--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people are brilliant at being comedy…" description: "\"Some people are brilliant at being comedy actors and if you're a comedian I think there's a perception that, if you're acting at something that's meant..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-bishop-4398_acting_some-people-are-brilliant-at-being-comed_916561.jpg" --- # Some people are brilliant at being comedy actors and if… ![“Some people are brilliant at being comedy actors and if you're a comedian I think there's a perception that, if you're acting at something that's meant to be funny, it will be funny all the way though and you'll be dropping in gags.” quote by John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-bishop-4398_acting_some-people-are-brilliant-at-being-comed_916561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-bishop-4398_acting_some-people-are-brilliant-at-being-comed_916561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/john-bishop-4398_acting_some-people-are-brilliant-at-being-comed_916561.jpg) > “Some people are brilliant at being comedy actors and if you're a comedian I think there's a perception that, if you're acting at something that's meant to be funny, it will be funny all the way though and you'll be dropping in gags.” [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy actors often assume humor must be constant, leading to forced jokes and loss of nuance. **In simple terms:** Comedy isn’t always nonstop; timing matters. Key Takeaway Balance humor with restraint. Themes comedy performance expectation Mood playful reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - film rehearsals - improv sessions - script writing Key Concepts timing audience perception creative pressure Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to hold back a joke? - What role does silence play in comedy? A Different Perspective Humor can become stale if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) ## Related quotes > [As a comedian, I think you need to keep things real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/as-a-comedian-i-think-you-need-to-keep-things-real/) [Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/) > [I think I have got a lot better as an interviewer. I let people talk now which is something you need to do. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-carr/i-think-i-have-got-a-lot-better-as-an-interviewer-i-let-people-talk/) [Alan Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-carr/) > [I do a joke in my stand-up where I say I'm a Christian, but I'm not a Christian comedian. I think that's definitely how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelah-johnson/i-do-a-joke-in-my-stand-up-where-i-say-i-m-a-christian-but-i-m-not-a/) [Anjelah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelah-johnson/) > [I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a family background and environment. Yet if you put the same ingredients in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedian-i-think-it-s-a-family/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I'm not saying everyone who has a problem in their relationship should be a comedian, but I think if you're to work things out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-m-not-saying-everyone-who-has-a-problem-in-their-relationship/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I love a lot of comedy actors and actresses like Kristen Wiig and Tina Fey and all those women who are really brilliant and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-love-a-lot-of-comedy-actors-and-actresses-like-kristen-wiig-and/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [Voice actors I used to know who were starting out in comedy were guys who did a lot of voices. They were usually comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jon-benjamin/voice-actors-i-used-to-know-who-were-starting-out-in-comedy-were-guys/) [H. Jon Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jon-benjamin/) > [“Some brainless comedy where actors with perfect white teeth spoke their lines then froze in place to let the laugh track unwind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sallis/some-brainless-comedy-where-actors-with-perfect-white-teeth-spoke/) [James Sallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sallis/) > [If there is any sense of order to the universe, acting is what I am meant to do. I'm not manufactured. I know acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-qualls/if-there-is-any-sense-of-order-to-the-universe-acting-is-what-i-am/) [DJ Qualls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-qualls/) > [In the 1980s, there was no category to stick me in. 'He sounds too smart' is what I was hearing. I realized that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/in-the-1980s-there-was-no-category-to-stick-me-in-he-sounds-too-smart/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [My father and uncles would often tell me that I was going to become a hero because somebody or the other was related to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-singh/my-father-and-uncles-would-often-tell-me-that-i-was-going-to-become-a/) [Sunny Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-singh/) > [Acting meant so much to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-coyle/acting-meant-so-much-to-me/) [Brendan Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-coyle/) > [I've become really aware since putting out music that some people can't get past the acting thing. But acting was never what I meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-anderson/i-ve-become-really-aware-since-putting-out-music-that-some-people-can/) [Jacob Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-anderson/) > [You're always on duty because you're in a constant state of observation. That's one of the challenges of being a comedian. I think one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/you-re-always-on-duty-because-you-re-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I try to stay with it and I try to stay in contact with comedians and just keep comedians in my life 'cause comedians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-try-to-stay-with-it-and-i-try-to-stay-in-contact-with-comedians-and/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## More by John Bishop > [You know what I mean, I'm not Tom Cruise. I can act as long as the character happens to look and sound a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/you-know-what-i-mean-i-m-not-tom-cruise-i-can-act-as-long-as-the/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I'm the type of bloke who gets a flatpack cabinet from Ikea, puts it together without reading the instructions, then gets the drill out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-m-the-type-of-bloke-who-gets-a-flatpack-cabinet-from-ikea-puts-it/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [We live on a two week cycle in our house so if I go away for two weeks, it's too long. And if I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/we-live-on-a-two-week-cycle-in-our-house-so-if-i-go-away-for-two/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [There's no slowing down but I've got to be honest, I'm probably not going to learn French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/there-s-no-slowing-down-but-i-ve-got-to-be-honest-i-m-probably-not/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I started at 34 and I didn't go full time until I was 40. When I say started, I mean the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-started-at-34-and-i-didn-t-go-full-time-until-i-was-40-when-i-say/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [My kids get annoyed if you ask them what their GCSE results are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/my-kids-get-annoyed-if-you-ask-them-what-their-gcse-results-are/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I didn't want to do comedic acting because I don't think I am very good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-didn-t-want-to-do-comedic-acting-because-i-don-t-think-i-am-very/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [You can't pretend you're not part of the world that you come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/you-can-t-pretend-you-re-not-part-of-the-world-that-you-come-from/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [What I found absolutely the best thing about comedy is it's a little club. You find yourself part of this strange needy society of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/what-i-found-absolutely-the-best-thing-about-comedy-is-it-s-a-little/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [Comedy is counseling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/comedy-is-counseling/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [When I was 10 I had a bone disease called osteomyelitis; they said if they didn't operate, I had 24 hours to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/when-i-was-10-i-had-a-bone-disease-called-osteomyelitis-they-said-if/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I can only develop a stand-up show by being on stage. I can't write it. Whenever I see comedy written down, it very rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-can-only-develop-a-stand-up-show-by-being-on-stage-i-can-t-write-it/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [Being on stage, telling jokes and telling stories is where I feel the most at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/being-on-stage-telling-jokes-and-telling-stories-is-where-i-feel-the/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [When I was 30 we had two kids, a third on he way. I was working for a pharmaceutical company. I had been married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/when-i-was-30-we-had-two-kids-a-third-on-he-way-i-was-working-for-a/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I want to do straight, dramatic acting so I do a hit show when you get chased by aliens!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-want-to-do-straight-dramatic-acting-so-i-do-a-hit-show-when-you-get/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) [Explore all 111 John Bishop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [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/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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