--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it…" description: "\"In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the most appalling of circumstances.\" — Peter Baynham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg" --- # In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the… ![“In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the most appalling of circumstances.” quote by Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg) > “In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the most appalling of circumstances.” [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor naturally emerges from dire situations, offering relief and perspective. **In simple terms:** Comedy arises from terrible moments. Key Takeaway Find humor in adversity. Themes comedy adversity perspective Mood lighthearted thoughtful Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - stand‑up routines - writing sessions Key Concepts Psychology of humor catharsis Questions to Reflect On - How does humor change perception of hardship? - When is humor inappropriate? A Different Perspective May trivialize serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [You know things are meant to happen when cuddling occurs naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-things-are-meant-to-happen-when-cuddling-occurs-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [These irresponsible acts, which cannot have any justification whatsoever, are to be fully condemned. In these appalling circumstances, I want to offer you the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/these-irresponsible-acts-which-cannot-have-any-justification/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [It's like life: you have both comedy and drama. There's a balance, and I'm lucky enough to have it in my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/it-s-like-life-you-have-both-comedy-and-drama-there-s-a-balance-and-i/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [“Human life is a comedy-one must play it seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-kojeve/human-life-is-a-comedy-one-must-play-it-seriously/) [Alexandre Kojeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-kojeve/) > [“Human life is a comedy-one must play it seriously--Alexandre Kojeve”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-kojeve/human-life-is-a-comedy-one-must-play-it-seriously-alexandre-kojeve/) [Alexandre Kojeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-kojeve/) > [Comedy is an intellectual affair, and deals chiefly with logic. Tragedy is an emotional affair, and deals chiefly with value. Horace Walpole once said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kern-feibleman/comedy-is-an-intellectual-affair-and-deals-chiefly-with-logic-tragedy/) James Kern Feibleman > [Life is a comedy for Rich people and tragedy for the Poor people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rmkatta/life-is-a-comedy-for-rich-people-and-tragedy-for-the-poor-people/) RMKATTA > [“The young man, who does not know the future, sees life as a kind of epic adventure, an Odyssey through strange seas and unknown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/the-young-man-who-does-not-know-the-future-sees-life-as-a-kind-of/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [Historically, a successful life in comedy is a dream that's as equally pondered and unpursued as being an astronaut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/historically-a-successful-life-in-comedy-is-a-dream-that-s-as-equally/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [Life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel. Show me a hero and I will write you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-comedy-for-those-who-think-and-a-tragedy-for-those-who-feel/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The stories teach them valuable life lessons. That good things happen to bad people. That it’s possible to make a bad situation even worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/the-stories-teach-them-valuable-life-lessons-that-good-things-happen/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [Life is a comedy to those who think; a tragedy to those who feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/life-is-a-comedy-to-those-who-think-a-tragedy-to-those-who-feel/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [There are many hundreds of millions of people who have jobs harder than (mine), and I also remind myself of that every day. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/there-are-many-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-who-have-jobs-harder/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I think that no matter how much you don't like yourself or the drama of your life you can still find some comedy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee-jones/i-think-that-no-matter-how-much-you-don-t-like-yourself-or-the-drama/) [Tommy Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee-jones/) > [Between birth and burial, we find ourselves in a comedy of mysteries. If you don't think life is mysterious, if you believe you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/between-birth-and-burial-we-find-ourselves-in-a-comedy-of-mysteries/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More by Peter Baynham > [I have always been against cruelty to animals and remain so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/i-have-always-been-against-cruelty-to-animals-and-remain-so/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [People complain that joking about serious subjects is 'making light' of them. Isn't that a good idea? Comedy lets the air out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/people-complain-that-joking-about-serious-subjects-is-making-light-of/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [We're chipping away at our capacity for wonder. When hologram TVs eventually go on sale, they'll cost £20,000 and be bought only by those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/we-re-chipping-away-at-our-capacity-for-wonder-when-hologram-tvs/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [It's a fairly common phenomenon of London life - people having fully developed critiques of books they haven't read and films they haven't seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/it-s-a-fairly-common-phenomenon-of-london-life-people-having-fully/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [I'm nostalgic for the future I knew as a kid. Back then, it was a lovely, bleepy, heavenly land populated by svelte men in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/i-m-nostalgic-for-the-future-i-knew-as-a-kid-back-then-it-was-a/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [People sort of imagine Chris Morris and me sitting somewhere dark, with dripping taps and chilling background music. In fact, we like to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/people-sort-of-imagine-chris-morris-and-me-sitting-somewhere-dark/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [I was a pedantic child. I'd get really annoyed at the logic of small things that don't bother anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/i-was-a-pedantic-child-i-d-get-really-annoyed-at-the-logic-of-small/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [No subject is unsuitable for comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/no-subject-is-unsuitable-for-comedy/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [I have no disagreement with the aims of anti-vivisectionists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/i-have-no-disagreement-with-the-aims-of-anti-vivisectionists/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [First and foremost, I just want to write comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/first-and-foremost-i-just-want-to-write-comedy/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [In 2001, my father finally succumbed to the bone cancer that had tortured him for seven years. His last weeks were a terrible, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/in-2001-my-father-finally-succumbed-to-the-bone-cancer-that-had/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [I'm the only comedian qualified to navigate a supertanker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/i-m-the-only-comedian-qualified-to-navigate-a-supertanker/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [So many Christmas films either are twee, or try and go super edgy, then stick on something Christmassy at the end of the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/so-many-christmas-films-either-are-twee-or-try-and-go-super-edgy-then/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [The redemption plot is one of the oldest story shapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/the-redemption-plot-is-one-of-the-oldest-story-shapes/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) > [Christmas movies, it's a hard thing to do. The danger is you just end up with a Hollywood star with a Santa beard. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/christmas-movies-it-s-a-hard-thing-to-do-the-danger-is-you-just-end/) [Peter Baynham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) [Explore all 19 Peter Baynham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/) ## More Appalling quotes > [The neglect this implied, the suffering and wasted quality of human life were appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hollows/the-neglect-this-implied-the-suffering-and-wasted-quality-of-human/) [Fred Hollows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hollows/) > [This new thing about liking yourself, I find that absolutely appalling. Anyone who likes themselves, I just can't go too close to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/this-new-thing-about-liking-yourself-i-find-that-absolutely-appalling/) [Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/) > [What is this life but the sound of an appalling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/what-is-this-life-but-the-sound-of-an-appalling-love/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [You never know with politicians what they are really saying. And I don't say that in a negative way-they have an appalling job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/you-never-know-with-politicians-what-they-are-really-saying-and-i-don/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [Regret is an appalling waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/regret-is-an-appalling-waste-of-time/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [The quality of writing attracts me to films, also who the other actors are, who the director is, where it's being shot. Any or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/the-quality-of-writing-attracts-me-to-films-also-who-the-other-actors/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [All my friends' mothers were appalling women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/all-my-friends-mothers-were-appalling-women/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Every other writer's process is sort of vaguely scary and appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/every-other-writer-s-process-is-sort-of-vaguely-scary-and-appalling/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Life is short and the number of books is appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/life-is-short-and-the-number-of-books-is-appalling/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [All of television's appalling, but this is hardly a new statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/all-of-television-s-appalling-but-this-is-hardly-a-new-statement/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“I’m tired of the news. I’m tired of the way it makes things spectacular that aren’t, and deals so simplistically with what’s truly appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-m-tired-of-the-news-i-m-tired-of-the-way-it-makes-things-2/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [New York is appalling, fantastically charmless and elaborately dire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/new-york-is-appalling-fantastically-charmless-and-elaborately-dire/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [The economic and social decline of Zimbabwe is shocking and appalling. Life there is unrecognisable from that of the recent past. Each day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/the-economic-and-social-decline-of-zimbabwe-is-shocking-and-appalling/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [A female friend who caught me watching Fashion TV reckons its audience is largely made up of slobbering men who are just taking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-smith/a-female-friend-who-caught-me-watching-fashion-tv-reckons-its/) [Arthur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-smith/) Browse all 95 Appalling quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the most appalling of circumstances.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Baynham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-should-in-the-most-appalling-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appalling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-should-in-the-most-appalling-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/peter-baynham-28949_appalling_in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-sh_464817.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In life, comedy occurs naturally, as it should, in the most appalling of circumstances.” — Peter Baynham", "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": "Peter Baynham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baynham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In life, comedy occurs naturally, as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-should-in-the-most-appalling-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baynham/in-life-comedy-occurs-naturally-as-it-should-in-the-most-appalling-of/#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 } } ] } ```