--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you purposefully look to shock people…" description: "\"If you purposefully look to shock people, it isn't funny. That's what 50 million dollar Hollywood comedies do; try to be shocking and dirty. They aren'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/john-waters-751_comedy_if-you-purposefully-look-to-shock-people_1636527.jpg" --- # If you purposefully look to shock people, it isn't funny… ![“If you purposefully look to shock people, it isn't funny. That's what 50 million dollar Hollywood comedies do; try to be shocking and dirty. They aren't really. It isn't enough to shock. It's easy to shock. Real surprise is what I'm after. Those early movies, we had drugs, which you weren't…” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/john-waters-751_comedy_if-you-purposefully-look-to-shock-people_1636527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/john-waters-751_comedy_if-you-purposefully-look-to-shock-people_1636527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/john-waters-751_comedy_if-you-purposefully-look-to-shock-people_1636527.jpg) > “If you purposefully look to shock people, it isn't funny. That's what 50 million dollar Hollywood comedies do; try to be shocking and dirty. They aren't really. It isn't enough to shock. It's easy to shock. Real surprise is what I'm after. Those early movies, we had drugs, which you weren't supposed to show. You weren't supposed to shoot up. We would make fun of hippies. I think that we were punk before there was punk.” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor that relies solely on shock loses impact; true comedy needs surprise and depth beyond mere provocation. **In simple terms:** Shock alone isn’t funny; comedy needs surprise. Key Takeaway Seek genuine surprise, not cheap shock. Themes humor authenticity creativity Mood witty reflective Type observational satirical When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - film writing - advertising - social satire Key Concepts subversion cultural critique artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can you create surprise without offending? - What deeper truths can humor reveal? A Different Perspective Shock tactics can alienate audiences and become predictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Hippie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippie/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Million dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-dollars/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shock/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If you purposefully look to shock people, it isn't funny. That's what 50 million dollar Hollywood comedies do ; try to be shocking and dirty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/if-you-purposefully-look-to-shock-people-it-isn-t-funny-that-s-what-2/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [People are going to say, "I was a lesbian back in the 90s" just like people say, "I was a hippie in the 60s".…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/people-are-going-to-say-i-was-a-lesbian-back-in-the-90s-just-like/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [We're not trying to shock people with our image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/we-re-not-trying-to-shock-people-with-our-image/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [It's no longer possible to find something which will shock other people, because everything has already been done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/it-s-no-longer-possible-to-find-something-which-will-shock-other/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [The bar for being shocking doesn't even exist anymore. What am I going to do to shock people? Seriously, try to get The Fisting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/the-bar-for-being-shocking-doesn-t-even-exist-anymore-what-am-i-going/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [My plan is to shock people with what I can do, because I've got a few sides to me that I've never used on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-lawless/my-plan-is-to-shock-people-with-what-i-can-do-because-i-ve-got-a-few/) [Lucy Lawless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-lawless/) > [Only artists without talent try to shock people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/only-artists-without-talent-try-to-shock-people/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [I was a Reagan backer. It was a shock for some people that I could agree with anything that man would say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/i-was-a-reagan-backer-it-was-a-shock-for-some-people-that-i-could/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [You can look at a finale as chance to make an impact or a statement, to shock people or shoot a big cannon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/you-can-look-at-a-finale-as-chance-to-make-an-impact-or-a-statement/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I want to shock people. I want to do roles that nobody else can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/i-want-to-shock-people-i-want-to-do-roles-that-nobody-else-can-do/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) > [I fail to see the issue that will shock the people of this great country of ours into some decisive action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/i-fail-to-see-the-issue-that-will-shock-the-people-of-this-great/) [Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/) > [It's always better to shock people and change people's expectations than to give them exactly what they think you can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/it-s-always-better-to-shock-people-and-change-people-s-expectations/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [Don't be afraid to shock people or be unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rege-jean-page/don-t-be-afraid-to-shock-people-or-be-unexpected/) [Rege-Jean Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rege-jean-page/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Limbaugh hosts a radio show. His job is to shock people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/limbaugh-hosts-a-radio-show-his-job-is-to-shock-people/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Around '62 in Baltimore, all the girls had those big hairdos. 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They're trying to shock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/many-hundred-million-dollar-hollywood-comedies-aren-t-any-good-they/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [The Easter Bunny is a major reason for heroin addiction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-easter-bunny-is-a-major-reason-for-heroin-addiction-in-america/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [To use bad taste, you have to know the rules of good taste. I've always thanked my mother for that. She taught how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/to-use-bad-taste-you-have-to-know-the-rules-of-good-taste-i-ve-always/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm an old person because I still buy DVDs. 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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. 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