--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous…" description: "\"If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous, it would be more humiliating. Also, if there [Hollywood] weren't so many people as bad as myself - equally un..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/norm-macdonald-1825_hollywood_if-it-wasn-t-so-pointless-and-ridiculous_393231.png" --- # If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous, it would be more… ![“If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous, it would be more humiliating. Also, if there [Hollywood] weren't so many people as bad as myself - equally untalented people - it would be even more humiliating.” quote by Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/norm-macdonald-1825_hollywood_if-it-wasn-t-so-pointless-and-ridiculous_393231.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/norm-macdonald-1825_hollywood_if-it-wasn-t-so-pointless-and-ridiculous_393231.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/norm-macdonald-1825_hollywood_if-it-wasn-t-so-pointless-and-ridiculous_393231.png) > “If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous, it would be more humiliating. Also, if there \[Hollywood\] weren't so many people as bad as myself - equally untalented people - it would be even more humiliating.” [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The comedian jokes that feeling inadequate is inevitable, and that the presence of many similarly untalented people makes personal humiliation less intense. **In simple terms:** Everyone feels inadequate; shared failure eases embarrassment. Key Takeaway Embrace shared imperfection. Themes humor self‑deprecation insecurity community Mood self‑deprecating lighthearted Type comedic philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - self‑reflection - group dynamics Key Concepts psychology performance art social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does shared failure affect your confidence? - Can humor help cope with personal inadequacy? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay genuine self‑esteem issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Untalented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/untalented/) ## Related quotes > [He understands my pity for his ridiculous, humiliating physical necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/he-understands-my-pity-for-his-ridiculous-humiliating-physical/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“Trying to rewrite the past was a child's game, a pointless, ridiculous child's game no one ever won.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/trying-to-rewrite-the-past-was-a-child-s-game-a-pointless-ridiculous/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Compared to politics, I think sports is funnier, because it's inconsequential. And politics can be real important and all that. The more pointless something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/compared-to-politics-i-think-sports-is-funnier-because-it-s-2/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Compared to politics, I think sports is funnier, because it's inconsequential. And politics can be real important and all that. The more pointless something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/compared-to-politics-i-think-sports-is-funnier-because-it-s/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [For half a century photography has been the "art form" of the untalented. Obviously some pictures are more satisfactory than others, but where is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/for-half-a-century-photography-has-been-the-art-form-of-the/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Religion itself is without genius. There is no religious genius and no one would be permitted to distinguish between the talented and the untalented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/religion-itself-is-without-genius-there-is-no-religious-genius-and-no/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [There are no musically untalented people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-levit/there-are-no-musically-untalented-people/) [Igor Levit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-levit/) > [“It quickly became apparent that to Mr. K, there was no such thing as an untalented kid—just a kid who didn’t work hard enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-quickly-became-apparent-that-to-mr-k-there-was-no-such-thing-as-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your career and your passion don't always match up. Plenty of talented people don't have the careers they want. Plenty of untalented people make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/your-career-and-your-passion-don-t-always-match-up-plenty-of-talented/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I've played a lot of untalented people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-kirby/i-ve-played-a-lot-of-untalented-people/) [Vanessa Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-kirby/) > [One is born to be a dancer. No teacher can work miracles, nor will years of training make a good dancer of an untalented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-balanchine/one-is-born-to-be-a-dancer-no-teacher-can-work-miracles-nor-will/) [George Balanchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-balanchine/) > [rain began to beat at the narrow lattice windows in the stop-and-start manner of an untalented child practicing scales at the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-cannell/rain-began-to-beat-at-the-narrow-lattice-windows-in-the-stop-and/) Dorothy Cannell > [I fight cynicism. It's too easy. It's really boring. It's much harder to be positive and see the wonder of everything. Cynicism is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-fight-cynicism-it-s-too-easy-it-s-really-boring-it-s-much-harder-to/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [There is no idea so brilliant or original that a sufficiently-untalented writer can't screw it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/there-is-no-idea-so-brilliant-or-original-that-a-sufficiently/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [ \[Cultural relativism\] licenses the envy of the untalented, giving rise to what has been called the revenge of failure: Those who cannot paint destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/cultural-relativism-licenses-the-envy-of-the-untalented-giving-rise/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) ## More by Norm MacDonald > [In estimating the adversities of life, we would seldom have much reason to complain of the evils we suffer, did we understand the dangers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/in-estimating-the-adversities-of-life-we-would-seldom-have-much/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Chastity is oftener owing to diffidence and shame, than to fortitude of reason or virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/chastity-is-oftener-owing-to-diffidence-and-shame-than-to-fortitude/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [The first principle of solid wisdom is discretion, without it all the erudition of life is merely bagatelle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/the-first-principle-of-solid-wisdom-is-discretion-without-it-all-the/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [I'd say Jon Stewart has remained funny the entire time. Jon always makes it funny first. And he's just, he's talking about serious things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/i-d-say-jon-stewart-has-remained-funny-the-entire-time-jon-always/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Liberty, like health, appears most precious when lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/liberty-like-health-appears-most-precious-when-lost/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [In theatres, you're kind of disconnected. Also, it's way too big for the likes of me. Unless you're Robin Williams or someone that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/in-theatres-you-re-kind-of-disconnected-also-it-s-way-too-big-for-the/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [After months of speculation, the sitcom star Ellen DeGeneres admitted that yes, she's gay. Inspired by her courage, today, diet-guru Richard Simmons admitted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/after-months-of-speculation-the-sitcom-star-ellen-degeneres-admitted/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [So much in L.A. is waiting. It's so irritating. That's what's good about stand-up. You can go away, and you don't have to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/so-much-in-l-a-is-waiting-it-s-so-irritating-that-s-what-s-good-about/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [You ever hear guys with small cocks talk about sex? Can't talk about it enough. They even got poems. They'll say, 'It's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/you-ever-hear-guys-with-small-cocks-talk-about-sex-can-t-talk-about/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [My dad died, and my grandfather died, and my great-grandfather died. And the guy before him, I don't know. Probably died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/my-dad-died-and-my-grandfather-died-and-my-great-grandfather-died-and/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [ Louis \[C.K.\] is great. But I don't know how many you could do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/louis-c-k-is-great-but-i-don-t-know-how-many-you-could-do/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [I don't have any ego about it, but I find there's not a great work ethic in show business. A lot of people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/i-don-t-have-any-ego-about-it-but-i-find-there-s-not-a-great-work/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Many people are skeptical about marriage of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Pressley. They say, Lisa Marie is more of a sit at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/many-people-are-skeptical-about-marriage-of-michael-jackson-and-lisa/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [Back in the old days, a man could just get sick and die. Now they have to wage a battle. So my Uncle Bert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/back-in-the-old-days-a-man-could-just-get-sick-and-die-now-they-have/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [The man that does not fear punishment, little regards crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/the-man-that-does-not-fear-punishment-little-regards-crime/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) [Explore all 205 Norm MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) ## More Hollywood quotes > [Hollywood is very much an industry town. Your life becomes caught up in all of the parties and this list and that list. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-johnson/hollywood-is-very-much-an-industry-town-your-life-becomes-caught-up/) [Don Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-johnson/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Artist Matthew Barney has made a film about “shit”. It is hardly original. Hollywood has made shit films for decades.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/artist-matthew-barney-has-made-a-film-about-shit-it-is-hardly/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [If you can believe it, Hollywood wanted to change my birthdate. I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/if-you-can-believe-it-hollywood-wanted-to-change-my-birthdate-i-was/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) > [In a lot of movies, African-Americans are either maids or slaves, but that's not all they were. We need to show that. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/in-a-lot-of-movies-african-americans-are-either-maids-or-slaves-but/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [“I'm always looking for evidence to support my conjecture that celebrity in Hollywood is sort of like a Joel Peter Witkin photograph: It looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cintra-wilson/i-m-always-looking-for-evidence-to-support-my-conjecture-that/) [Cintra Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cintra-wilson/) > [I came to Hollywood to be a movie song-and-dance man just at the time those films were going out of style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/i-came-to-hollywood-to-be-a-movie-song-and-dance-man-just-at-the-time/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [Writing is the life blood of everything in Hollywood. Without writers, there are no scripts, no acting work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/writing-is-the-life-blood-of-everything-in-hollywood-without-writers/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [Hollywood regency never goes out of style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-spencer/hollywood-regency-never-goes-out-of-style/) [Lara Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-spencer/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) [Browse all 4,991 Hollywood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it wasn't so pointless and ridiculous, it would be more humiliating. 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