-story-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you-go-do-a-story-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/317/joel-stein-12345_asks_the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you_2204923.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fun thing about journalism is if you go do a story about something, you can now ask three intelligent…” — Joel Stein", "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 Stein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fun thing about journalism is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you-go-do-a-story-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/the-fun-thing-about-journalism-is-if-you-go-do-a-story-about/#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 } } ] } ```