---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has…"
description: "\"One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.\" — Larry Gelbart"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg"
---

#  One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.

![“One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.” quote by Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg)

> “One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.”

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humor is not a personal trait but an external force that affects you.

**In simple terms:** Humor acts on you, not from you.

Key Takeaway

Recognize humor’s impact on mood.

Themes

humor psychology influence

Mood

witty thoughtful

Type

observational philosophical

When to use this quote

- stand‑up comedy
- office banter
- media consumption

Key Concepts

social dynamics emotional response

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor shape your perspective?
- When does humor become offensive?

A Different Perspective

Humor can be misinterpreted or harmful.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Doesn Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-sense-2077319/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Sense Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-humor/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/)

## Related quotes

> [You definitely have to have a sense of humor. It's not always serious when it comes to basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/you-definitely-have-to-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-s-not-always-serious/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

> [The most irritating people are those without a sense of humor, amirite?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-irritating-people-are-those-without-a-sense-of-humor-amirite/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [The person who has a sense of humor is not just more relaxed in the face of a potentially stressful situation, but is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morreall/the-person-who-has-a-sense-of-humor-is-not-just-more-relaxed-in-the/)

[John Morreall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morreall/)

> [“I'm quite certain that if I lost my sense of humor, it would most definitely need to be replaced by a padded cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/i-m-quite-certain-that-if-i-lost-my-sense-of-humor-it-would-most/)

[Comic Strip Mama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/comic-strip-mama/)

> [A lot of people say, 'Hey, God doesn't have a sense of humor.' Yes, He does. God has a great sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/a-lot-of-people-say-hey-god-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-yes-he-does/)

[Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/)

> [When someone doesn't have a sense of humour, it kills me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/when-someone-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humour-it-kills-me/)

[Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/)

> [R.I.P to those who doesn't have a sense of appreciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sole-heiress/r-i-p-to-those-who-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-appreciation/)

[Sole Heiress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sole-heiress/)

> [“Look, without our stories, without the true nature and reality of who we are as People of Color, nothing about fanboy or fangirl culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/look-without-our-stories-without-the-true-nature-and-reality-of-who/)

[Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/)

> [You have to have a sense of humor about all of it - the Emmys and politics and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eichner/you-have-to-have-a-sense-of-humor-about-all-of-it-the-emmys-and/)

[Billy Eichner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eichner/)

> [You know, 'Jake 2.0' had some funny things in it; I mean, I needed my sense of humor to do that part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-gorham/you-know-jake-2-0-had-some-funny-things-in-it-i-mean-i-needed-my/)

[Christopher Gorham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-gorham/)

> [When you're in Hollywood, you get sort of jaded about what you think the sense of humor of Hollywood is supposed to be, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diedrich-bader/when-you-re-in-hollywood-you-get-sort-of-jaded-about-what-you-think/)

[Diedrich Bader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diedrich-bader/)

> [Women respond to comfort and a sense of humor. I was always able to make them laugh, so that helps a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/women-respond-to-comfort-and-a-sense-of-humor-i-was-always-able-to/)

[Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/)

> [I got my sense of humor from my grandmother. You know, my grandmother was very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mooney/i-got-my-sense-of-humor-from-my-grandmother-you-know-my-grandmother/)

[Paul Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mooney/)

> [The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/the-combination-of-landing-the-biggest-interview-of-my-career-and/)

[Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/)

## More by Larry Gelbart

> [I think the greatest imagination we can exercise is one that imagines how someone else feels. Because you know how you feel, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-think-the-greatest-imagination-we-can-exercise-is-one-that-imagines/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I am on sort of a diet in terms of the Internet. It's the sheer quantity. It's the Niagara of opinion, of information. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-am-on-sort-of-a-diet-in-terms-of-the-internet-it-s-the-sheer/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [If vaudeville had died, television was the box they put it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/if-vaudeville-had-died-television-was-the-box-they-put-it-in/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [A war is like when it rains in New York and everybody crowds into doorways. They all get chummy together perfect strangers. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/a-war-is-like-when-it-rains-in-new-york-and-everybody-crowds-into/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [Television is a weapon of mass distractrion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/television-is-a-weapon-of-mass-distractrion/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [The subtle differences in language and humor that get lost in translation, for example, make it almost impossible for big companies to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/the-subtle-differences-in-language-and-humor-that-get-lost-in/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [Today's audience knows more about what's on television than what's in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/today-s-audience-knows-more-about-what-s-on-television-than-what-s-in/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I don't think you can name a good picture where the production or the possible promotion isn't "cast-contingent." That means the film needs not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-don-t-think-you-can-name-a-good-picture-where-the-production-or-the/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I write what I write and I honestly don't care if it gets on or not. I'm writing to see if I can find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-write-what-i-write-and-i-honestly-don-t-care-if-it-gets-on-or-not-i/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I think technology is such that we can reach new heights but we need some of the basics of the pre-technological age. It's counter-productive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-think-technology-is-such-that-we-can-reach-new-heights-but-we-need/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I never watched Friends, maybe because it was written by people straight out of college…The only way to avoid age discrimination in Hollywood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-never-watched-friends-maybe-because-it-was-written-by-people/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [Reality television is less honest than YouTube. YouTube is the real reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/reality-television-is-less-honest-than-youtube-youtube-is-the-real/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I refuse to do anything easy. I'm writing for the smartest person out there. I'm not equating myself with the smartest person out there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-refuse-to-do-anything-easy-i-m-writing-for-the-smartest-person-out/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [You can write something that has continuity, but it makes happy endings all the more ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/you-can-write-something-that-has-continuity-but-it-makes-happy/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

> [I'm a recovering optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-m-a-recovering-optimist/)

[Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

[Explore all 29 Larry Gelbart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/)

## 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": "One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Larry Gelbart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comedy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/larry-gelbart-21506_humor_one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has_1314309.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you.” — Larry Gelbart",
                "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": "Larry Gelbart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One doesn't have a sense of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/one-doesn-t-have-a-sense-of-humor-it-has-you/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
