--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Another of Keaton’s strategies was to…" description: "\"“Another of Keaton’s strategies was to avoid anticipation. Instead of showing you what was about to happen, he showed you what was happening; the surpr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/roger-ebert-655_comedy_another-of-keaton-s-strategies-was-to-av_342445.jpg" --- # Another of Keaton’s strategies was to avoid anticipation… ![“Another of Keaton’s strategies was to avoid anticipation. Instead of showing you what was about to happen, he showed you what was happening; the surprise and the response are both unexpected, and funnier. He also gets laughs by the application of perfect logic.” quote by Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/roger-ebert-655_comedy_another-of-keaton-s-strategies-was-to-av_342445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/roger-ebert-655_comedy_another-of-keaton-s-strategies-was-to-av_342445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6a/roger-ebert-655_comedy_another-of-keaton-s-strategies-was-to-av_342445.jpg) > ““Another of Keaton’s strategies was to avoid anticipation. Instead of showing you what was about to happen, he showed you what was happening; the surprise and the response are both unexpected, and funnier. He also gets laughs by the application of perfect logic.”” [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comedic strategy uses present action instead of foreshadowing, creating surprise and humor through logical twists. **In simple terms:** Show what’s happening now for unexpected laughs. Key Takeaway Use real‑time surprise for humor. Themes comedy surprise logic timing storytelling Mood witty analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - stand‑up - film direction - improv theater - scriptwriting Key Concepts narrative technique expectation subversion comic timing Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance surprise with clarity? - When does logical humor fall flat? A Different Perspective Relying on surprise can risk confusing the audience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anticipation Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation-instead-1587147/) [Avoid Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-anticipation-3180723/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Happening Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happening-surprise-3180724/) [Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keaton/) [Keaton Strategies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keaton-strategies-3180722/) ## Related quotes > [“I want to live today in anticipation of what you will do next instead of constantly complaining about what isn't pristine in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/i-want-to-live-today-in-anticipation-of-what-you-will-do-next-instead/) [Mary E. DeMuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-demuth/) > [Why, for example, do the great writers use anticipation instead of surprise? Because surprise is merely an instrument of the unusual, whereas anticipation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rosenblatt/why-for-example-do-the-great-writers-use-anticipation-instead-of/) [Roger Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rosenblatt/) > [I'd always admired Diane Keaton, but I'd never met her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-d-always-admired-diane-keaton-but-i-d-never-met-her/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I used to think that looking across a pillow into the fabulous face of Buster Keaton would be a more thrilling destiny than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-loos/i-used-to-think-that-looking-across-a-pillow-into-the-fabulous-face/) [Anita Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-loos/) > [My favorite actor was, is, Michael Keaton. Certainly growing up, in the movie 'Night Shift' he did something brand new that I hadn't seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/my-favorite-actor-was-is-michael-keaton-certainly-growing-up-in-the/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [Comedy isn't necessarily all dialogue. Think of Buster Keaton: the poker face and all this chaos going on all around him. Sometimes it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/comedy-isn-t-necessarily-all-dialogue-think-of-buster-keaton-the/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I read every book about Buster Keaton and Chaplin to see how they worked - it's all about dedication, tunnel vision, pursuit of perfection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-merton/i-read-every-book-about-buster-keaton-and-chaplin-to-see-how-they/) [Paul Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-merton/) > [“110, 111 whatever it takes!" Michael Keaton character in Mr. Mom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-buff/110-111-whatever-it-takes-michael-keaton-character-in-mr-mom/) [Mark Buff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-buff/) > [I did a film in which Andy Garcia and Michael Keaton both played the leads, 'Desperate Measures,' and interestingly enough it was their biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/i-did-a-film-in-which-andy-garcia-and-michael-keaton-both-played-the/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [“I’d come here to fuck Ashleigh Keaton. There was no way in hell I was staying out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-joseph/i-d-come-here-to-fuck-ashleigh-keaton-there-was-no-way-in-hell-i-was/) [Annabel Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-joseph/) > [The thrill I got discovering Buster Keaton when I was growing up was so exciting. He was one of the greats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-thrill-i-got-discovering-buster-keaton-when-i-was-growing-up-was/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Michael Keaton is amazing. He's one of my favorite actors. To get to work with him was a privilege and really was a wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/michael-keaton-is-amazing-he-s-one-of-my-favorite-actors-to-get-to/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [I always have considered Michael Keaton to be a phenomenal actor because he navigates drama and comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-always-have-considered-michael-keaton-to-be-a-phenomenal-actor/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I loved Keaton. In fact, when I made the chase sequence in 'What's Up, Doc,' I said, 'This is a Buster Keaton chase.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/i-loved-keaton-in-fact-when-i-made-the-chase-sequence-in-what-s-up/) [Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/) > [“Everything that was Chace Keaton urged him to follow her. To ask her to dinner. To get to know her. To find the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/everything-that-was-chace-keaton-urged-him-to-follow-her-to-ask-her/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## More by Roger Ebert > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. 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It's usually good or bad for other reasons, though you might agree or disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-isn-t-good-or-bad-based-on-its-politics-it-s-usually-good-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is human nature to look away from illness. We don't enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-human-nature-to-look-away-from-illness-we-don-t-enjoy-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ Gene \[Siskel\] often mentioned something François Truffaut once told him: the most beautiful sight in a movie theater is to walk down to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/gene-siskel-often-mentioned-something-fran-ois-truffaut-once-told-him/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A movie is not about what it is about. 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This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. 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