--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you learn how to make people laugh…" description: "\"Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.\" — John Oliver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png" --- # Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to… ![“Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.” quote by John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png) > “Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.” [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastering humor gives you control over the emotional impact you have on others, allowing intentional influence through laughter. **In simple terms:** Humor as a tool for intentional influence Key Takeaway Control humor emotional response Themes communication psychology influence creativity social dynamics Mood playful confident strategic Type advice observation insight When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - public speaking - team building - teaching - marketing Key Concepts humor intentionality emotional intelligence Practical Applications - crafting persuasive messages - building rapport Questions to Reflect On - How does humor shape perception? - When is humor manipulative? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Making people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-people-laugh/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/laugh-as-much-as-you-choose-but-you-will-not-laugh-me-out-of-my/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Now I get to pick and choose exactly what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verne-troyer/now-i-get-to-pick-and-choose-exactly-what-i-want-to-do/) [Verne Troyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verne-troyer/) > [I've been lucky enough to be able to choose exactly where I want to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-be-able-to-choose-exactly-where-i-want-to/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [The funniest people I know were, not necessarily troubled, but had a harder time in school or were shy or picked on or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-olson/the-funniest-people-i-know-were-not-necessarily-troubled-but-had-a/) [Kaitlin Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-olson/) > [People say I try to be the centre of attention, but I think I just try to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-p-shepherd/people-say-i-try-to-be-the-centre-of-attention-but-i-think-i-just-try/) Jack P. Shepherd > [It's so great to be able to make people laugh, because this is so often how we get our selves back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/it-s-so-great-to-be-able-to-make-people-laugh-because-this-is-so/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The minute you make people laugh, you get them to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrie-spaeth/the-minute-you-make-people-laugh-you-get-them-to-listen/) [Merrie Spaeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrie-spaeth/) > [What I want to do is to make people laugh so that they'll see things seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/what-i-want-to-do-is-to-make-people-laugh-so-that-they-ll-see-things/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [I could always make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-bodden/i-could-always-make-people-laugh/) [Alonzo Bodden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-bodden/) > [I had always been able to make people laugh in school, so I really developed that and worked on it and I got pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/i-had-always-been-able-to-make-people-laugh-in-school-so-i-really/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [It's better to make people laugh than cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-barker/it-s-better-to-make-people-laugh-than-cry/) [Ronnie Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-barker/) > [I don't believe there is any finer mission on Earth than just to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-believe-there-is-any-finer-mission-on-earth-than-just-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm there to make people laugh. I'm not trying to come across as sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-m-there-to-make-people-laugh-i-m-not-trying-to-come-across-as-sexy/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [To make people laugh was almost a sickness with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/to-make-people-laugh-was-almost-a-sickness-with-me/) [Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/) > [I love being able to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-light/i-love-being-able-to-make-people-laugh/) [Judith Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-light/) ## More by John Oliver > [I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy. And I guess I've always liked to channel some kind of personal element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-socially-political-or-overtly/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I knew I was going to go into the field and make fun of people to their faces. I knew what I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-knew-i-was-going-to-go-into-the-field-and-make-fun-of-people-to/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [When you see people say crazy things on our show, they mean this stuff,and that's easy to forget: They're not joking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/when-you-see-people-say-crazy-things-on-our-show-they-mean-this-stuff/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I think I'm just a summer fling that people will soon forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-i-m-just-a-summer-fling-that-people-will-soon-forget/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I guess the tone of jokes is often, at best, irreverent, but it always comes from a place of deep love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-guess-the-tone-of-jokes-is-often-at-best-irreverent-but-it-always/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I'm always interested in audience interaction. Not so much aggressive audience interaction - I'm genuinely interested in how people see things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-m-always-interested-in-audience-interaction-not-so-much-aggressive/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I do one accent - my own. I can make it louder or quieter. That is the sum total of my vocal range. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-do-one-accent-my-own-i-can-make-it-louder-or-quieter-that-is-the/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [If you work on a comedy show, your basic form of communication is teasing. That's generally how we speak to each other: you communicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/if-you-work-on-a-comedy-show-your-basic-form-of-communication-is/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I know I'd be an absolutely horrendous politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-know-i-d-be-an-absolutely-horrendous-politician/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Anybody who claims to be excited for April Fools' Day is probably a sociopath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/anybody-who-claims-to-be-excited-for-april-fools-day-is-probably-a/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Pumpkin spice lattes are egg nog for morning people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/pumpkin-spice-lattes-are-egg-nog-for-morning-people/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I've made so many people angry that they kind of blur into one unpleasant memory of people staring at you with somewhere between passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-made-so-many-people-angry-that-they-kind-of-blur-into-one/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Armando Iannucci is one of my heroes. As I was growing up, he was probably the most influential comic voice that I had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/armando-iannucci-is-one-of-my-heroes-as-i-was-growing-up-he-was/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [If your name is Sepp, at the bare minimum you’ve strangled someone in a bar fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/if-your-name-is-sepp-at-the-bare-minimum-you-ve-strangled-someone-in/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) [Explore all 143 John Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Oliver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/john-oliver-2975_comedy_once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh_58535.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once you learn how to make people laugh, then you get to choose exactly how you want to make them laugh.” — John Oliver", "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 Oliver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once you learn how to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/once-you-learn-how-to-make-people-laugh-then-you-get-to-choose/#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 } } ] } ```