--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You see in comedy - performance is the…" description: "\"You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue is like the icing on that cake.\" — Johnny Lever" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg" --- # You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue… ![“You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue is like the icing on that cake.” quote by Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg) > “You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue is like the icing on that cake.” [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy relies on both the performance and the dialogue, with the latter enhancing the overall effect like icing on a cake. **In simple terms:** Performance is the base; dialogue adds flavor. Key Takeaway Focus on both delivery and script. Themes humor performance writing entertainment craft Mood lighthearted analytical Type observational educational When to use this quote - stand‑up shows - theater productions - film scripts - improv sessions Key Concepts comedic timing scriptwriting stage presence audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does dialogue change a joke’s impact? - Can a performance succeed without strong dialogue? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex comedic dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance/) ## Related quotes > [Nail polish is like the icing on the beauty cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-bowers/nail-polish-is-like-the-icing-on-the-beauty-cake/) [Mary Helen Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-helen-bowers/) > [I can't imagine a successful comedy movie without a successful comedy performance at the heart of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-can-t-imagine-a-successful-comedy-movie-without-a-successful-comedy/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [The first year was like icing. Then the cake started to show through …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-first-year-was-like-icing-then-the-cake-started-to-show-through/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [“Enjoyment of Jesus is not like icing on the cake; it’s like powder in the shell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/enjoyment-of-jesus-is-not-like-icing-on-the-cake-it-s-like-powder-in/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Intimacy without commitment, like icing without cake, can be sweet, but it ends up making us sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/intimacy-without-commitment-like-icing-without-cake-can-be-sweet-but/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [For all forms, writing dialogue is almost like writing music. I pay close attention to rhythms and tones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/for-all-forms-writing-dialogue-is-almost-like-writing-music-i-pay/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [Dialogue is like jazz. Dialogue is creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/dialogue-is-like-jazz-dialogue-is-creative/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Writing dialogue is like writing a song, which I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-azzarello/writing-dialogue-is-like-writing-a-song-which-i-ve-done/) [Brian Azzarello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-azzarello/) > [On the whole, dialogue is the most difficult thing, without any doubt. It's very difficult, unfortunately. You have to detach yourself from the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/on-the-whole-dialogue-is-the-most-difficult-thing-without-any-doubt/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Dialogue is what I like doing. It's what I am good at doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/dialogue-is-what-i-like-doing-it-s-what-i-am-good-at-doing/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [Trying to execute that kind of intricate staging in the West Wing at the same time you're doing intricate dialogue - it's like patting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/trying-to-execute-that-kind-of-intricate-staging-in-the-west-wing-at/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [I love the movie 'Taken,' but the dialogue in the beginning of that movie is hilarious. They're talking, these commando types, and there's dialogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/i-love-the-movie-taken-but-the-dialogue-in-the-beginning-of-that/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [In real life, people fumble their words. They repeat themselves and stare blankly off into space and don't listen properly to what other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/in-real-life-people-fumble-their-words-they-repeat-themselves-and/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [When I act, I hear it like music. In my head, I hear the dialogue like music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/when-i-act-i-hear-it-like-music-in-my-head-i-hear-the-dialogue-like/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [I still haven't quite caught on to the idea of writing without dialogue. I like writing dialogue, and there's nothing wrong with dialogue in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-lonergan/i-still-haven-t-quite-caught-on-to-the-idea-of-writing-without/) [Kenneth Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-lonergan/) ## More by Johnny Lever > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Comedy comes from childhood only. The humour genes you are born with remain with you. I was always making mischief and making people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/comedy-comes-from-childhood-only-the-humour-genes-you-are-born-with/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Gone are those days where I would probably work for five shifts in a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/gone-are-those-days-where-i-would-probably-work-for-five-shifts-in-a/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Back To Dad' gives a message that every youngster should learn and this is surely going to leave a very strong impact on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/back-to-dad-gives-a-message-that-every-youngster-should-learn-and/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [For artists like me nothing matters more than the audience's respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/for-artists-like-me-nothing-matters-more-than-the-audience-s-respect/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Comedy is more an art of body language and gestures - it is more a performance of an artist than the lines given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/comedy-is-more-an-art-of-body-language-and-gestures-it-is-more-a/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Ranchi is a much better place than Mumbai or any other big city in the country. People here are simple and open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/ranchi-is-a-much-better-place-than-mumbai-or-any-other-big-city-in/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [In fact, I get angry when people laugh at me. I go to the airport and the ground hostess starts laughing at me when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/in-fact-i-get-angry-when-people-laugh-at-me-i-go-to-the-airport-and/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [When you're on a battlefield, you should know how to fight your way to victory, and you've to be very well-prepared for it. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/when-you-re-on-a-battlefield-you-should-know-how-to-fight-your-way-to/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [I don't boast about being a holy person but I know that prayer can do miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/i-don-t-boast-about-being-a-holy-person-but-i-know-that-prayer-can-do/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Comedy is tough. It is a serious business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/comedy-is-tough-it-is-a-serious-business/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [My son assisted a few directors and my daughter does stand up acts with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/my-son-assisted-a-few-directors-and-my-daughter-does-stand-up-acts/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Johnny Walker and I were very close. My house is just next to his, we were neighbours. Some time back, he came to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/johnny-walker-and-i-were-very-close-my-house-is-just-next-to-his-we/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [As for insecurity, I have none because I know nobody has offered variety in comedy like I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/as-for-insecurity-i-have-none-because-i-know-nobody-has-offered/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [I started as a stand-up comedian at charity shows in Mumbai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/i-started-as-a-stand-up-comedian-at-charity-shows-in-mumbai/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) [Explore all 94 Johnny Lever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) ## More Cake quotes > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) Ludwig Erhard > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Baby I love you like a fat kid loves cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/baby-i-love-you-like-a-fat-kid-loves-cake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of people are programmed to think, 'Oh, I want to do this, but I also want this.' It's like they want everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metro-boomin/a-lot-of-people-are-programmed-to-think-oh-i-want-to-do-this-but-i/) [Metro Boomin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metro-boomin/) > [Happy Birthday To Me,I just turned twenty three(23),I want a new Puppy, And I'll name it Julie:) Chocolate cake anyone all I have leftover,,,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/happy-birthday-to-me-i-just-turned-twenty-three-23-i-want-a-new-puppy/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [It's strange because pandan cake isn't hard to make but yet it can only be bought in Singapore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/it-s-strange-because-pandan-cake-isn-t-hard-to-make-but-yet-it-can/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [Let them eat cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/let-them-eat-cake/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [“I bring the leftovers to rehearsal, and Ms. Albright lets us have a cake picnic on the stage. And by cake picnic, I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-bring-the-leftovers-to-rehearsal-and-ms-albright-lets-us-have-a/) [Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/) > [Your favorite kind of cake can't be birthday cake, that's like saying your favorite kind of cereal is breakfast cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/your-favorite-kind-of-cake-can-t-be-birthday-cake-that-s-like-saying/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [“We went for a walk on College Street and popped into Coco's for a snack. There, I revealed my future, much like the exquisitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-rosen/we-went-for-a-walk-on-college-street-and-popped-into-coco-s-for-a/) Amy Rosen > [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. It's one of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/the-three-of-us-just-try-put-our-heads-down-and-stay-creative-the/) [Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/) > [Sam loved to listen to music and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sam-loved-to-listen-to-music-and-make-his-own-songs-to-wear-soft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Photographing a cake can be art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-penn/photographing-a-cake-can-be-art/) [Irving Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-penn/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) Browse all 1,341 Cake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue is like the icing on that cake.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Lever" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cake-and-dialogue-is-like-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cake-and-dialogue-is-like-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/johnny-lever-7150_cake_you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cak_2269968.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You see in comedy - performance is the cake and dialogue is like the icing on that cake.” — Johnny Lever", "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": "Johnny Lever", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You see in comedy - performance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cake-and-dialogue-is-like-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/you-see-in-comedy-performance-is-the-cake-and-dialogue-is-like-the/#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 } } ] } ```