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Comedy Quote by Kate Clinton

“I've always felt that a really good joke, a really good one-liner, is a really good line of poetry. It's imagistic, it's compact, there is a rhythm to it.” quote by Kate Clinton
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“I've always felt that a really good joke, a really good one-liner, is a really good line of poetry. It's imagistic, it's compact, there is a rhythm to it.”

Kate Clinton

About This Quote

Source Stand-up Comedy: Performance by Kate Clinton, 2005

A great joke shares poetic qualities: vivid imagery, brevity, and rhythm.

In simple terms: Good jokes are like short poems with rhythm.

Key Takeaway

Craft humor with visual detail and tight structure.

Themes

humor poetry creativity

Mood

playful energetic

Type

comedic artistic

When to use this quote

  • writing jokes
  • advertising copy
  • song lyrics
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

imagery brevity rhythm

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you add imagery to a punchline?
  • When does brevity hurt a joke?
A Different Perspective

Not all jokes need poetic form to be effective.

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