--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really set out to do this traditional…" description: "\"I really set out to do this traditional looking and traditional sounding multi-cam sitcom, but then make the world as elastic as an animated show could..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-mulaney-7291_animated_i-really-set-out-to-do-this-traditional_951671.jpg" --- # I really set out to do this traditional looking and… ![“I really set out to do this traditional looking and traditional sounding multi-cam sitcom, but then make the world as elastic as an animated show could be. Make the world as surreal as we wanted it to be.” quote by John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-mulaney-7291_animated_i-really-set-out-to-do-this-traditional_951671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-mulaney-7291_animated_i-really-set-out-to-do-this-traditional_951671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/815/john-mulaney-7291_animated_i-really-set-out-to-do-this-traditional_951671.jpg) > “I really set out to do this traditional looking and traditional sounding multi-cam sitcom, but then make the world as elastic as an animated show could be. Make the world as surreal as we wanted it to be.” [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator aims to blend traditional sitcom format with surreal, animated‑like flexibility, pushing narrative boundaries to create a dream‑like comedic world. **In simple terms:** Mix classic sitcom with surreal, animated flexibility. Key Takeaway Blend familiar structures with imaginative freedom. Themes creativity innovation humor surrealism Mood playful experimental Type comedic artistic When to use this quote - TV writing - animation - improv comedy - creative workshops Key Concepts media theory storytelling visual arts Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep viewers grounded while exploring surreal ideas? - What limits exist for blending media styles? A Different Perspective Balancing tradition and absurdity may alienate audiences expecting conventional formats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sitcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcom/) [Surreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surreal/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I try to make a great sitcom that would make my heroes proud of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-try-to-make-a-great-sitcom-that-would-make-my-heroes-proud-of-me/) [Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/) > [With an animated show you can make a banana purple. You can put three hats on a cowboy. That would require several days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/with-an-animated-show-you-can-make-a-banana-purple-you-can-put-three/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I'm very lucky to be on 'Melissa and Joey' because it's a multi-cam sitcom, and it was a nice transition from theatre because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-robinson/i-m-very-lucky-to-be-on-melissa-and-joey-because-it-s-a-multi-cam/) [Nick Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-robinson/) > [The fact that 'Mom' is not joke, joke, joke - and is investing in these characters and their lives, things that really happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/the-fact-that-mom-is-not-joke-joke-joke-and-is-investing-in-these/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [My world is so surreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-sapp/my-world-is-so-surreal/) [Bob Sapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-sapp/) > ['The Simpsons' basically - and 'Futurama' - are really smart shows. They're kind of disguised as these goofy animated sitcoms, but the references within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/the-simpsons-basically-and-futurama-are-really-smart-shows-they-re/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I've worked in animation for a long time. I started in Spain and I wanted to make feature films. That desire to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/i-ve-worked-in-animation-for-a-long-time-i-started-in-spain-and-i/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [The fun of being a supervisor is that you kind of get to shape the film as a whole rather than crafting a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-navone/the-fun-of-being-a-supervisor-is-that-you-kind-of-get-to-shape-the/) Victor Navone > [Animated films are so precisely engineered - right down to forming lines of dialogue with words pulled from several different takes - how do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-verbinski/animated-films-are-so-precisely-engineered-right-down-to-forming/) [Gore Verbinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-verbinski/) > [Doing voices in animated movies has been one of my dreams. You get to go and act, and you don't have to put on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-micucci/doing-voices-in-animated-movies-has-been-one-of-my-dreams-you-get-to/) [Kate Micucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-micucci/) > [ Marylata \[ Elton\] introduced me to Hans Zimmer. Hans tapped me \[to\] work on songs for DreamWorks' animated features. I arranged Elton John's opening… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-jacob/marylata-elton-introduced-me-to-hans-zimmer-hans-tapped-me-to-work-on/) Danny Jacob > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Like the collector, the photographer is animated by a passion that, even when it appears to be for the present, is linked to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/like-the-collector-the-photographer-is-animated-by-a-passion-that/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [When you do a voice in an animated film, you don't see the finished product at all. You're not animating. You're not doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-do-a-voice-in-an-animated-film-you-don-t-see-the-finished/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) ## More by John Mulaney > [I don't know if there's a strategy really so much as, like I learned doing standup and had to learn fast, you always just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-don-t-know-if-there-s-a-strategy-really-so-much-as-like-i-learned/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I never turn on the crowd. Sometimes, you think it's a terrible show, and then afterward, sometimes people say they really liked it. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-never-turn-on-the-crowd-sometimes-you-think-it-s-a-terrible-show/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [If I was at the Comedy Cellar at midnight you yelled at the back of the room. But you, for television, play it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/if-i-was-at-the-comedy-cellar-at-midnight-you-yelled-at-the-back-of/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [Ill book a ticket on some garbage airline. I dont wanna name an actual airline so lets make one up, lets just call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/ill-book-a-ticket-on-some-garbage-airline-i-dont-wanna-name-an-actual/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [You can't always see both sides of the story. Eventually, you have to pick a side and stick with it. No more equivocating. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/you-can-t-always-see-both-sides-of-the-story-eventually-you-have-to/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [ With the first episode \[of John Mulaney Show\] I tell a story that happened to me accidentally chasing a woman down the subway. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/with-the-first-episode-of-john-mulaney-show-i-tell-a-story-that/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [Part of standup is being loose and having a good time yourself and that translates to the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/part-of-standup-is-being-loose-and-having-a-good-time-yourself-and/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [Maybe I just have high self-esteem, but I have a lot that I really enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/maybe-i-just-have-high-self-esteem-but-i-have-a-lot-that-i-really/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I have a lot of stories about being a kid because it was the last time I was interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-have-a-lot-of-stories-about-being-a-kid-because-it-was-the-last/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [Going on the road for long stretches can seem daunting, and I certainly miss being home sometimes, but the chance to see so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/going-on-the-road-for-long-stretches-can-seem-daunting-and-i/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I do longer runs on things, a lot stories. I really like one-liners, I like a lot of different kinds of standup but I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-do-longer-runs-on-things-a-lot-stories-i-really-like-one-liners-i/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [I look back on being 17 and think, 'Oh my God, how did I not die?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/i-look-back-on-being-17-and-think-oh-my-god-how-did-i-not-die/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [ If you’re comparing the badness of two words and you won’t even say one of them \[the n-word\], that’s the worse word. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/if-you-re-comparing-the-badness-of-two-words-and-you-won-t-even-say/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [In every case, I find pre-planning noble, but not always that useful in comedy. You know comedy once you're doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/in-every-case-i-find-pre-planning-noble-but-not-always-that-useful-in/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) > [Most open-mic experiences I had were okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/most-open-mic-experiences-i-had-were-okay/) [John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) [Explore all 92 John Mulaney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/) ## More Animated quotes > [When you do a voice in an animated film, you don't see the finished product at all. You're not animating. You're not doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-do-a-voice-in-an-animated-film-you-don-t-see-the-finished/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [Like the collector, the photographer is animated by a passion that, even when it appears to be for the present, is linked to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/like-the-collector-the-photographer-is-animated-by-a-passion-that/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [ Marylata \[ Elton\] introduced me to Hans Zimmer. Hans tapped me \[to\] work on songs for DreamWorks' animated features. I arranged Elton John's opening… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-jacob/marylata-elton-introduced-me-to-hans-zimmer-hans-tapped-me-to-work-on/) Danny Jacob > [Doing voices in animated movies has been one of my dreams. You get to go and act, and you don't have to put on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-micucci/doing-voices-in-animated-movies-has-been-one-of-my-dreams-you-get-to/) [Kate Micucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-micucci/) > [Animated films are so precisely engineered - right down to forming lines of dialogue with words pulled from several different takes - how do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-verbinski/animated-films-are-so-precisely-engineered-right-down-to-forming/) [Gore Verbinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-verbinski/) > [The fun of being a supervisor is that you kind of get to shape the film as a whole rather than crafting a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-navone/the-fun-of-being-a-supervisor-is-that-you-kind-of-get-to-shape-the/) Victor Navone > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I've worked in animation for a long time. I started in Spain and I wanted to make feature films. That desire to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/i-ve-worked-in-animation-for-a-long-time-i-started-in-spain-and-i/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [Beauty and the Beast became the first animated feature ever nominated for best picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-maltin/beauty-and-the-beast-became-the-first-animated-feature-ever-nominated/) [Leonard Maltin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-maltin/) > [I'm not just saying this because I'm in the movie, but I really would recommend 'Secretariat.' It's fun, inspiring, and it's a great movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/i-m-not-just-saying-this-because-i-m-in-the-movie-but-i-really-would/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) > [If the church is to impress the world with the deathless hope of the everlasting Gospel, she must be animated by that hope herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-w-boreham/if-the-church-is-to-impress-the-world-with-the-deathless-hope-of-the/) Frank W. Boreham > [Unlike the rationalism of the French Revolution, true liberalism has no quarrel with religion, and I can only deplore the militant and essentially illiberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-the-rationalism-of-the-french-revolution-true-liberalism-has/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [I would love to do comedy. I'm actually really animated and goofy. I talk with my hands so intensely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-spiridakos/i-would-love-to-do-comedy-i-m-actually-really-animated-and-goofy-i/) [Tracy Spiridakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-spiridakos/) > [I remember when I first came around, the computer-generated stuff was pretty wicked. I was like, 'Wow!' but I feel like then for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walker/i-remember-when-i-first-came-around-the-computer-generated-stuff-was/) [Paul Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walker/) Browse all 469 Animated quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really set out to do this traditional looking and traditional sounding multi-cam sitcom, but then make the world as elastic as an animated show could be. 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