--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I found, especially with stand-up, that…" description: "\"I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise works, you can make the joke work. If a premise doesn't work, you can't force it to.\" — Nick Kroll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg" --- # I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise… ![“I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise works, you can make the joke work. If a premise doesn't work, you can't force it to.” quote by Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg) > “I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise works, you can make the joke work. If a premise doesn't work, you can't force it to.” [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A joke works only if its underlying premise is solid; you can’t force humor. **In simple terms:** Good jokes need good ideas. Key Takeaway Focus on strong premises. Themes creativity humor craftsmanship Mood playful analytical Type educational entertaining When to use this quote - writing jokes - performing - improvisation - editing material Key Concepts comedic structure audience perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you test a premise before the joke? - What makes a premise compelling? A Different Perspective Weak premises lead to flat jokes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Joke Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke-work-1684207/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Premise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise/) [Premise Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise-doesn-3472718/) [Premise Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise-works-3472717/) [Stand Premise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-premise-3472719/) ## Related quotes > [A good joke can work in New York and Kentucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wolf/a-good-joke-can-work-in-new-york-and-kentucky/) [Michelle Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wolf/) > [You can't always be 100-percent positive that a joke will work, so you've just got to try it. Fortunately, if one new joke doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/you-can-t-always-be-100-percent-positive-that-a-joke-will-work-so-you/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [I want to get the joke to work without having to put any words or to say anything. I just want the person to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-want-to-get-the-joke-to-work-without-having-to-put-any-words-or-to/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“I just think it's fortunate that Sir Isaac Newton didn't share the sense of humor of a member of the public, because had he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-lee/i-just-think-it-s-fortunate-that-sir-isaac-newton-didn-t-share-the/) [Stewart Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-lee/) > [I don't really write jokes down. I tend to have a premise that I work out and test on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-don-t-really-write-jokes-down-i-tend-to-have-a-premise-that-i-work/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/one-thing-however-i-must-premise-that-without-the-assistance-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [We subverted the entire premise of 'Westworld' in that our sympathies are meant to be with the robots, the hosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-joy/we-subverted-the-entire-premise-of-westworld-in-that-our-sympathies/) [Lisa Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-joy/) > [Comedy Central wanted to do a show with me, I had a couple failures under my belt with them already, but they still wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/comedy-central-wanted-to-do-a-show-with-me-i-had-a-couple-failures/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [Good writing works from a simple premise: your experience is not yours alone, but in some sense a metaphor for everyone's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/good-writing-works-from-a-simple-premise-your-experience-is-not-yours/) [Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/) > [It's always hard, but it's always fun to attack a premise that you think is interesting. It does take a few drafts for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-levin/it-s-always-hard-but-it-s-always-fun-to-attack-a-premise-that-you/) [Victor Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-levin/) > [Fatalism is a false premise. What will be is not necessarily what must be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/fatalism-is-a-false-premise-what-will-be-is-not-necessarily-what-must/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [To be honest, the first time round, I didn't think 'Fame Academy' was the worst premise in the world. You got people on, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/to-be-honest-the-first-time-round-i-didn-t-think-fame-academy-was-the/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [People who want to express themselves need to be given an opportunity. For me, it's a very fundamental premise: you break the law, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-buckhorn/people-who-want-to-express-themselves-need-to-be-given-an-opportunity/) [Bob Buckhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-buckhorn/) > [You know, we certainly have a great budget on the show, but the expansions to world of the show really arise because, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/you-know-we-certainly-have-a-great-budget-on-the-show-but-the/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) ## More by Nick Kroll > [My first concert isn't that cool or ironic. I wish it had been like, "My first concert was the Backstreet Boys," but the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/my-first-concert-isn-t-that-cool-or-ironic-i-wish-it-had-been-like-my/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [As long as it's not an easy, outdated stereotype and it comes from an interesting or emotionally driven place, then anyone can be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/as-long-as-it-s-not-an-easy-outdated-stereotype-and-it-comes-from-an/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [It's always weird to eat something that is a pet elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/it-s-always-weird-to-eat-something-that-is-a-pet-elsewhere/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [Really, more than anything, The 2000 Year Old Man is a huge influence on all of our comedy, but specifically the live version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/really-more-than-anything-the-2000-year-old-man-is-a-huge-influence/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [My goal was to do something that incorporated all the stuff I do and have it feel like something new, like it was hopefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/my-goal-was-to-do-something-that-incorporated-all-the-stuff-i-do-and/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [In New York, you are forced into having very public lives and observing all types of people, what they sound like, what they're reading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/in-new-york-you-are-forced-into-having-very-public-lives-and/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [My experience in TV is that it takes time for shows to find their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/my-experience-in-tv-is-that-it-takes-time-for-shows-to-find-their-way/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [People want to consume what you're putting out there, and you can create a really strong following of fans and admirers, and people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/people-want-to-consume-what-you-re-putting-out-there-and-you-can/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [I think that being on the road and doing more and more stand-up has allowed me to figure out... like, I don't think I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-think-that-being-on-the-road-and-doing-more-and-more-stand-up-has/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [I've decided to just keep doing Oh, Hello, where I play an older man who thinks he's very cultured. That clearly has not gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-ve-decided-to-just-keep-doing-oh-hello-where-i-play-an-older-man/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [I think Trump thinks of himself as pretty important, and now rightfully so - because he's the President of the United States. You gotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-think-trump-thinks-of-himself-as-pretty-important-and-now/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [There's nothing better for hosting a show than a bunch of people daytime-whiskey drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/there-s-nothing-better-for-hosting-a-show-than-a-bunch-of-people/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [The immediacy of public interaction is just unbeatable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/the-immediacy-of-public-interaction-is-just-unbeatable/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [My best friend, Andrew Goldberg - and this is genuinely not me trying to cross-promote, but this new Netflix show I'm doing called Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/my-best-friend-andrew-goldberg-and-this-is-genuinely-not-me-trying-to/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [Sometimes shows suffer from having many cooks in the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/sometimes-shows-suffer-from-having-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) [Explore all 85 Nick Kroll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) ## 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. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise works, you can make the joke work. If a premise doesn't work, you can't force it to.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Kroll" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if-a-premise-works-you-can-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if-a-premise-works-you-can-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/nick-kroll-8005_force_i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if_1994042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I found, especially with stand-up, that if a premise works, you can make the joke work. If a premise doesn't…” — Nick Kroll", "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": "Nick Kroll", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I found, especially with stand-up, that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if-a-premise-works-you-can-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-found-especially-with-stand-up-that-if-a-premise-works-you-can-make/#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 } } ] } ```