--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People laughed when they heard a good…" description: "\"“People laughed when they heard a good joke, but they groaned when they heard a pun, because there was no such thing as a good pun. Only bad ones. It w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/lucy-mihajlich-31654_quote_people-laughed-when-they-heard-a-good-jo_1703444.jpg" --- # People laughed when they heard a good joke, but they… ![“People laughed when they heard a good joke, but they groaned when they heard a pun, because there was no such thing as a good pun. Only bad ones. It was okay if no one laughed, because you didn’t even do that on purpose. Puns were just jokes with lower stakes.” quote by Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/lucy-mihajlich-31654_quote_people-laughed-when-they-heard-a-good-jo_1703444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/lucy-mihajlich-31654_quote_people-laughed-when-they-heard-a-good-jo_1703444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/lucy-mihajlich-31654_quote_people-laughed-when-they-heard-a-good-jo_1703444.jpg) > ““People laughed when they heard a good joke, but they groaned when they heard a pun, because there was no such thing as a good pun. Only bad ones. It was okay if no one laughed, because you didn’t even do that on purpose. Puns were just jokes with lower stakes.”” [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Puns are seen as lower‑stakes jokes that rarely elicit laughter, unlike good jokes that provoke genuine amusement. **In simple terms:** Puns are considered weaker jokes. Key Takeaway Don’t overvalue puns; focus on stronger humor. Themes humor language expectation creativity Mood playful analytical Type observational advice When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - writing workshop - social media memes - casual conversation Key Concepts wordplay comedic timing social perception Questions to Reflect On - What makes a joke resonate more than a pun? - When can a pun be effective? A Different Perspective Some audiences may appreciate clever wordplay, so dismissing puns entirely can limit comedic range. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Puns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puns/) ## Related quotes > [I love puns. I've been known to turn the car around just to take advantage of a good pun situation. It really is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-puns-i-ve-been-known-to-turn-the-car-around-just-to-take/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [It requires genius to make a good pun - some men of bright parts can't reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-cowley/it-requires-genius-to-make-a-good-pun-some-men-of-bright-parts-can-t/) [Hannah Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-cowley/) > [For my own part I think no innocent species of wit or pleasantry should be suppressed: and that a good pun may be admitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/for-my-own-part-i-think-no-innocent-species-of-wit-or-pleasantry/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [A good pun may be admitted among the smaller excellencies of lively conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/a-good-pun-may-be-admitted-among-the-smaller-excellencies-of-lively/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [“Detective Castilla, your Secret is safe with me.” She blinked with surprise, and I groaned. “God, Holden. 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His father laughed but didn't answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-liparulo/if-i-guess-your-secret-will-you-tell-me-if-i-m-right-his-father/) [Robert Liparulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-liparulo/) > [“His eyes drifted shut. without opening them, he murmured, "I like the sound of your laugh. It's real and genuine. A lot of girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-jordan/his-eyes-drifted-shut-without-opening-them-he-murmured-i-like-the/) [Sophie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-jordan/) > [I was always an exhibitionist. I liked it when everyone laughed. But I didn't do plays in high school. I was too nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/i-was-always-an-exhibitionist-i-liked-it-when-everyone-laughed-but-i/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [“How'd you know there was a bathroom here, you tricky beast?" I laughed. "I didn't." He chuckled. "I was actually hoping it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-carlson/how-d-you-know-there-was-a-bathroom-here-you-tricky-beast-i-laughed-i/) [Amanda Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-carlson/) > [“the new Filipino President's name had become a saucy joke: 'Corazon, aqui, no?' That is: 'Darling, let's do it here, eh?' Or, if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-new-filipino-president-s-name-had-become-a-saucy-joke-corazon/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## More by Lucy Mihajlich > [“It was probably hacker work too. Although it didn’t look like hacking. Nothing was blinking, beeping, or green. I didn’t see a single skull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mihajlich/it-was-probably-hacker-work-too-although-it-didn-t-look-like-hacking/) [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) > [“If I skipped class, I would feel like I was wasting money. 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They only let people see how late the planes were and how bad the weather was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mihajlich/why-did-airports-always-have-such-big-windows-they-only-let-people/) [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) > [“Ross blushed convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mihajlich/ross-blushed-convincingly/) [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) > [“Paranoia is just vanity with worse accessories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mihajlich/paranoia-is-just-vanity-with-worse-accessories/) [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) > [“we were all victims of an obsolete educational system built on the belief that the best way to prepare us for the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mihajlich/we-were-all-victims-of-an-obsolete-educational-system-built-on-the/) [Lucy Mihajlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mihajlich/) > [“I could have made new friends if I wanted to. 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