--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Comedy used to be a vehicle for change…" description: "\"Comedy used to be a vehicle for change. Now, comedy has gotten to this quirky, nonsensical place, which I enjoy. But I do think there is room for discu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/kenya-barris-8436_change_comedy-used-to-be-a-vehicle-for-change-n_2556739.jpg" --- # Comedy used to be a vehicle for change. Now, comedy has… ![“Comedy used to be a vehicle for change. Now, comedy has gotten to this quirky, nonsensical place, which I enjoy. But I do think there is room for discussion-based humor. We can tell those stories in a way that feels edifying.” quote by Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/kenya-barris-8436_change_comedy-used-to-be-a-vehicle-for-change-n_2556739.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/kenya-barris-8436_change_comedy-used-to-be-a-vehicle-for-change-n_2556739.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/kenya-barris-8436_change_comedy-used-to-be-a-vehicle-for-change-n_2556739.jpg) > “Comedy used to be a vehicle for change. Now, comedy has gotten to this quirky, nonsensical place, which I enjoy. But I do think there is room for discussion-based humor. We can tell those stories in a way that feels edifying.” [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy once aimed to provoke thought; now it often leans toward absurdity, yet purposeful humor can still educate. **In simple terms:** Comedy shifted from change to absurdity, but purposeful humor still matters. Key Takeaway Balance humor with meaningful messages. Themes comedy change entertainment Mood thoughtful playful Type satire inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - satirical writing - public speaking Key Concepts social commentary media theory Questions to Reflect On - What topics can humor address without losing its edge? - How can humor stay both funny and insightful? A Different Perspective Humor that tries too hard to be edifying may feel preachy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [I prefer situational or character-based humor to gross-out gags and comedic set pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/i-prefer-situational-or-character-based-humor-to-gross-out-gags-and/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [There was a sea of change in comedy in the late 1950s and '60s. We were dealing with vignettes as opposed to jokes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/there-was-a-sea-of-change-in-comedy-in-the-late-1950s-and-60s-we-were/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [When you do your comedy and your drama, your acting style doesn't change. If it's a comedy, the situations and the characters might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/when-you-do-your-comedy-and-your-drama-your-acting-style-doesn-t/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [I think somewhere along the line probably Tony Hancock did an interview and claimed that he was terribly depressed, and that he was hiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-reeves/i-think-somewhere-along-the-line-probably-tony-hancock-did-an/) [Vic Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-reeves/) > [I just liked stand-up comedy so much. I used to memorize Bill Cosby albums and other people's albums, George Carlin, Flip Wilson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/i-just-liked-stand-up-comedy-so-much-i-used-to-memorize-bill-cosby/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [Wayne's World' is my all time favorite comedy. I used to watch it on VHS on repeat with my brother when I was ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lafferty/wayne-s-world-is-my-all-time-favorite-comedy-i-used-to-watch-it-on/) [James Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lafferty/) > [My uncle Shawn used to stay with us when we were really young, and I used to come downstairs and see him break dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-wayans-jr/my-uncle-shawn-used-to-stay-with-us-when-we-were-really-young-and-i/) [Damon Wayans, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-wayans-jr/) > [I didn't do a lot of drama and decided to do comedy, so I never used to get those terrorist audition and stuff. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-soni/i-didn-t-do-a-lot-of-drama-and-decided-to-do-comedy-so-i-never-used/) [Karan Soni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-soni/) > [I guess as you get older you sort of see the mechanics, even with the best comedians. There's admiration for people I admire, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-merchant/i-guess-as-you-get-older-you-sort-of-see-the-mechanics-even-with-the/) [Stephen Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-merchant/) > [I changed the face of comedy. I used to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/i-changed-the-face-of-comedy-i-used-to-be-funny/) [Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/) > [Apparently nobody really read it, it was a cheap movie, it fit their schedule in terms of things so fine, let the guy make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/apparently-nobody-really-read-it-it-was-a-cheap-movie-it-fit-their/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) ## More by Kenya Barris > [I wanted to do a show about a family that is absolutely black. Because as Du Bois has shown, we do have to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/i-wanted-to-do-a-show-about-a-family-that-is-absolutely-black-because/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [We're supposed to be becoming more evolved as a society, and we're actually becoming less evolved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/we-re-supposed-to-be-becoming-more-evolved-as-a-society-and-we-re/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [I consider myself a disciple of Norman Lear. And one of the things he did was topic-driven humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/i-consider-myself-a-disciple-of-norman-lear-and-one-of-the-things-he/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [I want to start really developing more on the film side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/i-want-to-start-really-developing-more-on-the-film-side/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [And I feel like, as a black man within black culture, I know very well firsthand - as do my parents and my grandparents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/and-i-feel-like-as-a-black-man-within-black-culture-i-know-very-well/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [There's never really been a true apology for slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/there-s-never-really-been-a-true-apology-for-slavery/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [I have a 'hope for the best, expect the worst' mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/i-have-a-hope-for-the-best-expect-the-worst-mentality/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [For me, one of the big things I really worried about a lot was nuclear war growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/for-me-one-of-the-big-things-i-really-worried-about-a-lot-was-nuclear/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [I have five kids, and people can say 'nature versus nurture,' but it is nature! Nurture has so little to do with it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/i-have-five-kids-and-people-can-say-nature-versus-nurture-but-it-is/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [The acknowledgement and celebration of Juneteenth as an American and possibly international holiday is something that I would put in the life goals column…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/the-acknowledgement-and-celebration-of-juneteenth-as-an-american-and/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [My kids did not know that Obama was the first black president. I felt like I needed to tell them because I felt like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/my-kids-did-not-know-that-obama-was-the-first-black-president-i-felt/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [Writers' rooms are terrifying. You take someone whose never done this before, and this is their life's dream that is about to happen or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/writers-rooms-are-terrifying-you-take-someone-whose-never-done-this/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [ABC has a general policy that you can't show images of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/abc-has-a-general-policy-that-you-can-t-show-images-of-the-world/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [As much as we want to say racism is dead, it's still rearing its ugly head constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/as-much-as-we-want-to-say-racism-is-dead-it-s-still-rearing-its-ugly/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [Everybody - every single person - has a story. Find yours and tell it in your voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/everybody-every-single-person-has-a-story-find-yours-and-tell-it-in/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) [Explore all 81 Kenya Barris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Comedy used to be a vehicle for change. 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