--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Comedy is acting out optimism." description: "\"Comedy is acting out optimism.\" — Robin Williams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg" --- # Comedy is acting out optimism. ![“Comedy is acting out optimism.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg) > “Comedy is acting out optimism.” [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism fuels comedic performance, turning positivity into humor. **In simple terms:** Optimism drives comedy. Key Takeaway Cultivate a hopeful outlook. Themes humor optimism creativity Mood lighthearted energetic Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - stand‑up - writing - team building Key Concepts performance art psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does optimism shape comedic timing? - Can humor exist without optimism? A Different Perspective Optimism alone may not guarantee humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-optimism-6021454/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-acting-623817/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) ## Related quotes > ['Saturday Night Live' was actually started with a show that Lorne Michaels and I did at a summer camp called Timberlane in Ontario when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-shore/saturday-night-live-was-actually-started-with-a-show-that-lorne/) [Howard Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-shore/) > [When I was eight, I would watch 'Friends' religiously. I had the entire DVD set. That was my whole view of America. That really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-viswanathan/when-i-was-eight-i-would-watch-friends-religiously-i-had-the-entire/) [Geraldine Viswanathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-viswanathan/) > [I'm in awe of actors, I think they're amazing because, I don't think I can even play me in anything. I'm really impressed when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-millican/i-m-in-awe-of-actors-i-think-they-re-amazing-because-i-don-t-think-i/) [Sarah Millican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-millican/) > [Comedy today is not what it was years ago. It's always changing, in particular to female comics. No longer are certain subjects considered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stewart/comedy-today-is-not-what-it-was-years-ago-it-s-always-changing-in/) [Patrick Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stewart/) > [The number one rule of comedy acting is 'don't try to be funny.' Act as seriously as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-goor/the-number-one-rule-of-comedy-acting-is-don-t-try-to-be-funny-act-as/) [Daniel J. Goor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-goor/) > [The thing that attracted me the most was comedy acting and people like Catherine Tate and Olivia Colman; people doing funny voices and accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-adefope/the-thing-that-attracted-me-the-most-was-comedy-acting-and-people/) [Lolly Adefope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-adefope/) > [I prefer comedy acting definitely. I love stand up but I think Im just at home a bit more with comedy acting which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wozniak/i-prefer-comedy-acting-definitely-i-love-stand-up-but-i-think-im-just/) [Mike Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wozniak/) > [I moved out to L.A. to be a filmmaker or director. I didn't even think about doing comedy or even acting. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-moved-out-to-l-a-to-be-a-filmmaker-or-director-i-didn-t-even-think/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I probably prefer comedy. Why? I'm not sure. I feel like the energy of a comedy is a better fit for me. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-mathison/i-probably-prefer-comedy-why-i-m-not-sure-i-feel-like-the-energy-of-a/) [Cameron Mathison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-mathison/) > [My tutors at drama school commended and criticised my use of comedy in my acting for a long time at drama school. They said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradley-west/my-tutors-at-drama-school-commended-and-criticised-my-use-of-comedy/) [John Bradley-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradley-west/) > [In real life I'm very low-key. A wallflower. One of the reasons I went into comedy and acting was that I was sick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemaine-clement/in-real-life-i-m-very-low-key-a-wallflower-one-of-the-reasons-i-went/) [Jemaine Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemaine-clement/) > [I would like to help young women writing comedy, acting, anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-would-like-to-help-young-women-writing-comedy-acting-anything-like/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [Humor is a great defense, and an offense too. Usually the recipient isn't too happy about it, but the people around are laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/humor-is-a-great-defense-and-an-offense-too-usually-the-recipient-isn/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“Hope is not mere optimism; rather, it is moving forward in anticipation of redemption in spite of the improbability of rescue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-b-allender/hope-is-not-mere-optimism-rather-it-is-moving-forward-in-anticipation/) [Dan B. Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-b-allender/) > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) ## More by Robin Williams > [On stage you're free. You can say and do things that if you said and did any place else, you'd be arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/on-stage-you-re-free-you-can-say-and-do-things-that-if-you-said-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Humor is a great defense, and an offense too. Usually the recipient isn't too happy about it, but the people around are laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/humor-is-a-great-defense-and-an-offense-too-usually-the-recipient-isn/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/spring-is-nature-s-way-of-saying-let-s-party/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I had sex with a prostitute when I was 21, I was so bad, she gave me a refund.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-had-sex-with-a-prostitute-when-i-was-21-i-was-so-bad-she-gave-me-a/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [In America they really do mythologise people when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/in-america-they-really-do-mythologise-people-when-they-die/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-always-thought-the-idea-of-education-was-to-learn-to-think-for/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I was a serious method actor until I visited this site.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-a-serious-method-actor-until-i-visited-this-site/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-m-history-no-i-m-mythology-nah-i-don-t-care-what-i-am-i-m-free/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [But only in their dreams can men be truly free. It was always thus and always thus will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/but-only-in-their-dreams-can-men-be-truly-free-it-was-always-thus-and/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/people-say-satire-is-dead-it-s-not-dead-it-s-alive-and-living-in-the/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [For me, comedy starts as a spew, a kind of explosion, and then you sculpt it from there, if at all. It comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/for-me-comedy-starts-as-a-spew-a-kind-of-explosion-and-then-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Carpe per diem - seize the check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/carpe-per-diem-seize-the-check/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. If you don't like the language, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/cable-is-not-bound-because-people-pay-for-it-it-s-literally-a-choice/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) [Explore all 413 Robin Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Comedy is acting out optimism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robin Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/comedy-is-acting-out-optimism/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/comedy-is-acting-out-optimism/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/robin-williams-682_acting_comedy-is-acting-out-optimism-781667_781667.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Comedy is acting out optimism.” — Robin Williams", "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": "Robin Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Comedy is acting out optimism.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/comedy-is-acting-out-optimism/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/comedy-is-acting-out-optimism/#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 } } ] } ```