--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with having a sense of humor…" description: "\"The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.\" — Lou Holtz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png" --- # The problem with having a sense of humor is often that… ![“The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.” quote by Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png) > “The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.” [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor can backfire when used on people in a bad mood, highlighting the need for emotional awareness. **In simple terms:** Jokes may fail on upset people. Key Takeaway Read the room before joking. Themes humor empathy communication Mood lighthearted cautious Type advice observational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - team leadership - customer service - conflict resolution Key Concepts social intelligence emotional labor Questions to Reflect On - When is humor appropriate? - How can you gauge others’ moods? A Different Perspective Humor isn’t a universal fix and can worsen tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Good mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-mood/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) ## Related quotes > [Nowadays, you cannot be a very Effective political figure without Having a demonstrable sense of humor. People take to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/nowadays-you-cannot-be-a-very-effective-political-figure-without/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Even celebrities, most people have a sense of humor. Most of the people we meet who we've done on the show, like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-stone/even-celebrities-most-people-have-a-sense-of-humor-most-of-the-people/) [Matt Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-stone/) > [One of the great things about the Internet is that you can read what everybody has to say about everything. It is fascinating to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/one-of-the-great-things-about-the-internet-is-that-you-can-read-what/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I think growing up in Santa Fe or Northern New Mexico in general instills a sense of humor in people, a sort of easygoing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/i-think-growing-up-in-santa-fe-or-northern-new-mexico-in-general/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [I always cast people with a sense of humor because people that are super serious don't understand when I ask them to eat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gordon-green/i-always-cast-people-with-a-sense-of-humor-because-people-that-are/) [David Gordon Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gordon-green/) > [If we lose our sense of humor, then we most certainly have lost our perspective, and therefore our happiness and joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/if-we-lose-our-sense-of-humor-then-we-most-certainly-have-lost-our/) Senoraroy > [I've often said that the seventh paramita should be a sense of humor, so we don't take ourselves too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-ve-often-said-that-the-seventh-paramita-should-be-a-sense-of-humor/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to our steps as we walk the tightrope of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-sense-of-humor-is-the-pole-that-adds-balance-to-our-steps-as-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think anyone who behaves boorishly but without a good sense of humor is not as fun to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-think-anyone-who-behaves-boorishly-but-without-a-good-sense-of/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [A sense of humor saves your life, and being able to make friends wherever you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-o-mara/a-sense-of-humor-saves-your-life-and-being-able-to-make-friends/) [Jason O'Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-o-mara/) > [“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 > [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 > [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 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/) ## More by Lou Holtz > [You will never be indecisive if you know your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-will-never-be-indecisive-if-you-know-your-purpose/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The answers to these questions will determine your success or failure. 1) Can people trust me to do what's right? 2) Am I committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-answers-to-these-questions-will-determine-your-success-or-failure/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-what-you-did-yesterday-seems-big-you-haven-t-done-anything-today/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [You always have to prepare for the obstacles that are going to come. Consequently, when they do come, it doesn't affect you mentally near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-always-have-to-prepare-for-the-obstacles-that-are-going-to-come/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Remember this. Bear Bryant retired at age 69, and he died 28 days after he stopped coaching. If you don't have something, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/remember-this-bear-bryant-retired-at-age-69-and-he-died-28-days-after/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The freedom to do your own thing ends when you have obligations and responsibilities. If you want to fail yourself - you can -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-freedom-to-do-your-own-thing-ends-when-you-have-obligations-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [People eyeing you as a potential leader tend to ask three questions: Are you committed? Do you care about me? Can I trust you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/people-eyeing-you-as-a-potential-leader-tend-to-ask-three-questions/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [“never tell your problems to any1...20% donot care and 80% are glad to have them...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/never-tell-your-problems-to-any1-20-donot-care-and-80-are-glad-to/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Our cellar home had a kitchen and a combination bedroom and half bath, which meant we had a sink next to the bed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/our-cellar-home-had-a-kitchen-and-a-combination-bedroom-and-half-bath/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [I was raised a Catholic on both sides of the family. I went to a Catholic grade school and thought everybody in the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/i-was-raised-a-catholic-on-both-sides-of-the-family-i-went-to-a/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Everyone wants to win on Saturday afternoon when the game is played. It’s what you do the other six days that decides the outcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/everyone-wants-to-win-on-saturday-afternoon-when-the-game-is-played/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [At age nine, I got a paper route. Sixty-six papers had to be delivered to sixty-six families every day. I also had to collect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/at-age-nine-i-got-a-paper-route-sixty-six-papers-had-to-be-delivered/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/what-you-are-capable-of-achieving-is-determined-by-your-talent-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [God answers prayers, but he doesn't always answer it your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/god-answers-prayers-but-he-doesn-t-always-answer-it-your-way/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If you burn your neighbors house down, it doesn't make your house look any better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-you-burn-your-neighbors-house-down-it-doesn-t-make-your-house-look/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) [Explore all 226 Lou Holtz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## 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": "The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Holtz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor-is-often-that-people-you-use/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor-is-often-that-people-you-use/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_comedy_the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor_2977906.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood.” — Lou Holtz", "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": "Lou Holtz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The problem with having a sense...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor-is-often-that-people-you-use/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-problem-with-having-a-sense-of-humor-is-often-that-people-you-use/#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 } } ] } ```