--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been doing comedy for 20 years now…" description: "\"I've been doing comedy for 20 years now. I started when I was 13 and I think for the first 10 years I was impersonating other people.\" — Mae Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/mae-martin-14626_comedy_i-ve-been-doing-comedy-for-20-years-now_1622743.jpg" --- # I've been doing comedy for 20 years now. I started when I… ![“I've been doing comedy for 20 years now. I started when I was 13 and I think for the first 10 years I was impersonating other people.” quote by Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/mae-martin-14626_comedy_i-ve-been-doing-comedy-for-20-years-now_1622743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/mae-martin-14626_comedy_i-ve-been-doing-comedy-for-20-years-now_1622743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/mae-martin-14626_comedy_i-ve-been-doing-comedy-for-20-years-now_1622743.jpg) > “I've been doing comedy for 20 years now. I started when I was 13 and I think for the first 10 years I was impersonating other people.” [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comedian reflects on a long career, noting early years spent mimicking others before finding a unique voice. **In simple terms:** Early comedy was imitation before originality. Key Takeaway Find your own comedic voice. Themes creativity career development identity Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up gigs - writing workshops - mentor feedback Key Concepts imitation authenticity growth Questions to Reflect On - When did you realize you needed your own style? - How does imitation help skill development? A Different Perspective May ignore challenges of industry bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I got obsessed with impersonations: impersonating people that I knew - people, not famous people but people like my family. At first, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-james/i-got-obsessed-with-impersonations-impersonating-people-that-i-knew/) [Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-james/) > [I was impersonating people way, way, way early, as far back as I can remember. And I would do people on my street for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/i-was-impersonating-people-way-way-way-early-as-far-back-as-i-can/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [I was very lucky when I started doing comedy because I hadn't seen much stand-up. I just got up on stage and did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-leggero/i-was-very-lucky-when-i-started-doing-comedy-because-i-hadn-t-seen/) [Natasha Leggero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-leggero/) > [I started doing comedy in a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelah-johnson/i-started-doing-comedy-in-a-church/) [Anjelah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelah-johnson/) > [“Impersonating a quiet, gentle librarian like Barbara Gordon--You deserve to be taken out of circulation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kesel/impersonating-a-quiet-gentle-librarian-like-barbara-gordon-you/) Karl Kesel > [Being an English major prepares you for impersonating authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/being-an-english-major-prepares-you-for-impersonating-authority/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I sound like an Englishman impersonating an American impersonating an Englishman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/i-sound-like-an-englishman-impersonating-an-american-impersonating-an/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [My friends were the class clowns, but I was the one in class doing Michael Jordan or teachers for no reason. I've always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/my-friends-were-the-class-clowns-but-i-was-the-one-in-class-doing/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Perhaps its inevitable, perhaps one has to choose between being nothing at all and impersonating what one is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/perhaps-its-inevitable-perhaps-one-has-to-choose-between-being/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Are you crying? No, I'm impersonating a fountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/are-you-crying-no-i-m-impersonating-a-fountain/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I'm not impersonating anybody. I'm perfectly satisfied with what I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-johansen/i-m-not-impersonating-anybody-i-m-perfectly-satisfied-with-what-i-am/) [David Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-johansen/) > [I'll buy half the wardrobe after 'The Impressions Show' has finished - I know it fits and looks good, because I'm impersonating people such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-stephenson/i-ll-buy-half-the-wardrobe-after-the-impressions-show-has-finished-i/) [Debra Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-stephenson/) > [I always enjoy impersonating my characters in the first-person singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-always-enjoy-impersonating-my-characters-in-the-first-person/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [Essentially, what QAnon was - what the Q poster was doing - was impersonating a federal agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrick-brennan/essentially-what-qanon-was-what-the-q-poster-was-doing-was/) [Fredrick Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrick-brennan/) > [“I felt half the time I was impersonating a girl instead of really being one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-felt-half-the-time-i-was-impersonating-a-girl-instead-of-really/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## More by Mae Martin > [I love the comedy world and really grew up in green rooms, so I wanted to show the positives and negatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-love-the-comedy-world-and-really-grew-up-in-green-rooms-so-i-wanted/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [It's exhausting trying to impress someone and be a version of yourself that might be attractive to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/it-s-exhausting-trying-to-impress-someone-and-be-a-version-of/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [Most people have had that feeling of like, being obsessed with someone, and losing self control a bit, and that hopefully humanises addiction a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/most-people-have-had-that-feeling-of-like-being-obsessed-with-someone/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I can't tell you how much money I waste on plaid shirts, whisky that I hate the taste of, and Moleskine notebooks that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-money-i-waste-on-plaid-shirts-whisky-that-i/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [Being on stage at the Soho Theatre is hard to beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/being-on-stage-at-the-soho-theatre-is-hard-to-beat/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I formed a sketch troupe with two friends, started doing gigs, and dropped out of school shortly after to pursue it full time! Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-formed-a-sketch-troupe-with-two-friends-started-doing-gigs-and/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I'm attracted to funny people with nice hands who smell good and are kind to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-m-attracted-to-funny-people-with-nice-hands-who-smell-good-and-are/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I sort of thought acting was just about arranging your face into emotions. I didn't realise it was about actually allowing yourself to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-sort-of-thought-acting-was-just-about-arranging-your-face-into/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I'm talking about personal stuff so I think people are on my side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-m-talking-about-personal-stuff-so-i-think-people-are-on-my-side/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I don't have much time for the 'sad clown' thing. It's only associated with comedians because of the disparity between feeling like that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-don-t-have-much-time-for-the-sad-clown-thing-it-s-only-associated/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [What audiences see is a curated version of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/what-audiences-see-is-a-curated-version-of-myself/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [I'd love to write more observational comedy but the stuff people seem to respond to is the most personal so it's snowballed from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/i-d-love-to-write-more-observational-comedy-but-the-stuff-people-seem/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [If you never, or rarely, see your experience depicted in art or pop culture then you can begin to feel isolated or separate; Othered.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/if-you-never-or-rarely-see-your-experience-depicted-in-art-or-pop/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [Watching comedy for the first time I felt absolutely on fire. I just couldn't believe there was this environment where people were being applauded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/watching-comedy-for-the-first-time-i-felt-absolutely-on-fire-i-just/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) > [With the 12-step program, if you don't subscribe to that way of life completely, it can be seen as failing, and I think a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-martin/with-the-12-step-program-if-you-don-t-subscribe-to-that-way-of-life/) [Mae Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) [Explore all 46 Mae Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-martin/) ## 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've been doing comedy for 20 years now. 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