--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to be as smart as you can about…" description: "\"You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid.\" — Mel Brooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png" --- # You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid. ![“You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid.” quote by Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png) > “You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid.” [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. Encourages mastering stupidity to outwit it, highlighting self-awareness in humor. **In simple terms:** Know your own foolishness. Key Takeaway Study stupidity, stay clever. Themes humor self-awareness intelligence Mood lighthearted witty Type comedic philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - improv workshops Key Concepts comedic strategy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing folly improve decision‑making? - When is “smart stupidity” beneficial? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on “stupidity” may discourage risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-stupid/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-stupid-407118/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-smart-372495/) ## Related quotes > [Listen! Say less rather than more. 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Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Maybe I'm not the gloaming witches smart, but at least I'm not our stupid liffey hamburger mongrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/maybe-i-m-not-the-gloaming-witches-smart-but-at-least-i-m-not-our/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [“I don't believe in smart and stupid. But I do believe in those who try and does who don't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimiko-minazako/i-don-t-believe-in-smart-and-stupid-but-i-do-believe-in-those-who-try/) [Kimiko Minazako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimiko-minazako/) > [We have plenty of money to do everything we want to do, if we do it smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mccrery/we-have-plenty-of-money-to-do-everything-we-want-to-do-if-we-do-it/) [Jim McCrery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mccrery/) > [Well, just being stupid and politically incorrect doesn't work. You can be politically incorrect if you're smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/well-just-being-stupid-and-politically-incorrect-doesn-t-work-you-can/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Be honest: Are you surprised that I didn't realize sooner? Are you surprised that it took me so long to even /think/ the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/be-honest-are-you-surprised-that-i-didn-t-realize-sooner-are-you/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [You don't get old being stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chili-davis/you-don-t-get-old-being-stupid/) [Chili Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chili-davis/) > [So, thanks,” Vivian said. “For what?” I looked up at her, confused. “For being stupid enough to love your crazy, murdering lunatic of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/so-thanks-vivian-said-for-what-i-looked-up-at-her-confused-for-being/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Sometimes I feel like a complete kid when I'm running around with my friends being stupid for a week, and then sometimes I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-complete-kid-when-i-m-running-around-with-my/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [“I don't debate where there is no debate. I'm smart. You're stupid. Debate over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-son-m-lee/i-don-t-debate-where-there-is-no-debate-i-m-smart-you-re-stupid/) [J'son M. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-son-m-lee/) > [Children are very smart, in their own stupid way. A child's brain is like a sponge, and you know how smart sponges are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/children-are-very-smart-in-their-own-stupid-way-a-child-s-brain-is/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“How is someone so smart so stupid? You can’t make money if you always insult my customer. You got to be the worst hooker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-brant/how-is-someone-so-smart-so-stupid-you-can-t-make-money-if-you-always/) [Jason Brant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-brant/) > [“But you can't go around changing your definition of right and wrong (or smart and stupid) just because doing the wrong thing happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-you-can-t-go-around-changing-your-definition-of-right-and-wrong/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## 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 Being stupid quotes > [You don't get old being stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chili-davis/you-don-t-get-old-being-stupid/) [Chili Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chili-davis/) > [It is not merely that people must die and people must suffer, if not here, then there. But what is dreadful is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/it-is-not-merely-that-people-must-die-and-people-must-suffer-if-not/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [Be honest: Are you surprised that I didn't realize sooner? Are you surprised that it took me so long to even /think/ the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/be-honest-are-you-surprised-that-i-didn-t-realize-sooner-are-you/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Sometimes I feel like a complete kid when I'm running around with my friends being stupid for a week, and then sometimes I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-complete-kid-when-i-m-running-around-with-my/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [So, thanks,” Vivian said. “For what?” I looked up at her, confused. “For being stupid enough to love your crazy, murdering lunatic of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/so-thanks-vivian-said-for-what-i-looked-up-at-her-confused-for-being/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [I didn't get to be this smart by not being stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-mackie/i-didn-t-get-to-be-this-smart-by-not-being-stupid/) [Allison Mackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-mackie/) > [Baseball is a sport where being stupid and keeping things really simple a lot of times is the right way to do things. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-greinke/baseball-is-a-sport-where-being-stupid-and-keeping-things-really/) [Zack Greinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-greinke/) > [Learn all you can, don't be lazy. Nothing's worse than being stupid. Being broke is bad, but being stupid is what's really bad. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/learn-all-you-can-don-t-be-lazy-nothing-s-worse-than-being-stupid/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Well, just being stupid and politically incorrect doesn't work. You can be politically incorrect if you're smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/well-just-being-stupid-and-politically-incorrect-doesn-t-work-you-can/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Time flies when you’re being stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/time-flies-when-you-re-being-stupid/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [Our world is built on adrenaline and getting away with it. Different cities different names. Its a far simpler life to lead when there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/our-world-is-built-on-adrenaline-and-getting-away-with-it-different/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Somebody can become a celebrity for being stupid. That is what it's turned into](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-hudson/somebody-can-become-a-celebrity-for-being-stupid-that-is-what-it-s/) [Kate Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-hudson/) > [I’d like to. Problem is, I’m not stupid.” “You act stupid.” “Right. Thanks for that. For your information, there’s a difference between acting stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-d-like-to-problem-is-i-m-not-stupid-you-act-stupid-right-thanks-for/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“I have lived my life backwards as compared to my peers. Everyone did incredibly stupid things as teenagers and pre-teens. I didn't. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-have-lived-my-life-backwards-as-compared-to-my-peers-everyone-did/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [If people were not wicked I should not mind their being stupid; but, to our misfortune, they are both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/if-people-were-not-wicked-i-should-not-mind-their-being-stupid-but-to/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) [Browse all 50 Being stupid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-stupid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mel Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about-being-stupid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being stupid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about-being-stupid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/mel-brooks-2308_being-stupid_you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about_2030309.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You want to be as smart as you can about being stupid.” — 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": "You want to be as smart...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about-being-stupid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/you-want-to-be-as-smart-as-you-can-about-being-stupid/#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 } } ] } ```