--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'll pick \"I'm kidding\" anytime over \"I'm…" description: "\"I'll pick \"I'm kidding\" anytime over \"I'm lying.\"\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/p-j-o-rourke-184_kidding_i-ll-pick-i-m-kidding-anytime-over-i-m-l_780188.png" --- # I'll pick "I'm kidding" anytime over "I'm lying." ![“I'll pick "I'm kidding" anytime over "I'm lying."” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/p-j-o-rourke-184_kidding_i-ll-pick-i-m-kidding-anytime-over-i-m-l_780188.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/p-j-o-rourke-184_kidding_i-ll-pick-i-m-kidding-anytime-over-i-m-l_780188.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/p-j-o-rourke-184_kidding_i-ll-pick-i-m-kidding-anytime-over-i-m-l_780188.png) > “I'll pick "I'm kidding" anytime over "I'm lying."” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing honesty about joking avoids the paradox of lying, preserving trust and clarity in communication. **In simple terms:** Being truthful about jokes keeps trust. Key Takeaway Prefer honesty over deceptive humor. Themes honesty communication trust Mood lighthearted reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - casual conversation - public speaking - media interviews Key Concepts ethics linguistics social interaction Questions to Reflect On - When does a joke become harmful? - How can you signal sarcasm clearly? A Different Perspective Humor can still be misunderstood even when honest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anytime Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anytime-lying-6013630/) [Kidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kidding/) [Kidding Anytime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kidding-anytime-6013629/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Pick Kidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick-kidding-6013631/) [Picks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picks/) ## Related quotes > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Adding 'just kidding' doesn't make it okay to insult the Principal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-cartwright/adding-just-kidding-doesn-t-make-it-okay-to-insult-the-principal/) [Nancy Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-cartwright/) > [LOL are u kidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lol-are-u-kidding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm kidding about having only a few dollars. I might have a few dollars more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/i-m-kidding-about-having-only-a-few-dollars-i-might-have-a-few/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [I'm an actress, and that's why I'm still here. Anybody who has the illusion that you can have a career as long as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/i-m-an-actress-and-that-s-why-i-m-still-here-anybody-who-has-the/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [I could never be a politician because at this point I would just be yelling are you fUCKING KIDDING ME](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/i-could-never-be-a-politician-because-at-this-point-i-would-just-be/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [In the Age of the Almighty Computer, drones are the perfect warriors. They kill without remorse, obey without kidding around, and they never reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-age-of-the-almighty-computer-drones-are-the-perfect-warriors/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Kidding? How am I meant to know you're kidding? You're breaking my fucking balls. -Tommy DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goodfellas/kidding-how-am-i-meant-to-know-you-re-kidding-you-re-breaking-my/) [Goodfellas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goodfellas/) > [“You’re fucking kidding me, right?” “I don’t kid about fucking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-marie-brown/you-re-fucking-kidding-me-right-i-don-t-kid-about-fucking/) [Stacey Marie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-marie-brown/) > [First day of school, walking into class, seeing who's in it & thinking to yourself, 'You've got to be f\*cking kidding me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-day-of-school-walking-into-class-seeing-who-s-in-it-thinking-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to work and there's no movies for actors, period, especially black actors. When white actors are like, 'Man, there's no work out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-wayans/i-like-to-work-and-there-s-no-movies-for-actors-period-especially/) [Marlon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-wayans/) > [We make believe every day, we make our lives seem like they're still worth living, when we find out in the end it's only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/we-make-believe-every-day-we-make-our-lives-seem-like-they-re-still/) [Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/) > [I don't know if I'm ever going to quit playing football. I'm just kidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-vinatieri/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-ever-going-to-quit-playing-football-i-m-just/) [Adam Vinatieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-vinatieri/) > [I don't use the computer. But my secretary does. I want to take some computer courses because I'm interested in some of the access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-don-t-use-the-computer-but-my-secretary-does-i-want-to-take-some/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I've spent a lot on clothes. I'm not kidding when I say I could have bought several country homes with the money. I've also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-air/i-ve-spent-a-lot-on-clothes-i-m-not-kidding-when-i-say-i-could-have/) [Donna Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-air/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Kidding quotes > [I don't use the computer. But my secretary does. I want to take some computer courses because I'm interested in some of the access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-don-t-use-the-computer-but-my-secretary-does-i-want-to-take-some/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I don't know if I'm ever going to quit playing football. I'm just kidding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-vinatieri/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-ever-going-to-quit-playing-football-i-m-just/) [Adam Vinatieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-vinatieri/) > [We make believe every day, we make our lives seem like they're still worth living, when we find out in the end it's only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/we-make-believe-every-day-we-make-our-lives-seem-like-they-re-still/) [Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/) > [I like to work and there's no movies for actors, period, especially black actors. When white actors are like, 'Man, there's no work out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-wayans/i-like-to-work-and-there-s-no-movies-for-actors-period-especially/) [Marlon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-wayans/) > [First day of school, walking into class, seeing who's in it & thinking to yourself, 'You've got to be f\*cking kidding me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-day-of-school-walking-into-class-seeing-who-s-in-it-thinking-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You’re fucking kidding me, right?” “I don’t kid about fucking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-marie-brown/you-re-fucking-kidding-me-right-i-don-t-kid-about-fucking/) [Stacey Marie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-marie-brown/) > [Kidding? How am I meant to know you're kidding? You're breaking my fucking balls. -Tommy DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goodfellas/kidding-how-am-i-meant-to-know-you-re-kidding-you-re-breaking-my/) [Goodfellas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goodfellas/) > [In the Age of the Almighty Computer, drones are the perfect warriors. They kill without remorse, obey without kidding around, and they never reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-age-of-the-almighty-computer-drones-are-the-perfect-warriors/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [I could never be a politician because at this point I would just be yelling are you fUCKING KIDDING ME](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/i-could-never-be-a-politician-because-at-this-point-i-would-just-be/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [I'm an actress, and that's why I'm still here. Anybody who has the illusion that you can have a career as long as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/i-m-an-actress-and-that-s-why-i-m-still-here-anybody-who-has-the/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [I'm kidding about having only a few dollars. I might have a few dollars more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/i-m-kidding-about-having-only-a-few-dollars-i-might-have-a-few/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [LOL are u kidding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lol-are-u-kidding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Adding 'just kidding' doesn't make it okay to insult the Principal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-cartwright/adding-just-kidding-doesn-t-make-it-okay-to-insult-the-principal/) [Nancy Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-cartwright/) > [I've spent a lot on clothes. I'm not kidding when I say I could have bought several country homes with the money. I've also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-air/i-ve-spent-a-lot-on-clothes-i-m-not-kidding-when-i-say-i-could-have/) [Donna Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-air/) > [In 1998, I received treatment for my knee by an Israeli therapist. We spoke about Israel and I mentioned 'Scooterman' and he just froze.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-david-goldberg/in-1998-i-received-treatment-for-my-knee-by-an-israeli-therapist-we/) [Gary David Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-david-goldberg/) [Browse all 175 Kidding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kidding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'll pick \"I'm kidding\" anytime over \"I'm lying.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. 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