--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can make the audience laugh, be funny…" description: "\"You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the same time.\" — Molly Shannon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png" --- # You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the… ![“You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the same time.” quote by Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png) > “You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the same time.” [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy can blend humor and sadness, showing that emotional range enhances audience connection. **In simple terms:** Comedy can be both funny and sad. Key Takeaway Use mixed emotions to deepen impact. Themes humor emotional depth performance Mood humorous empathetic Type entertaining inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up - theatre - writing Key Concepts duality empathetic storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can you weave sadness into humor? - When does emotional contrast strengthen a performance? A Different Perspective Balancing tones risks confusing the audience if not skillfully done. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-laugh-314392/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-sad-330355/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-funny-824944/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Make Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-audience/) ## Related quotes > [I know how to make an audience laugh, 'cause I grew up on Third Rock from the Sun, week after week in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-know-how-to-make-an-audience-laugh-cause-i-grew-up-on-third-rock/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [I've always just tried to make the audience laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcintyre/i-ve-always-just-tried-to-make-the-audience-laugh/) [Michael McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcintyre/) > [I have been so busy making people laugh with my acting, so I thought why not direct something and make my audience laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satish-kaushik/i-have-been-so-busy-making-people-laugh-with-my-acting-so-i-thought/) [Satish Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satish-kaushik/) > [If you can make an audience laugh, you can make them love any character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/if-you-can-make-an-audience-laugh-you-can-make-them-love-any-character/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [The nice thing is to make an audience laugh and laugh and laugh and shudder later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-may/the-nice-thing-is-to-make-an-audience-laugh-and-laugh-and-laugh-and/) [Elaine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-may/) > [ Lucian \[of Samosata; 120-190 CE\] was trying to make his audience laugh, rather than start a revolution ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-michael-hecht/lucian-of-samosata-120-190-ce-was-trying-to-make-his-audience-laugh/) [Jennifer Michael Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-michael-hecht/) > [And the goal really is to make the audience laugh, to bring them some joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-barry/and-the-goal-really-is-to-make-the-audience-laugh-to-bring-them-some/) [Todd Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-barry/) > [I want to make the audience laugh and cry within ten seconds, to show just how close those emotions are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-neil/i-want-to-make-the-audience-laugh-and-cry-within-ten-seconds-to-show/) [Simon Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-neil/) > [I like doing live stand-up because that's where I started. If you do TV and radio you just send it out into the ether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dennis/i-like-doing-live-stand-up-because-that-s-where-i-started-if-you-do/) [Hugh Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dennis/) > [I'm a very jovial guy. I like to laugh, and when things strike me as funny, I don't hide the fact that it's humorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rooker/i-m-a-very-jovial-guy-i-like-to-laugh-and-when-things-strike-me-as/) [Michael Rooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rooker/) > [“Run like hell because you always need to. Laugh at everything because it's always funny. Never be cruel and never be cowardly. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-12th-doctor/run-like-hell-because-you-always-need-to-laugh-at-everything-because/) [The 12th Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-12th-doctor/) > [I like jokes and one-liners. I enjoy entertaining and making people laugh, being the funny man. But when I'm launched into unfamiliar environments I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-flint/i-like-jokes-and-one-liners-i-enjoy-entertaining-and-making-people/) [Keith Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-flint/) > [The major caveat in all of comedy is that it's all instinctive. There's no true criteria. There is no right or wrong. Ultimately, often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-charles/the-major-caveat-in-all-of-comedy-is-that-it-s-all-instinctive-there/) [Larry Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-charles/) > [“Life's a joke, so laugh while it's still funny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imkje-dongelmans/life-s-a-joke-so-laugh-while-it-s-still-funny/) [Imkje Dongelmans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imkje-dongelmans/) > [I enjoy making people laugh, but what I find funny and put online, others might misconstrue and find jerkish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-rosen/i-enjoy-making-people-laugh-but-what-i-find-funny-and-put-online/) [Josh Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-rosen/) ## More by Molly Shannon > [I want to do something I feel like I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-want-to-do-something-i-feel-like-i-can-do/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I feel like there is this resurgence of amazing roles for women. It's because TV is so good - there are amazing parts for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-feel-like-there-is-this-resurgence-of-amazing-roles-for-women-it-s/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I went to drama school at New York University.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-went-to-drama-school-at-new-york-university/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I really love having lots of down time with my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-really-love-having-lots-of-down-time-with-my-kids/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [The clothes, the shoes, the gold belts and the necklaces always click me into the character, for sure. You could not feel the character,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/the-clothes-the-shoes-the-gold-belts-and-the-necklaces-always-click/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I'm no way one of those comedians who want to do drama. I really do love comedies. I hope to go back to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-m-no-way-one-of-those-comedians-who-want-to-do-drama-i-really-do/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I think things get a lot better after high school. I think the ones that struggle during that time tend to have better experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-think-things-get-a-lot-better-after-high-school-i-think-the-ones/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [The three words every woman really longs to hear: I'll clean up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/the-three-words-every-woman-really-longs-to-hear-i-ll-clean-up/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I'm so respectful of good writing. It's the blueprint for the movie. You have to have that script there because, if you don't, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-m-so-respectful-of-good-writing-it-s-the-blueprint-for-the-movie/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [People would be like, 'Oh, 'Saturday Night Live' is such a stepping stone!' And I remember being like, 'A stepping stone?! This is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/people-would-be-like-oh-saturday-night-live-is-such-a-stepping-stone/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [Without a doubt, the worst part of being a mom is having to floss my kids' teeth every night. It's so tedious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/without-a-doubt-the-worst-part-of-being-a-mom-is-having-to-floss-my/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [The love of a parent, that connection, it's eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/the-love-of-a-parent-that-connection-it-s-eternal/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I went to NYU drama school, so I was a very serious actress. I used to do monologues with a Southern accent, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-went-to-nyu-drama-school-so-i-was-a-very-serious-actress-i-used-to/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [When I was on 'Saturday Night Live,' all I did was work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/when-i-was-on-saturday-night-live-all-i-did-was-work/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [I'm very driven by writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-m-very-driven-by-writing/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) [Explore all 63 Molly Shannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the same time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Molly Shannon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny-and-sad-at-the-same-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny-and-sad-at-the-same-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/molly-shannon-10792_audience_you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny_2641858.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can make the audience laugh, be funny and sad at the same time.” — Molly Shannon", "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": "Molly Shannon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can make the audience laugh,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny-and-sad-at-the-same-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/you-can-make-the-audience-laugh-be-funny-and-sad-at-the-same-time/#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 } } ] } ```