--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember before I did my HBO special…" description: "\"I remember before I did my HBO special, Chris [Rock] screamed at me - in a loving way, but still. He was like, \"You need to do 200 shows in a row and a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/judd-apatow-1471_hard-work_i-remember-before-i-did-my-hbo-special-c_3191226.jpg" --- # I remember before I did my HBO special, Chris \[Rock\]… ![“I remember before I did my HBO special, Chris [Rock] screamed at me - in a loving way, but still. He was like, "You need to do 200 shows in a row and a month straight on the road before you even think about recording a special!" And I had literally booked two weeks on the road and then went right…” quote by Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/judd-apatow-1471_hard-work_i-remember-before-i-did-my-hbo-special-c_3191226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/judd-apatow-1471_hard-work_i-remember-before-i-did-my-hbo-special-c_3191226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/judd-apatow-1471_hard-work_i-remember-before-i-did-my-hbo-special-c_3191226.jpg) > “I remember before I did my HBO special, Chris \[Rock\] screamed at me - in a loving way, but still. He was like, "You need to do 200 shows in a row and a month straight on the road before you even think about recording a special!" And I had literally booked two weeks on the road and then went right into the recording. It put me in a panic, but it also made me work harder and made me realize that everyone works differently, and that's okay.” [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The advice to perform extensively before recording forces intense preparation, revealing that personal work styles vary and that pressure can boost effort. **In simple terms:** Doing many shows first builds stamina and shows different work habits are fine. Key Takeaway Embrace rigorous practice and respect varied approaches. Themes discipline performance growth Mood determined reflective Type motivational insightful When to use this quote - stand‑up touring - recording specials - career development - overcoming anxiety Key Concepts work ethic creative process resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance preparation with self‑care? - What work style suits you best? A Different Perspective Too much pressure can cause burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [I just want a big HBO special or a network or somebody willing to get behind my work and promote it. The most frustrating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-owen/i-just-want-a-big-hbo-special-or-a-network-or-somebody-willing-to-get/) [Gary Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-owen/) > [I did the first HBO special ever in 1975 at Haverford College. Cable was new then: HBO was a Time-Life entity, with maybe 400,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/i-did-the-first-hbo-special-ever-in-1975-at-haverford-college-cable/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [Eddie Izzard is wonderful, I think, but I've only seen that one HBO special he did. He's one of the few people who talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/eddie-izzard-is-wonderful-i-think-but-i-ve-only-seen-that-one-hbo/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [When you're a comedian, the Holy Grail is an hour long HBO special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/when-you-re-a-comedian-the-holy-grail-is-an-hour-long-hbo-special/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [I think the recording industry is founded on that principle: to approximate the live experience, to approximate that thing that evaporates as it's happening,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-think-the-recording-industry-is-founded-on-that-principle-to/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [I didn't really even think of recording under my own name for a long time. I thought, 'I've got the rest of my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/i-didn-t-really-even-think-of-recording-under-my-own-name-for-a-long/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I think recording at home feels more organic, and injects some more personality into the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-demarco/i-think-recording-at-home-feels-more-organic-and-injects-some-more/) [Mac DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-demarco/) > [Sometimes in stand-up, you want that late-night set where you get that five minutes, then you want a half-hour special, and then the crown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/sometimes-in-stand-up-you-want-that-late-night-set-where-you-get-that/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [I did get good enough to get on HBO's Young Comedians Special, but I certainly wasn't the person who got launched off of HBO's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-did-get-good-enough-to-get-on-hbo-s-young-comedians-special-but-i/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [My first writing jobs were writing Tom Arnold specials for HBO, so I love working there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/my-first-writing-jobs-were-writing-tom-arnold-specials-for-hbo-so-i/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I have a project at HBO and one at the Family Channel coming that are being looked at. Aside from that I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-have-a-project-at-hbo-and-one-at-the-family-channel-coming-that-are/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Working with HBO was an opportunity to experience creative freedom and 'long-form development' that filmmakers didn't have a chance to do before the emergence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/working-with-hbo-was-an-opportunity-to-experience-creative-freedom/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [HBO is not an advertiser-based model, it's a subscription model. So what's significant to HBO is not necessarily the debut of an episode, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mann/hbo-is-not-an-advertiser-based-model-it-s-a-subscription-model-so/) [Michael Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mann/) > [It was a very excellent day over there at HBO/Cinemax when they bought 'Powers' . I felt like I graduated television college, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/it-was-a-very-excellent-day-over-there-at-hbo-cinemax-when-they/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [It's like, 'Sorry I passed you an STD but I really enjoy your quirky web presence.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah/it-s-like-sorry-i-passed-you-an-std-but-i-really-enjoy-your-quirky/) [Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah/) ## More by Judd Apatow > [I was in the recording studio when Pink was recording for a part of the gay rights anthem. It was just amazing to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-was-in-the-recording-studio-when-pink-was-recording-for-a-part-of/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Just trying to tell the truth about, you know, the struggle of - being alive is funny, it's just inherently tragic and also hilarious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/just-trying-to-tell-the-truth-about-you-know-the-struggle-of-being/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I feel like everybody's waiting for a job y'know, you can make a movie on your phone. And so there really is no reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-feel-like-everybody-s-waiting-for-a-job-y-know-you-can-make-a-movie/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [It's funny, now there are so many bands that I can never remember any of their names. Maybe it's because I'm old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-funny-now-there-are-so-many-bands-that-i-can-never-remember-any/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I like human comedies - or dramedies. More than anything, I'm interested in people just dealing with everyday things that are difficult, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-like-human-comedies-or-dramedies-more-than-anything-i-m-interested/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [ My dad was a big fan of comedy. He wanted to be a stand-up. He loved Lenny \[Bruce\]. He also loved Lord Buckley and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/my-dad-was-a-big-fan-of-comedy-he-wanted-to-be-a-stand-up-he-loved/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [ It's so funny, all the similarities that we have \[with David Copperfield\] of being obsessed young people and finding a way to be around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-so-funny-all-the-similarities-that-we-have-with-david/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I've made movies on every part of the spectrum, and you do understand when you go into certain movies that you're trying to elicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-ve-made-movies-on-every-part-of-the-spectrum-and-you-do-understand/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I love the Lonely Island. I wish there was more Lonely Island movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-love-the-lonely-island-i-wish-there-was-more-lonely-island-movies/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Parents don't realize that when they teach you about the Holocaust too early, it ruins you for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/parents-don-t-realize-that-when-they-teach-you-about-the-holocaust/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [People talk about universal intelligence ... I'm reticent to believe almost anything, just because my parents weren't religious at all, but that's when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/people-talk-about-universal-intelligence-i-m-reticent-to-believe/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [You can work on a movie for years, and you won't know until you show it to an audience for the first time if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-can-work-on-a-movie-for-years-and-you-won-t-know-until-you-show/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I literally cannot remember one joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-literally-cannot-remember-one-joke/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [You hear people say: "One day, when I'm in a good position I can make my passion project." I've seen a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-hear-people-say-one-day-when-i-m-in-a-good-position-i-can-make-my/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [If we really talked about what's wrong with you, you'd need a 7-1/2-hour movie and nobody would know what category to put it in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/if-we-really-talked-about-what-s-wrong-with-you-you-d-need-a-7-1-2/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) [Explore all 238 Judd Apatow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) ## More Hard work quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [Now I try to make efforts, you know, I'm just, the best effort I can do is just stay sober myself. I can at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dick/now-i-try-to-make-efforts-you-know-i-m-just-the-best-effort-i-can-do/) [Andy Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dick/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [I got the reputation of being hard to work with. It has been hard for me to get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/i-got-the-reputation-of-being-hard-to-work-with-it-has-been-hard-for/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [If you don't meet luck halfway with really hard work, luck won't get you all the way there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asia-kate-dillon/if-you-don-t-meet-luck-halfway-with-really-hard-work-luck-won-t-get/) [Asia Kate Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asia-kate-dillon/) > [Forgive me for noting that conservatives seem to believe that the rich will work harder if we give them more, and the poor will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-dionne/forgive-me-for-noting-that-conservatives-seem-to-believe-that-the/) [E. J. Dionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-dionne/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [There are really only two ways to teach. You can inspire the student to voluntarily and enthusiastically choose to do the hard work necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/there-are-really-only-two-ways-to-teach-you-can-inspire-the-student/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) [Browse all 7,687 Hard work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember before I did my HBO special, Chris [Rock] screamed at me - in a loving way, but still. 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