--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to play the stiff, as much as I…" description: "\"I try to play the stiff, as much as I can, and play it dry, which is sometimes hard for me. My problem with comedy is to want to clown it up, but she's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/john-cho-3086_clown_i-try-to-play-the-stiff-as-much-as-i-can_934046.jpg" --- # I try to play the stiff, as much as I can, and play it… ![“I try to play the stiff, as much as I can, and play it dry, which is sometimes hard for me. My problem with comedy is to want to clown it up, but she's the funny one. Those are her jokes, not mine. For me, it's a lot of not doing anything. I just don't want to muck it up.” quote by John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/john-cho-3086_clown_i-try-to-play-the-stiff-as-much-as-i-can_934046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/john-cho-3086_clown_i-try-to-play-the-stiff-as-much-as-i-can_934046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/john-cho-3086_clown_i-try-to-play-the-stiff-as-much-as-i-can_934046.jpg) > “I try to play the stiff, as much as I can, and play it dry, which is sometimes hard for me. My problem with comedy is to want to clown it up, but she's the funny one. Those are her jokes, not mine. For me, it's a lot of not doing anything. I just don't want to muck it up.” [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He strives for natural performance, avoiding forced comedy, and respects others' humor. **In simple terms:** Aim for authenticity, let others shine. Key Takeaway Stay authentic, respect collaborators' jokes. Themes authenticity humor performance collaboration Mood thoughtful humorous Type personal reflective When to use this quote - stage acting - film sets - comedic timing - creative partnership Key Concepts self‑restraint creative respect Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance authenticity with audience expectations? - When should you step back from comedic input? A Different Perspective Self‑restraint can limit spontaneous creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-want-538552/) [Dry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dry/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Mines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mines/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Stiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-stiff-1545216/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-comedy-1545215/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Stiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stiff/) [Stiff Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stiff-play-1545217/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The problem with comedy audiences - it's like the Coliseum - when they see someone struggling, they don't feel altruistic towards them. They feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/the-problem-with-comedy-audiences-it-s-like-the-coliseum-when-they/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [The problem is that comedy is very tiring. It exhausts the hell out of me. Serious role is not tiring. Comedy is about jumping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-warsi/the-problem-is-that-comedy-is-very-tiring-it-exhausts-the-hell-out-of/) [Arshad Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-warsi/) > [I want to do comedy, I want to do horror, I want to do all these other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/i-want-to-do-comedy-i-want-to-do-horror-i-want-to-do-all-these-other/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [I love comedy; so you want to make them happy, make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-burke/i-love-comedy-so-you-want-to-make-them-happy-make-them-laugh/) [Delta Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-burke/) > [I am more comfortable doing comedy, and I want to perform comedy. When you can really make someone laugh, that's a healing experience. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-tenuta/i-am-more-comfortable-doing-comedy-and-i-want-to-perform-comedy-when/) [Judy Tenuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-tenuta/) > [I never wanted to do just one thing. There's even other things in comedy that I want to do. For me, it's always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-never-wanted-to-do-just-one-thing-there-s-even-other-things-in/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [I could see how people get addicted to animation, and I understand why it's so great for comedy. You can do whatever you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-could-see-how-people-get-addicted-to-animation-and-i-understand-why/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I'll be honest with you. Comedy is what I want to see at the movies these days. Life is frickin' hard, man! When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-comedy-is-what-i-want-to-see-at-the-movies/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [An old-codger comedy - that's what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-studi/an-old-codger-comedy-that-s-what-i-want-to-do/) [Wes Studi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-studi/) > [That's the nature of comedy. You always want to be improving and growing and changing with what's happening in the world. That's when comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-s-the-nature-of-comedy-you-always-want-to-be-improving-and/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [There's so much I want to do. I love emotions, I love drama, I love comedy and I also want to take action up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-carano/there-s-so-much-i-want-to-do-i-love-emotions-i-love-drama-i-love/) [Gina Carano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-carano/) > [Often it's seen as empowering if you're cleverer than the men, or more aware - then you're giving the woman a great strong role.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasia-demetriou/often-it-s-seen-as-empowering-if-you-re-cleverer-than-the-men-or-more/) [Natasia Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasia-demetriou/) > [I will always have a place in my heart for for comedy, and always want to do more, because I just love it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-llewellyn/i-will-always-have-a-place-in-my-heart-for-for-comedy-and-always-want/) [Dylan Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-llewellyn/) > [I don't have to change anything. I think that's the secret to comedy. You want to be universal and appeal to everyone. You want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-don-t-have-to-change-anything-i-think-that-s-the-secret-to-comedy/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I want to direct a romantic comedy and want Sudeep to star in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamani/i-want-to-direct-a-romantic-comedy-and-want-sudeep-to-star-in-it/) [Priyamani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamani/) ## More by John Cho > [What was exciting to me in talking to Kogonada was I was just very convinced that he was a very real and pure artist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/what-was-exciting-to-me-in-talking-to-kogonada-was-i-was-just-very/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I didn't think it was possible for Asians to be actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-didn-t-think-it-was-possible-for-asians-to-be-actors/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [There was a while where every role I was getting offered was extremely noble - like the judge or the kindly nurse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/there-was-a-while-where-every-role-i-was-getting-offered-was/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I don't know if I trust entertainment to teach anyone anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-don-t-know-if-i-trust-entertainment-to-teach-anyone-anything/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [With music I get to feel real ownership with what I do. I write it, I perform it and even if it is crap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/with-music-i-get-to-feel-real-ownership-with-what-i-do-i-write-it-i/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I've found that one's language abilities, especially for Korean kids like me, get frozen at the age you immigrated. So I've always associated Korea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-ve-found-that-one-s-language-abilities-especially-for-korean-kids/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [It's really weird to be in more than one franchise because an actor's life is so nomadic, and so it's a real privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/it-s-really-weird-to-be-in-more-than-one-franchise-because-an-actor-s/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I feel like there's this need that the Asian-American community has to feel like people. It's something that Asians in Asia do not understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-feel-like-there-s-this-need-that-the-asian-american-community-has/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Not sleeping, listening to Paul Auster on Fresh Air. His function, tonight and ever, has been to remind me that I will die. Thanks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/not-sleeping-listening-to-paul-auster-on-fresh-air-his-function/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Conversely, the most powerful thing an actor can say is "no." If something is presented and it's a stereotypical role or something, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/conversely-the-most-powerful-thing-an-actor-can-say-is-no-if/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [For a while, I was feeling like I was always playing characters that weren't specifically Korean or specifically Asian, even - that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/for-a-while-i-was-feeling-like-i-was-always-playing-characters-that/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I hereby call for the execution of the person who designed the layout of rite aid stores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-hereby-call-for-the-execution-of-the-person-who-designed-the-layout/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Typically, actors overplay jargon or toss it away in an extravagant display of casualness. Real people hit the important parts hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/typically-actors-overplay-jargon-or-toss-it-away-in-an-extravagant/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I grew up speaking Korean, but my dad spoke English very well. I learned a lot of how to speak English by watching television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-grew-up-speaking-korean-but-my-dad-spoke-english-very-well-i/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Sometimes I feel indie directors are in the game so they can make a film to get hired to do a big film -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/sometimes-i-feel-indie-directors-are-in-the-game-so-they-can-make-a/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) [Explore all 140 John Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) ## More Clown quotes > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns...and clowns. (Bobby Pendragon)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-this-world-people-who-hate-clowns/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [I wanted to be a clown when I was a kid, so I love interacting and goofing around with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/i-wanted-to-be-a-clown-when-i-was-a-kid-so-i-love-interacting-and/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [When fighting clowns, always go for the juggler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/when-fighting-clowns-always-go-for-the-juggler/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [You know, I was the class clown in Catholic school, but I never thought I would make a living out of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-know-i-was-the-class-clown-in-catholic-school-but-i-never-thought/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [You see, this heart, won't settle down; just like a child, running, scared, from a clown. Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-see-this-heart-won-t-settle-down-just-like-a-child-running-scared/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Circus clown. That's a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/circus-clown-that-s-a-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I first started getting into acting, I was doing improv in acting class, and I had done a serious monologue and everyone was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/when-i-first-started-getting-into-acting-i-was-doing-improv-in-acting/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“If i'm gonna be described as a clown for my actions, I might aswell be a whole circus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bee/if-i-m-gonna-be-described-as-a-clown-for-my-actions-i-might-aswell-be/) [Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bee/) > [I had a dream that a clown named dimples keep leaving the radio on in my room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-that-a-clown-named-dimples-keep-leaving-the-radio-on-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is that love? It seems like a pale word, too easily tossed about by people who don’t know the meaning of it, who twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/is-that-love-it-seems-like-a-pale-word-too-easily-tossed-about-by/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Browse all 837 Clown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try to play the stiff, as much as I can, and play it dry, which is sometimes hard for me. My problem with comedy is to want to clown it up, but she's the funny one. Those are her jokes, not mine. For me, it's a lot of not doing anything. 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