--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in high school I saw Steven…" description: "\"When I was in high school I saw Steven Wright, a brilliant one-liner comedian, and I thought: 'That's what I should do; I should write one-liners.' And..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mike-birbiglia-1343_album_when-i-was-in-high-school-i-saw-steven-w_2873270.png" --- # When I was in high school I saw Steven Wright, a brilliant… ![“When I was in high school I saw Steven Wright, a brilliant one-liner comedian, and I thought: 'That's what I should do; I should write one-liners.' And I did. My first album is mostly one-liners.” quote by Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mike-birbiglia-1343_album_when-i-was-in-high-school-i-saw-steven-w_2873270.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mike-birbiglia-1343_album_when-i-was-in-high-school-i-saw-steven-w_2873270.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mike-birbiglia-1343_album_when-i-was-in-high-school-i-saw-steven-w_2873270.png) > “When I was in high school I saw Steven Wright, a brilliant one-liner comedian, and I thought: 'That's what I should do; I should write one-liners.' And I did. My first album is mostly one-liners.” [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing a role model can inspire a career path, leading to focused creative work. **In simple terms:** Seeing a comedian sparked a desire to write jokes. Key Takeaway Embrace inspiration and act on it. Themes inspiration career creative writing Mood excited determined Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - writing workshops - personal branding Key Concepts role models comedy creative focus Questions to Reflect On - What unique voice can you develop? - How can you balance influence and originality? A Different Perspective Mimicking a style may limit originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Album](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [One-liners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-liners/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [I love Steven Wright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-love-steven-wright/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I love Steven Wright. I was in high school in the '80s, and there was a lot of stand up on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-love-steven-wright-i-was-in-high-school-in-the-80s-and-there-was-a/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Steven Wright can do Steven Wright very well. Not everyone can do Steven Wright's jokes with the same results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-cenac/steven-wright-can-do-steven-wright-very-well-not-everyone-can-do/) [Wyatt Cenac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyatt-cenac/) > [By the power of Steven Wright's Beard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/by-the-power-of-steven-wright-s-beard/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I've read that Steven Wright's style was born out of genuine nervousness,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-read-that-steven-wright-s-style-was-born-out-of-genuine/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I always wanted to be a comedian but never thought I'd be a musical comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-comedian-but-never-thought-i-d-be-a-musical/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Before I was a comedian, I thought the coolest thing that would happen to me was being a teenager... Boy, was I wrong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/before-i-was-a-comedian-i-thought-the-coolest-thing-that-would-happen/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I never thought I could be a comedian, because I never thought I was funny. A lot of other people thought I was funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-cole/i-never-thought-i-could-be-a-comedian-because-i-never-thought-i-was/) [Deon Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-cole/) > [I'm not too keen on jokes that are one-liners. I want the situation to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-falardeau/i-m-not-too-keen-on-jokes-that-are-one-liners-i-want-the-situation-to/) [Philippe Falardeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-falardeau/) > [“Appreciation is always appreciated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-choudhary/appreciation-is-always-appreciated/) [Shubham Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-choudhary/) > [“Asking someone else to drive your sports car is like asking someone else to kiss your girlfriend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/asking-someone-else-to-drive-your-sports-car-is-like-asking-someone/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“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 > [“If you think about it, the guy who brought out the concept of school, hadn't been to school himself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-choudhary/if-you-think-about-it-the-guy-who-brought-out-the-concept-of-school/) [Shubham Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-choudhary/) > [“\* Get one of those marvellous pink rabbit hand blenders. Like the ones I've seen on the late-night shopping channel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-golightly/get-one-of-those-marvellous-pink-rabbit-hand-blenders-like-the-ones-i/) [Bridget Golightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-golightly/) > [“Knowledge was scattered treasure, education organized it into art, commerce and science.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/knowledge-was-scattered-treasure-education-organized-it-into-art/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Mike Birbiglia > [So I went to a club the other day, which is timely because my self esteem had been hovering right around 'normal' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/so-i-went-to-a-club-the-other-day-which-is-timely-because-my-self/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [My writing process is very feedback-based. When I do stand-up, I listen to the audience. I try to understand what's connecting, what's not connecting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/my-writing-process-is-very-feedback-based-when-i-do-stand-up-i-listen/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [It's interesting how sleepwalking in a certain way becomes an accumulation of your outside stimuli that's actually there and what's happening in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/it-s-interesting-how-sleepwalking-in-a-certain-way-becomes-an/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I went to the doctor, and they found something in my bladder. And whenever they find something, it's never anything good like, "We found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-went-to-the-doctor-and-they-found-something-in-my-bladder-and/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Bears are simultaneously so graceful and so strong. Bears know who they are, but they often don’t know who you are, which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/bears-are-simultaneously-so-graceful-and-so-strong-bears-know-who/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Once you start writing something obsessively, it's almost like someone has to rip it from your hands in order for you to put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/once-you-start-writing-something-obsessively-it-s-almost-like-someone/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I always try to attack the most honest issues I can in my comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-always-try-to-attack-the-most-honest-issues-i-can-in-my-comedy/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [The list of fun and easily fixed brain diseases is very short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/the-list-of-fun-and-easily-fixed-brain-diseases-is-very-short/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [When I met my wife, I was a working comic, so the first week we went out, she saw me perform, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/when-i-met-my-wife-i-was-a-working-comic-so-the-first-week-we-went/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I think because I've been working in front of audiences for so many years, I'm able to take in the input, good or bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-think-because-i-ve-been-working-in-front-of-audiences-for-so-many/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Directing your first film is like showing up to the field trip in seventh grade, getting on the bus, and making an announcement, 'So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/directing-your-first-film-is-like-showing-up-to-the-field-trip-in/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Media is so weird; everything is so accessible now. It used to be this thing where, if you did something on 'This American Life,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/media-is-so-weird-everything-is-so-accessible-now-it-used-to-be-this/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [As artists, we'd all love to not be commercial - to not sell out to the full extent that we are able. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/as-artists-we-d-all-love-to-not-be-commercial-to-not-sell-out-to-the/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Comedy is tragedy plus time, but the time is different for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/comedy-is-tragedy-plus-time-but-the-time-is-different-for-everybody/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) [Explore all 253 Mike Birbiglia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) ## More Album quotes > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [I definitely want to put together an amazing debut album with some really dreamy collaborations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-runway/i-definitely-want-to-put-together-an-amazing-debut-album-with-some/) [Bree Runway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-runway/) > [I give you everything you want as an artist, for so long. Consistency. Wordplay. Wittiness. You can check the checklist. Only thing I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/i-give-you-everything-you-want-as-an-artist-for-so-long-consistency/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/doing-my-own-album-provided-me-the-opportunity-to-say-whatever-i/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [I never thought I would be on the tour or that people would want to talk about my album. It was never about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-never-thought-i-would-be-on-the-tour-or-that-people-would-want-to/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Yazoo was Vince's sound ultimately. At the time Vince and I got together he had only recorded one album with Depeche and Depeche were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/yazoo-was-vince-s-sound-ultimately-at-the-time-vince-and-i-got/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [A lot of the album 'The Definition' was made from two things: Pixar movies and J. Dilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bellion/a-lot-of-the-album-the-definition-was-made-from-two-things-pixar/) [Jon Bellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bellion/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I remember I heard it in an interview with Michael Jackson one day, saying the art is gone, everybody makes records just to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-remember-i-heard-it-in-an-interview-with-michael-jackson-one-day/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [James Morrison just had a new album come out and I think he's incredible. I'd love to work with him, his voice is insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mchale/james-morrison-just-had-a-new-album-come-out-and-i-think-he-s/) [Kevin McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mchale/) > [The first album I ever purchased and ever remember listening to in full length was 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/the-first-album-i-ever-purchased-and-ever-remember-listening-to-in/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [I'm a huge Joe Nichols fan, and he put this song out an album called 'Real Things.' I was excited for Joe when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/i-m-a-huge-joe-nichols-fan-and-he-put-this-song-out-an-album-called/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [We on the internet. That's such a small community. We think we're so huge. If you went up to people on the street and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/we-on-the-internet-that-s-such-a-small-community-we-think-we-re-so/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) [Browse all 1,266 Album quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was in high school I saw Steven Wright, a brilliant one-liner comedian, and I thought: 'That's what I should do; I should write one-liners.' And I did. 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