--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be…" description: "\"If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living asking 'Do you want fries with that?'\" — John Cleese" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg" --- # If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living… ![“If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living asking 'Do you want fries with that?'” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg) > “If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living asking 'Do you want fries with that?'” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If fairness existed, absurd jobs would be the norm, highlighting life's inherent unfairness and humor. **In simple terms:** Life isn’t fair; absurdity shows it. Key Takeaway Accept unfairness with humor. Themes fairness absurdity humor Mood comedic light‑hearted Type satirical observational When to use this quote - dealing with workplace inequities - coping with disappointment - using humor in stress Key Concepts satire social commentary irony Questions to Reflect On - How does humor help you handle unfair situations? - When is seriousness more appropriate? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper issues needing address. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dan-quayle/) [Fair Dan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-dan-553338/) [Fries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fries/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-asking-553339/) [Making a living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-living/) [Quayle Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quayle-making-553337/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Fries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-fries-553336/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone has these two visions when they hold their child for the first time. The first is your child as an adult saying "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/everyone-has-these-two-visions-when-they-hold-their-child-for-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I have a degree in Fine Arts. Do you want fries with that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-sutter/i-have-a-degree-in-fine-arts-do-you-want-fries-with-that/) [Rick Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-sutter/) > [If you don't want fries with your Happy Meal, you can switch it for a fruit bag or a portion of carrot sticks. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-easterbrook/if-you-don-t-want-fries-with-your-happy-meal-you-can-switch-it-for-a/) [Steve Easterbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-easterbrook/) > [Yeah, we'll play that. You want fries with that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/yeah-we-ll-play-that-you-want-fries-with-that/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [I believe I was at the peak of my enlightenment when I use to say you want fries with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-believe-i-was-at-the-peak-of-my-enlightenment-when-i-use-to-say-you/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [I'm gettin' stacks while you askin' people, 'Do you want some fries with that?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-l/i-m-gettin-stacks-while-you-askin-people-do-you-want-some-fries-with/) [Big L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-l/) > [If my kids want to have fries, you know what, I'm gonna let my kids have fries. If they are active and if they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-thompson/if-my-kids-want-to-have-fries-you-know-what-i-m-gonna-let-my-kids/) [Don Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-thompson/) > [And for those of you that dropped out of high school, remember the famous phrase: 'Do you want fries with that?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-heenan/and-for-those-of-you-that-dropped-out-of-high-school-remember-the/) [Bobby Heenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-heenan/) > [I could go on and on and on about how we use the word 'place' in so many different ways. About how somebody might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/i-could-go-on-and-on-and-on-about-how-we-use-the-word-place-in-so/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [“I want to name one of my kids “I’ll-Have-A-Large-Cheeseburger.” That way, when I show up at McDonald's with my kids and the person behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-name-one-of-my-kids-i-ll-have-a-large-cheeseburger-that-way/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Micah had always hoped that, if he’d ever been faced with this moment, Harry would have had the decency to be fat, bald and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-worrall/micah-had-always-hoped-that-if-he-d-ever-been-faced-with-this-moment/) [Lisa Worrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-worrall/) > [For some reason, the Secret Service revealed this, that Sarah Palin's Secret Service code name is 'Denali.' Turns out 'Denali' is an old Eskimo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/for-some-reason-the-secret-service-revealed-this-that-sarah-palin-s/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [As a general proposition, campaigns do not linger on the vice presidential nominee. When they have, it's always meant very bad news for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/as-a-general-proposition-campaigns-do-not-linger-on-the-vice/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [I would not have married Dan Quayle had I not thought he was an equal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-quayle/i-would-not-have-married-dan-quayle-had-i-not-thought-he-was-an-equal/) [Marilyn Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-quayle/) > [The truth is that family values, as used by the American Family Association, Dan Quayle, and the southern Baptists, has nothing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-sullivan/the-truth-is-that-family-values-as-used-by-the-american-family/) [Morris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-sullivan/) ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/years-ago-we-would-have-been-burned-for-this-now-what-i-am-suggesting/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it's okay... you're either free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-very-essence-of-playfulness-is-an-openness-to-anything-that-may/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. She did not really take interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-had-a-very-very-difficult-relationship-with-my-mother-who-was/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nothing will stop you being creative more effectively as the fear of making a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nothing-will-stop-you-being-creative-more-effectively-as-the-fear-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I was very sad to hear of the death of Ronnie Barker, who was such a warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-was-very-sad-to-hear-of-the-death-of-ronnie-barker-who-was-such-a/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) [Explore all 209 John Cleese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More Asking quotes > [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/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living asking 'Do you want fries with that?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cleese" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-making-a-living-asking-do-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-making-a-living-asking-do-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/john-cleese-1768_asking_if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-ma_2448925.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If life were fair, Dan Quayle would be making a living asking 'Do you want fries with that?'” — John Cleese", "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": "John Cleese", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If life were fair, Dan Quayle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-making-a-living-asking-do-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-life-were-fair-dan-quayle-would-be-making-a-living-asking-do-you/#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 } } ] } ```