--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A joke, even if it be a lame one, is…" description: "\"A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly relished or quickly applauded as in a murder trial.\" — Mark Twain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47c/mark-twain-22_comedy_a-joke-even-if-it-be-a-lame-one-is-nowhe_290325.png" --- # A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly… ![“A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly relished or quickly applauded as in a murder trial.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47c/mark-twain-22_comedy_a-joke-even-if-it-be-a-lame-one-is-nowhe_290325.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47c/mark-twain-22_comedy_a-joke-even-if-it-be-a-lame-one-is-nowhe_290325.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47c/mark-twain-22_comedy_a-joke-even-if-it-be-a-lame-one-is-nowhe_290325.png) > “A joke, even if it be a lame one, is nowhere so keenly relished or quickly applauded as in a murder trial.” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor thrives in grim settings, offering relief and audience approval. **In simple terms:** Jokes lighten serious moments. Key Takeaway Use humor to ease tension. Themes humor courtroom social dynamics Mood witty lighthearted Type literary observational When to use this quote - legal proceedings - public speaking - stress relief Key Concepts psychology of laughter cultural coping Questions to Reflect On - Is it appropriate to joke in this context? - How does humor affect perception of seriousness? A Different Perspective Humor may be seen as disrespectful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applauded Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applauded-murder-2795689/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Joke Lame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke-lame-2795688/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Lame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lame/) [Lame Keenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lame-keenly-2795690/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Murder Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder-trial-907242/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) ## Related quotes > [“Bhutto’s case was not a trial of murder, rather it was the overt murder of a trial -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatima-bhutto/bhutto-s-case-was-not-a-trial-of-murder-rather-it-was-the-overt/) [Fatima Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatima-bhutto/) > [Going to a sensational murder trial is the only way I can relax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/going-to-a-sensational-murder-trial-is-the-only-way-i-can-relax/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [almost any object, including this book you hold, can turn up as Exhibit A in a murder trial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/almost-any-object-including-this-book-you-hold-can-turn-up-as-exhibit/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“A murder trial is not a Sunday-afternoon tea party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/a-murder-trial-is-not-a-sunday-afternoon-tea-party/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [My experience with horses is that they never throw away a chance to go lame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/my-experience-with-horses-is-that-they-never-throw-away-a-chance-to/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The humorist who invented trial by jury played a colossal practical joke upon the world, but since we have the system we ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-humorist-who-invented-trial-by-jury-played-a-colossal-practical/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Kerri and I met at theatre camp when were 16 years old, which is pretty lame. The rest of us met when we founded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lennon/kerri-and-i-met-at-theatre-camp-when-were-16-years-old-which-is/) [Thomas Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lennon/) > [Hey, you know what, I've gotta go on that 'Letterman' show. That show is so lame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/hey-you-know-what-i-ve-gotta-go-on-that-letterman-show-that-show-is/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Let her alone,' said the enkanto, 'or I will curse you blind, lame, and worse.' The old man laughed. 'I'm a curse breaker, fool.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/let-her-alone-said-the-enkanto-or-i-will-curse-you-blind-lame-and/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Im the lamest lame duck there could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wallace/im-the-lamest-lame-duck-there-could-be/) [George C. 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I used to watch it back in 2002 when it was hot, now it's just lame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wwe-is-not-the-same-i-used-to-watch-it-back-in-2002-when-it-was-hot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) ## More by Mark Twain > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. Behind him stretched the illimitable continent of heaven, steeped in a glory of light and color; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-creator-sat-upon-the-throne-thinking-behind-him-stretched-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It's easy to quit smoking. 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Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“As far as I can see, Italy, for fifteen hundred years, has turned all her energies, all her finances, and all her industry to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/as-far-as-i-can-see-italy-for-fifteen-hundred-years-has-turned-all/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Begin with the determination to succeed and the work is half done already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/begin-with-the-determination-to-succeed-and-the-work-is-half-done/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Many public-school children seem to know only two dates—1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/many-public-school-children-seem-to-know-only-two-dates-1492-and-4th/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If we could imagine such a man, that is a man who could invent the fly and send him out on his mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-we-could-imagine-such-a-man-that-is-a-man-who-could-invent-the-fly/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Lord save us all from a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/lord-save-us-all-from-a-hope-tree-that-has-lost-the-faculty-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) [Explore all 3,277 Mark Twain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## 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. 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