--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Make it dark, make it grim, make it…" description: "\"Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.\" — Joss Whedon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png" --- # Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for… ![“Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” quote by Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png) > “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in darkness, humor is essential for humanity. **In simple terms:** Humor sustains us in grim times. Key Takeaway Inject humor into tough situations. Themes humor darkness humanity Mood wry hopeful Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - stressful work - personal crises Key Concepts storytelling balance resilience Questions to Reflect On - When does humor help? - When can it backfire? A Different Perspective Humor may be misunderstood in serious contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-god/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm very much of the "make it dark, make it grim, make it tough", but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-m-very-much-of-the-make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough-but-then/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There's a great line by Joss Whedon: "Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/there-s-a-great-line-by-joss-whedon-make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) > [“That is the best of all things we can do for one another: Make the dark small.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/that-is-the-best-of-all-things-we-can-do-for-one-another-make-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [It's a hard line to walk, man. Cause you know you want to make this movie, you want to make it dark and real,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/it-s-a-hard-line-to-walk-man-cause-you-know-you-want-to-make-this/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [If I make dark my countenance, I shut my life from happier chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/if-i-make-dark-my-countenance-i-shut-my-life-from-happier-chance/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [You can make it dark, but I can't make it light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-can-make-it-dark-but-i-can-t-make-it-light/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Tell me a joke and I will know how you behave ~ Tell me a quote and I may be your wise slave”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-kashef/tell-me-a-joke-and-i-will-know-how-you-behave-tell-me-a-quote-and-i/) [Yasser Kashef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-kashef/) > [The awkward momment when you tell a joke and no one laughs lol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mochy/the-awkward-momment-when-you-tell-a-joke-and-no-one-laughs-lol/) MoCHY > [Rick said, "Is there some place we can go and talk?" "You want to talk?," Keir raised an eyebrow. "I never thought I'd see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/rick-said-is-there-some-place-we-can-go-and-talk-you-want-to-talk/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [I never could tell a joke. I just started talking to the audience, and when the drunks would yell, "Hey, when do the broads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-never-could-tell-a-joke-i-just-started-talking-to-the-audience-and/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [A lot of the comedians don't even tell the joke. Like only three tell the joke, the rest of them dissect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/a-lot-of-the-comedians-don-t-even-tell-the-joke-like-only-three-tell/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [Growing up, 'wocka wocka' was like my thing...I would tell a joke and then go, 'Wocka wocka!' I was a bit of a nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/growing-up-wocka-wocka-was-like-my-thing-i-would-tell-a-joke-and-then/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) > [A comic strip has a rhythm and a pattern, and you got to get in and out quick. So you set up a joke,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/a-comic-strip-has-a-rhythm-and-a-pattern-and-you-got-to-get-in-and/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) ## More by Joss Whedon > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Every vampire fiction reinvents vampires to its own needs. You take what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-vampire-fiction-reinvents-vampires-to-its-own-needs-you-take/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [When you're making a film, you have an obligation to fill the frame with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-have-an-obligation-to-fill-the-frame/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Why aren’t you asking a hundred other guys why they don’t write strong women characters? I believe that what I’m doing should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/why-aren-t-you-asking-a-hundred-other-guys-why-they-don-t-write/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [People feel removed from sexism. 'I'm not a sexist, but I'm not a feminist.' They think there's this fuzzy middle ground. There's no fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/people-feel-removed-from-sexism-i-m-not-a-sexist-but-i-m-not-a/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Even in the darkness, every color can be found. And every day of rain brings water flowing to things growing in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/even-in-the-darkness-every-color-can-be-found-and-every-day-of-rain/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I never tire of the heroes that I knew growing up. The fun is not that much different from doing a television show: You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-never-tire-of-the-heroes-that-i-knew-growing-up-the-fun-is-not-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Don't just be yourself. Be all of your selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/don-t-just-be-yourself-be-all-of-your-selves/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I always watch what I say. I am what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-always-watch-what-i-say-i-am-what-i-say/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/remember-to-always-be-yourself-unless-you-suck/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I've become less cynical, which is appalling but kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-ve-become-less-cynical-which-is-appalling-but-kind-of-cool/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Xander: It could be witches, some evil witches, which is ridiculous cause witched they were persecuted, women power, love the eatrh, and I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/xander-it-could-be-witches-some-evil-witches-which-is-ridiculous/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There's a lot of anger in the Twitter-verse, as I've discovered. But there's a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/there-s-a-lot-of-anger-in-the-twitter-verse-as-i-ve-discovered-but/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Explore all 529 Joss Whedon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## 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": "Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joss Whedon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough-but-then-for-the-love-of-god/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough-but-then-for-the-love-of-god/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/348/joss-whedon-480_comedy_make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough_2700042.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” — Joss Whedon", "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": "Joss Whedon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Make it dark, make it grim,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough-but-then-for-the-love-of-god/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/make-it-dark-make-it-grim-make-it-tough-but-then-for-the-love-of-god/#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 } } ] } ```