--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I moved from Boston to L.A., I…" description: "\"When I moved from Boston to L.A., I floundered. I definitely did time at the Improv and the Comedy Store, making 20 bucks a night. I learned how to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/john-pinette-6739_comedy_when-i-moved-from-boston-to-l-a-i-flound_1958658.jpg" --- # When I moved from Boston to L.A., I floundered. I… ![“When I moved from Boston to L.A., I floundered. I definitely did time at the Improv and the Comedy Store, making 20 bucks a night. I learned how to be a starving comic. I was an in-debt comic: I ate well on loan.” quote by John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/john-pinette-6739_comedy_when-i-moved-from-boston-to-l-a-i-flound_1958658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/john-pinette-6739_comedy_when-i-moved-from-boston-to-l-a-i-flound_1958658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/john-pinette-6739_comedy_when-i-moved-from-boston-to-l-a-i-flound_1958658.jpg) > “When I moved from Boston to L.A., I floundered. I definitely did time at the Improv and the Comedy Store, making 20 bucks a night. I learned how to be a starving comic. I was an in-debt comic: I ate well on loan.” [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early struggles in comedy involve financial hardship and learning resilience through low‑pay gigs. **In simple terms:** Struggles teach resilience. Key Takeaway Embrace hardship as a learning phase. Themes career hardship resilience Mood reflective humorous Type memoir inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - career pivots - budgeting Key Concepts entertainment industry personal development Questions to Reflect On - What strategies helped you survive financially? - How did low‑pay gigs shape your craft? A Different Perspective Financial strain can hinder creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comic Ate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-ate-3220688/) [Comic Debt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-debt-3220686/) [Debt Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debt-comic-3220687/) [Improv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improv/) [Learned Starving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-starving-3220690/) [Loan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loan/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Starving Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starving-comic-3220689/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The watershed moment,” said Ann Nocenti, “was when Shooter said every single comic had to have a ‘can’t-must’ moment: I am not a thief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-howe/the-watershed-moment-said-ann-nocenti-was-when-shooter-said-every/) [Sean Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-howe/) > [While I was never diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia at the time, I've learned that starving myself and bingeing means I had both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-krupa/while-i-was-never-diagnosed-with-anorexia-or-bulimia-at-the-time-i-ve/) [Joanna Krupa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-krupa/) > [You can't be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-can-t-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [All my dance moves are improv. I just make them up on the spot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/all-my-dance-moves-are-improv-i-just-make-them-up-on-the-spot/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [Generally, I've found that a heckler in an improv audience is just enjoying the show so much that they want to be in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/generally-i-ve-found-that-a-heckler-in-an-improv-audience-is-just/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [After working with Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum, I said, 'I am never going to talk about improv again.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-willard/after-working-with-wayne-brady-colin-mochrie-and-jonathan-mangum-i/) [Fred Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-willard/) > [I graduated from Second City Los Angeles. It helped me tremendously, not only in my roles in films but in helping shape me into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-craig/i-graduated-from-second-city-los-angeles-it-helped-me-tremendously/) [Carly Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-craig/) > [It was improv that really helped me start coming up with recipes and just believe in my instincts. That's why the first recipe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-sequeira/it-was-improv-that-really-helped-me-start-coming-up-with-recipes-and/) [Aarti Sequeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-sequeira/) > [I think I've been really lucky to be able to improv in a lot of my jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-stalter/i-think-i-ve-been-really-lucky-to-be-able-to-improv-in-a-lot-of-my/) [Megan Stalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-stalter/) > [If a director brings a guy to their movie who does improv, they've got to let him do what he does - otherwise it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/if-a-director-brings-a-guy-to-their-movie-who-does-improv-they-ve-got/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [I liked that improv and sketch comedy were collaborative, but you really depended on other people and a stage to perform. With stand-up comedy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-liked-that-improv-and-sketch-comedy-were-collaborative-but-you/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [Very rarely do I talk off the top of my head on stage. I'm not an improv guy. I'm a writer-guy who presents what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/very-rarely-do-i-talk-off-the-top-of-my-head-on-stage-i-m-not-an/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I was a very shy kid. In 8th grade, I had a teacher who got me into improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-collins/i-was-a-very-shy-kid-in-8th-grade-i-had-a-teacher-who-got-me-into/) [Mo Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-collins/) > [We have over an hour of footage with Ken Marino. Same with Kevin Smith. Because you never know, when you let people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-miller/we-have-over-an-hour-of-footage-with-ken-marino-same-with-kevin-smith/) [Lauren Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-miller/) > [Maybe it's just my improv and sketch background, but I'm a lot more comfortable in a group. I like sharing focus and populating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/maybe-it-s-just-my-improv-and-sketch-background-but-i-m-a-lot-more/) [Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/) ## More by John Pinette > [I made $225.81 a week as an accountant, and I went to $400 a week as a stand-up. I was up to $800 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-made-225-81-a-week-as-an-accountant-and-i-went-to-400-a-week-as-a/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I was an accountant for six months, and for the last three, I didn't do much work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-was-an-accountant-for-six-months-and-for-the-last-three-i-didn-t-do/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [All I'm really doing is talking about going on diets and... just about being a big guy. Why should that be any different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/all-i-m-really-doing-is-talking-about-going-on-diets-and-just-about/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [My philosophy in life is just to laugh as much as possible through the good and the bad - to laugh at the tragedies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/my-philosophy-in-life-is-just-to-laugh-as-much-as-possible-through/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I'm one of the larger mammals. Everyone in my family was large, mom and dad, my two older sisters. If you meet a skinny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-m-one-of-the-larger-mammals-everyone-in-my-family-was-large-mom-and/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [The guy who made the shoes for 'Hairspray' said putting shoes on me was like putting a pump on a ham. I found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/the-guy-who-made-the-shoes-for-hairspray-said-putting-shoes-on-me-was/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Let's face it, it's a skinny world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/let-s-face-it-it-s-a-skinny-world-out-there/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I started off doing impressions. It was a comfortable way to get started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-started-off-doing-impressions-it-was-a-comfortable-way-to-get/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [My cholesterol count has a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/my-cholesterol-count-has-a-comma/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I want to talk about being a big guy... it's not a fat joke. It's a joke about living the way you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-want-to-talk-about-being-a-big-guy-it-s-not-a-fat-joke-it-s-a-joke/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I'd done the movie 'The Punisher,' and Travolta was in that, though we didn't have scenes together. We met at the premiere and he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-d-done-the-movie-the-punisher-and-travolta-was-in-that-though-we/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I don't do ups, ups defy gravity. Gravity is a law. I obey the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-don-t-do-ups-ups-defy-gravity-gravity-is-a-law-i-obey-the-law/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I denied my comic thing there for awhile. I always made people laugh, but my family said that's not the real world, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-denied-my-comic-thing-there-for-awhile-i-always-made-people-laugh/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I would describe my comedy as my skewed comic perception of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-would-describe-my-comedy-as-my-skewed-comic-perception-of-life/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [I talk about my life; it is the funniest thing I can think of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/i-talk-about-my-life-it-is-the-funniest-thing-i-can-think-of/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) [Explore all 98 John Pinette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) ## 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": "When I moved from Boston to L.A., I floundered. I definitely did time at the Improv and the Comedy Store, making 20 bucks a night. I learned how to be a starving comic. 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