---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not an easy man. I can be an…"
description: "\"I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want to be entertained. They want to be comfor..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png"
---

#  I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though…

![“I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want to be entertained. They want to be comforted.” quote by Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png)

> “I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want to be entertained. They want to be comforted.”

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People prefer comfort over entertainment, seeking reassurance rather than challenge.

**In simple terms:** People want comfort more than fun.

Key Takeaway

Offer reassurance before trying to amuse.

Themes

comfort entertainment human nature social needs

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- public speaking
- marketing
- therapy

Key Concepts

psychology emotional coping media consumption

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance comfort and amusement?
- When is humor appropriate?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone will appreciate humor; some need safety first.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comforted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforted/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Entertained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertained/) [Entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertaining/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Man Entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-entertaining-1506832/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Comforted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-comforted-1392498/) [Want Entertained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-entertained-302400/)

## Related quotes

> [Truth be told, I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/truth-be-told-i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertaining-one-though-2/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [A man who can be entertaining for a full day will be in his grave by night-fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/a-man-who-can-be-entertaining-for-a-full-day-will-be-in-his-grave-by/)

[Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/)

> [When I really want to be comforted myself, what I look for is a story about how somebody could survive something really difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/when-i-really-want-to-be-comforted-myself-what-i-look-for-is-a-story/)

[Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/)

> [I want to be entertained, so if I want to be entertained, I know if I'm going to play, I want to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-e/i-want-to-be-entertained-so-if-i-want-to-be-entertained-i-know-if-i-m/)

[Sheila E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-e/)

> [I like to entertain in all aspects. When you're with somebody and you're out, you want to be entertained. I like to be around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-like-to-entertain-in-all-aspects-when-you-re-with-somebody-and-you-2/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [I like to entertain in all aspects. When you're with somebody and you're out, you want to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-like-to-entertain-in-all-aspects-when-you-re-with-somebody-and-you/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [People want to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/people-want-to-be-entertained/)

[Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/)

> [I don't want to be entertained. I don't want visuals or musicals. I don't want a vacation. I don't want to quit. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/i-don-t-want-to-be-entertained-i-don-t-want-visuals-or-musicals-i-don/)

[Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/)

> [I don't need you to be funny. I don't want to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-don-t-need-you-to-be-funny-i-don-t-want-to-be-entertained/)

[Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/)

> [Women want to be entertained. They want value for money from a man. You have to have the whole package.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-allen/women-want-to-be-entertained-they-want-value-for-money-from-a-man-you/)

[Keith Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-allen/)

> [As a professional, I think we're not being judged solely on technical ability anymore. People really want to be entertained and enjoy what they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/as-a-professional-i-think-we-re-not-being-judged-solely-on-technical/)

[Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/)

> [We're here to entertain and I'm lucky that my style is suited to what people want and how people want to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hooker/we-re-here-to-entertain-and-i-m-lucky-that-my-style-is-suited-to-what/)

[Dan Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hooker/)

> [If you want to be entertained, go and see Hanson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/if-you-want-to-be-entertained-go-and-see-hanson/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [“The masses are not interested in the truth… they want to be entertained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohith-s-katbamna/the-masses-are-not-interested-in-the-truth-they-want-to-be-entertained/)

[Rohith S. Katbamna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohith-s-katbamna/)

> [People want to be entertained. They don't want to be cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/people-want-to-be-entertained-they-don-t-want-to-be-cheated/)

[Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/)

## More by Richard Russo

> [“The problem with the contemplative life was that there was no end to contemplation, no fixed time limit after which thought had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/the-problem-with-the-contemplative-life-was-that-there-was-no-end-to/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about—acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. Out of sight and, whenever possible, out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-very-simply-was-what-adulthood-must-be-all-about-acquiring-the/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“Miles couldn't help admiring women for their ability to dismiss the evidence of their senses. If that's what explained it. If it wasn't simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/miles-couldn-t-help-admiring-women-for-their-ability-to-dismiss-the/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [That afternoon I came to understand that one of the deepest purposes of intellectual sophistication is to provide distance between us and our most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-afternoon-i-came-to-understand-that-one-of-the-deepest-purposes/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“Lucy, who apparently had no idea his girlfriend's father held him in such low regard, agreed with Noonan that he was pushing the envelope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/lucy-who-apparently-had-no-idea-his-girlfriend-s-father-held-him-in/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [Movies have to handle time very efficiently. They're about stringing scenes together in the present. Novels aren't necessarily about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/movies-have-to-handle-time-very-efficiently-they-re-about-stringing/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [When authors who write literary fiction begin to write screenplays, everybody assumes that's the end. Here's another who's never going to write well again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/when-authors-who-write-literary-fiction-begin-to-write-screenplays/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“There was something about spending money they didn't really have that made him optimistic about more coming in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/there-was-something-about-spending-money-they-didn-t-really-have-that/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [Some authors have a very hard time understanding that in order to be faithful to the spirit of the book, it's almost always impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/some-authors-have-a-very-hard-time-understanding-that-in-order-to-be/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [HBO is really famous for hiring good people and staying out of their way until they ask for help, or need it. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/hbo-is-really-famous-for-hiring-good-people-and-staying-out-of-their/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [I don't think there's a shortage of material in the world. Or in my head. I just pray for continued good health, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-material-in-the-world-or-in-my/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [Where was the middle ground between a sense of adventure and just plain sense?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/where-was-the-middle-ground-between-a-sense-of-adventure-and-just/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“Non basta una vita "One life isn't enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/non-basta-una-vita-one-life-isn-t-enough/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“... Mr. Purty has cheered me up. The task he has chosen for himself, of wooing my mother with a bright red pickup truck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/mr-purty-has-cheered-me-up-the-task-he-has-chosen-for-himself-of/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

> [“So what? Few men, Miles reflected, lived so comfortably within the confines of a two.word personal philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/so-what-few-men-miles-reflected-lived-so-comfortably-within-the/)

[Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

[Explore all 214 Richard Russo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/)

## More Comforted quotes

> [“Of all the things we fashioned for them that they might be comforted, dawn is the one that works. When darkness sifts from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/of-all-the-things-we-fashioned-for-them-that-they-might-be-comforted/)

[John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/)

> [“Be comforted! If there are people who can't stand to be around you, just remember that darkness hates light and deceit hates truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-hope-wagner/be-comforted-if-there-are-people-who-can-t-stand-to-be-around-you/)

[Alisa Hope Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-hope-wagner/)

> [“It was the way your sweet, soft hands wiped away my tears, and the way your body just curved into mine when you let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/it-was-the-way-your-sweet-soft-hands-wiped-away-my-tears-and-the-way/)

[Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/)

> [“The shadows had him in their grasp. There was no escape. You don’t have to escape, the voice in his head said. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-warren/the-shadows-had-him-in-their-grasp-there-was-no-escape-you-don-t-have/)

[Andrew Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-warren/)

> [Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/be-comforted-dear-soul-there-is-always-light-behind-the-clouds/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Children be comforted, I am well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-haydn/children-be-comforted-i-am-well/)

[Joseph Haydn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-haydn/)

> [I could only try to comfort the women that I came face-to-face with. I was really moved by how much they wanted to talk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-sellecca/i-could-only-try-to-comfort-the-women-that-i-came-face-to-face-with-i/)

[Connie Sellecca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-sellecca/)

> [“Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make themselves one till it was impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything-they-could-give-and-take/)

[Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/)

> [“If I am to become a delicate cloud upon the sky, I must first convince the ground that I am not abandoning her. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-i-am-to-become-a-delicate-cloud-upon-the-sky-i-must-first-convince/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“Lists comforted her - they gave her a sense of accomplishment - they meant she had control of something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-cassidy/lists-comforted-her-they-gave-her-a-sense-of-accomplishment-they/)

[Dakota Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-cassidy/)

> [“Let the pain &amp; suffering of all that appears to be lost, be soothed, healed &amp; comforted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleesha/let-the-pain-suffering-of-all-that-appears-to-be-lost-be-soothed/)

[Eleesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleesha/)

> [I lost you a long time ago, but I didn't know. How could I not? You watched me cry and it makes you laugh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylynn-thompson/i-lost-you-a-long-time-ago-but-i-didn-t-know-how-could-i-not-you/)

[Kaylynn Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylynn-thompson/)

> [I knew I wanted to be a part of storytelling. I knew that going to see movies and plays, I wanted to be connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-storytelling-i-knew-that-going-to-see/)

[Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/)

> [“Only those burdened with a common affliction understand each other. Thanks to their affliction they constitute a circle and provide each other mutual support.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/only-those-burdened-with-a-common-affliction-understand-each-other/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [“And in blessing him I was blessed, And in comforting him I was comforted…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-coupe/and-in-blessing-him-i-was-blessed-and-in-comforting-him-i-was/)

[Jessica Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-coupe/)

[Browse all 135 Comforted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforted/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want to be entertained. They want to be comforted.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Russo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertaining-one-though-it-s-been-my/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comforted"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertaining-one-though-it-s-been-my/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/richard-russo-1691_comforted_i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertai_1739458.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't…” — Richard Russo",
                "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": "Richard Russo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm not an easy man. I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertaining-one-though-it-s-been-my/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-m-not-an-easy-man-i-can-be-an-entertaining-one-though-it-s-been-my/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
