---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to entertain so badly that I…"
description: "\"I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I was good. I just browbeat my way into show business.\" — Mel Brooks"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg"
---

#  I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I…

![“I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I was good. I just browbeat my way into show business.” quote by Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg)

> “I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I was good. I just browbeat my way into show business.”

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Relentless persistence and self‑discipline can turn ambition into mastery and success.

**In simple terms:** Hard work leads to success.

Key Takeaway

Practice relentlessly.

Themes

career creativity determination

Mood

inspirational energetic

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- acting
- writing
- stand‑up comedy
- film directing

Key Concepts

skill development perseverance industry entry

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you stay motivated?
- What habits sustain your growth?

A Different Perspective

Burnout risk if balance ignored.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Show business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-business/)

## Related quotes

> [I had to stop taking myself and the craft that seriously. Somehow I saw the bigger context of life. It's just a movie. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/i-had-to-stop-taking-myself-and-the-craft-that-seriously-somehow-i/)

[Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/)

> [You look at Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bob Seger. All they ever wanted to do was go out there and entertain, and I'm the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-money/you-look-at-sinatra-tony-bennett-bob-seger-all-they-ever-wanted-to-do/)

[Eddie Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-money/)

> [I always knew I wanted to entertain people my whole life, I just didn't know exactly how I was going to do it until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doja-cat/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-entertain-people-my-whole-life-i-just-didn/)

[Doja Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doja-cat/)

> [All I've ever wanted to do is entertain people - make them laugh, think, smile, feel creeped out or scared; whatever it is. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/all-i-ve-ever-wanted-to-do-is-entertain-people-make-them-laugh-think/)

[Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/)

> [I always wanted to entertain. When I was little, I would sing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush or my sisters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-chabert/i-always-wanted-to-entertain-when-i-was-little-i-would-sing-in-front/)

[Lacey Chabert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-chabert/)

> [I think Shakespeare, at his heart, was just the way all of us are that make movies: He wanted to entertain people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-asbury/i-think-shakespeare-at-his-heart-was-just-the-way-all-of-us-are-that/)

[Kelly Asbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-asbury/)

> [I knew early on that I wanted to entertain in some form. And I knew I would work as hard as anyone to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-knew-early-on-that-i-wanted-to-entertain-in-some-form-and-i-knew-i/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [I've always wanted to entertain people, or make them smile, or tell a joke that would make them laugh. I don't think there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-demetral/i-ve-always-wanted-to-entertain-people-or-make-them-smile-or-tell-a/)

[Chris Demetral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-demetral/)

> [I grew up between Detroit and Ghana, and I had to make friends in an instant. It sharpened my wit, and also, just for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/i-grew-up-between-detroit-and-ghana-and-i-had-to-make-friends-in-an/)

[Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/)

> [“Poor Mr. Zum now he was un-fun and had no funs left who wanted to entertain him. What a qerbackle, what an un-fun pickle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/poor-mr-zum-now-he-was-un-fun-and-had-no-funs-left-who-wanted-to/)

Coco J. Ginger

> [I didn't want to go out at night and spend my money in bars and stuff like that, so when I came home at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/i-didn-t-want-to-go-out-at-night-and-spend-my-money-in-bars-and-stuff/)

[Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/)

> [If Facebook really wanted to entertain us, theyd make it a requirement for people to share their mental status in addition to each new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/if-facebook-really-wanted-to-entertain-us-theyd-make-it-a-requirement/)

Azgraybebly Joslan

> [My father had it, my mother had it; we wanted to entertain people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/my-father-had-it-my-mother-had-it-we-wanted-to-entertain-people/)

[Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/)

> [I wanted to entertain and make people laugh. I think it really hit in third grade, but once I was in high school, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-metz/i-wanted-to-entertain-and-make-people-laugh-i-think-it-really-hit-in/)

[Chrissy Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-metz/)

> [I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go. I always wanted to entertain and help others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid/i-knew-what-i-wanted-and-where-i-wanted-to-go-i-always-wanted-to/)

[Khalid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid/)

## More by Mel Brooks

> [Woody Allen is a genius. His films are wonderful. He's poetic, but he's also a critic. He artfully steps back from a social setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/woody-allen-is-a-genius-his-films-are-wonderful-he-s-poetic-but-he-s/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [ Comedy is lively, comedy is joy, and that's what keeps us \[people\] going, we've got to look forward to little, little happiness's. Little, little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/comedy-is-lively-comedy-is-joy-and-that-s-what-keeps-us-people-going/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [All right, I am often brash, rude and brutally direct. Someday I'm going to die and I don't have time to toe-dance around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/all-right-i-am-often-brash-rude-and-brutally-direct-someday-i-m-going/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [I don't think in terms of results at all. I think: what next insanity can I shock the world with?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-don-t-think-in-terms-of-results-at-all-i-think-what-next-insanity/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [My mother is very short - four-eleven. She could walk under tables and never hit her head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/my-mother-is-very-short-four-eleven-she-could-walk-under-tables-and/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [The audience. They see the name Mel Brooks, they want something really funny. They don't want to be moved; they don't want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/the-audience-they-see-the-name-mel-brooks-they-want-something-really/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [I realised that all one really had to do was just observe. Observe and slightly exaggerate, and you had comedy. Instead of creating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-realised-that-all-one-really-had-to-do-was-just-observe-observe-and/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [Life literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/life-literally-abounds-in-comedy-if-you-just-look-around-you/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [Look, I really don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you're alive, you got to flap your arms and legs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/look-i-really-don-t-want-to-wax-philosophic-but-i-will-say-that-if/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [I knew it... I'm surrounded by assholes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-knew-it-i-m-surrounded-by-assholes/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [I was in the army, and to me it was like a newsreel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-was-in-the-army-and-to-me-it-was-like-a-newsreel/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [But I have bad taste with a deep fount of intellectuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/but-i-have-bad-taste-with-a-deep-fount-of-intellectuality/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> ['Mad About You' was very fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/mad-about-you-was-very-fun/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [Immortality is a by-product of good work. Masterpieces are not for artists, they're for critics. Critics can't even make music by rubbing their back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/immortality-is-a-by-product-of-good-work-masterpieces-are-not-for/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

> [If Ivan the Terrible had been kissed and loved between zero and three, he probably would have become Ivan Not So Terrible. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/if-ivan-the-terrible-had-been-kissed-and-loved-between-zero-and-three/)

[Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

[Explore all 173 Mel Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [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/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I was good. I just browbeat my way into show business.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mel Brooks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-kept-at-it-until-i-was-good-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-kept-at-it-until-i-was-good-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/mel-brooks-2308_business_i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-ke_1764986.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I wanted to entertain so badly that I kept at it until I was good. I just browbeat my way into show business.” — Mel Brooks",
                "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": "Mel Brooks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I wanted to entertain so badly...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-kept-at-it-until-i-was-good-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-wanted-to-entertain-so-badly-that-i-kept-at-it-until-i-was-good-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
