--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale…" description: "\"I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness.\" — Lee Mack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg" --- # I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness. ![“I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness.” quote by Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg) > “I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness.” [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy should not be measured solely by offensiveness; its value lies elsewhere. **In simple terms:** Comedy isn’t just about being offensive. Key Takeaway Focus on humor beyond shock value. Themes humor ethics art audience creativity Mood reflective playful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - writing rooms - live shows - online sketches - satire - cultural critique Key Concepts comedic timing social commentary taste censorship Questions to Reflect On - What makes comedy truly funny? - When does offense become art? A Different Perspective Offensive jokes sometimes attract attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Sliding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-sliding-5583887/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Look Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-comedy-2728884/) [Offensiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offensiveness-562276/) [Scale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scale/) [Scale Offensiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scale-offensiveness-5583886/) [Sliding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sliding/) ## Related quotes > [The self-righteous feel no need to be charming, and thus double their offensiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-self-righteous-feel-no-need-to-be-charming-and-thus-double-their/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I think you can get away with so much more offensiveness when you're operating behind a stuffed teddy bear or a cartoon or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/i-think-you-can-get-away-with-so-much-more-offensiveness-when-you-re/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [Many a reformer perishes in his removal of rubbish,--and that makes the offensiveness of the class. They are partial; they are notequal to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/many-a-reformer-perishes-in-his-removal-of-rubbish-and-that-makes-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Now different races and nationalities cherish different ideals of society that stink in each other's nostrils with an offensiveness beyond the power of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/now-different-races-and-nationalities-cherish-different-ideals-of/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [When I look at comedy, it's all self-expression. I apply that same method to my music. I came up listening to N.W.A and Snoop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/when-i-look-at-comedy-it-s-all-self-expression-i-apply-that-same/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [I don't look at certain things on TV anymore. I don't listen to certain music anymore. I make sure my kids don't listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/i-don-t-look-at-certain-things-on-tv-anymore-i-don-t-listen-to/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [Freddie Prinze was my idol, and he died, and there is not much of his stuff to look at. But now, your comedy can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/freddie-prinze-was-my-idol-and-he-died-and-there-is-not-much-of-his/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [A lot of my early pictures are, I think, quite funny. And these days I tend to look for comedy more and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-levitt/a-lot-of-my-early-pictures-are-i-think-quite-funny-and-these-days-i/) [Helen Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-levitt/) > [Even in the depths of dreadful situations, there's usually something rather comic, or something you can laugh about afterwards, at least. So, I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-meaney/even-in-the-depths-of-dreadful-situations-there-s-usually-something/) [Colm Meaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-meaney/) > [The only sliding I did was on the kind of instrument that you put on your lap; no Spanish electrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/the-only-sliding-i-did-was-on-the-kind-of-instrument-that-you-put-on/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Remember that film 'Sliding Doors,' when John Hannah woos Gwyneth Paltrow by reciting Monty Python sketches? I can tell you now that doesn't work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-merchant/remember-that-film-sliding-doors-when-john-hannah-woos-gwyneth/) [Stephen Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-merchant/) > [Reality is a sliding door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/reality-is-a-sliding-door/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Good riding techniques result in immediate automated control forces, resulting in controlling scary situations automatically. Sliding changes seat, peg and grip positions relative to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-dent/good-riding-techniques-result-in-immediate-automated-control-forces/) [Conrad Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-dent/) > [“La mu’axsa, but I think I’ll just keep sliding down this greased pole to hell?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/la-mu-axsa-but-i-think-i-ll-just-keep-sliding-down-this-greased-pole/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [On the clay, I am used to sliding so much and I move really well, but I can't slide on the hard courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-bertens/on-the-clay-i-am-used-to-sliding-so-much-and-i-move-really-well-but-i/) [Kiki Bertens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-bertens/) ## More by Lee Mack > [We're all basically decent human beings so if 3,000 people are laughing at a joke then it's worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/we-re-all-basically-decent-human-beings-so-if-3-000-people-are/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I used to tell people I was a comic and they'd be fascinated. Now all you get is: 'Oh yeah, my cousin Steve's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-used-to-tell-people-i-was-a-comic-and-they-d-be-fascinated-now-all/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [If I am old-fashioned, it's not a conscious decision. I just do material that I think is funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/if-i-am-old-fashioned-it-s-not-a-conscious-decision-i-just-do/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I have to say I like Edinburgh, but I'm not a big fan of the Festival - I like it but I'm not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-have-to-say-i-like-edinburgh-but-i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-the-festival/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [My great-grandfather was a variety hall comedian called Billy Mack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/my-great-grandfather-was-a-variety-hall-comedian-called-billy-mack/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [Genuinely my big thing and the reason I'm in 'The Miser' is because I always ask myself one simple question when I'm offered anything:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/genuinely-my-big-thing-and-the-reason-i-m-in-the-miser-is-because-i/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [The best comedy you can ever have is when you're in the pub with your mates. You can never beat that. That's what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/the-best-comedy-you-can-ever-have-is-when-you-re-in-the-pub-with-your/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I've realised that my strength is writing around people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-ve-realised-that-my-strength-is-writing-around-people/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [In TV, you get driven to work in a luxury car, and find flowers in your dressing room. Then suddenly you're on tour, drying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/in-tv-you-get-driven-to-work-in-a-luxury-car-and-find-flowers-in-your/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [If I was reading a book about a comedian, I wouldn't really care too much about their childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/if-i-was-reading-a-book-about-a-comedian-i-wouldn-t-really-care-too/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I suppose if your parents die in their 50s and you are approaching 50, you see that you are definitely not in the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-suppose-if-your-parents-die-in-their-50s-and-you-are-approaching-50/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [From the age of 14, I remember thinking I wanted to be a comedian. But that was like saying I wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/from-the-age-of-14-i-remember-thinking-i-wanted-to-be-a-comedian-but/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [Going on stage is a performance, it's an act; you're playing a version of yourself. I don't give it a lot of thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/going-on-stage-is-a-performance-it-s-an-act-you-re-playing-a-version/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [I would say about 90 per cent of drunken idiots in comedy clubs wear ties, particularly in London where I work most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-would-say-about-90-per-cent-of-drunken-idiots-in-comedy-clubs-wear/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [There are probably about 50 comedians who would come to my 50th birthday party but I'm not sure how many of them would come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/there-are-probably-about-50-comedians-who-would-come-to-my-50th/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) [Explore all 94 Lee Mack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) ## 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": "I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Mack" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scale-of-offensiveness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scale-of-offensiveness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/lee-mack-7146_comedy_i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scal_1514711.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't look at comedy as a sliding scale of offensiveness.” — Lee Mack", "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": "Lee Mack", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't look at comedy as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scale-of-offensiveness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-don-t-look-at-comedy-as-a-sliding-scale-of-offensiveness/#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 } } ] } ```