---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the front-page news is a comedian…"
description: "\"If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that people think is naughty, that proves there's no real news that day, does it not?\" — Russell Howard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png"
---

#  If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that…

![“If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that people think is naughty, that proves there's no real news that day, does it not?” quote by Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png)

> “If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that people think is naughty, that proves there's no real news that day, does it not?”

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

## About This Quote

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

Suggests that sensational jokes dominate headlines, implying a lack of substantive news.

**In simple terms:** News is often replaced by jokes.

Key Takeaway

Critique media priorities.

Themes

media criticism news quality humor in news

Mood

satirical critical

Type

media thoughtful

When to use this quote

- media literacy
- critical consumption
- journalistic standards

Key Concepts

sensationalism public discourse information hierarchy

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor affect public perception of news?
- What responsibilities do outlets have to balance entertainment and information?

A Different Perspective

May overlook serious reporting.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm scared of slipping up, of just doing a joke that makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/i-m-scared-of-slipping-up-of-just-doing-a-joke-that-makes-me-laugh/)

[David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/)

> [There's things that I couldn't joke about but other people could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/there-s-things-that-i-couldn-t-joke-about-but-other-people-could/)

[Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/)

> [You never want to defend a joke. People get to choose whether or not to laugh and whether or not they think something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-never-want-to-defend-a-joke-people-get-to-choose-whether-or-not/)

[Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/)

> [ I'm making fun of midwestern homophobia \[in the joke\], but I'm still saying faggot. And almost every month as I'm doing that joke it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-m-making-fun-of-midwestern-homophobia-in-the-joke-but-i-m-still/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [The average British person would hear me doing my joke about Rebecca Adlington and realise there's no malice in it. It was an off-the-cuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/the-average-british-person-would-hear-me-doing-my-joke-about-rebecca/)

[Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/)

> [If the worst thing happening to Middle Eastern people is that Carlos Mencia is doing a joke about them being stopped at airports, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/if-the-worst-thing-happening-to-middle-eastern-people-is-that-carlos/)

[Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/)

> [There is a certain comfort in waking up and finding that Michael Jackson is still the Big Story. At least it tells you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-sajak/there-is-a-certain-comfort-in-waking-up-and-finding-that-michael/)

[Pat Sajak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-sajak/)

> [Celebrity culture has gone crazy, and I think the reason is that real news is just not bearable, and it also seems impossible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-martin/celebrity-culture-has-gone-crazy-and-i-think-the-reason-is-that-real/)

[Chris Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-martin/)

> [“How’s work?’ Martin asked. Behrouz was now a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, which these days seemed to mean as much video journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-egan/how-s-work-martin-asked-behrouz-was-now-a-correspondent-for-the-wall/)

[Greg Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-egan/)

> [I would love for us to get back to a place in this country where we have real journalists, where we have real news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-trump/i-would-love-for-us-to-get-back-to-a-place-in-this-country-where-we/)

[Lara Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-trump/)

> [“It's how the news becomes so powerful it doesn't need TV or newspapers. It exists in people's perceptions. It's something they invent, strong enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/it-s-how-the-news-becomes-so-powerful-it-doesn-t-need-tv-or/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [The real news is bad news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-real-news-is-bad-news/)

[Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/)

> [Fake news executives are nicer than real news executives, though real news executives are funnier than fake news executives. They dont know theyre being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/fake-news-executives-are-nicer-than-real-news-executives-though-real/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [“The experience taught Bannon the power of real news and how it could be exploited—a lesson he would soon have cause to put into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/the-experience-taught-bannon-the-power-of-real-news-and-how-it-could/)

[Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/)

> [We can't have, like, willy-nilly proliferation of fake news. That's crazy. You can't have more types of fake news than real news. That's allowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/we-can-t-have-like-willy-nilly-proliferation-of-fake-news-that-s/)

[Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/)

## More by Russell Howard

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [When you're three, you're into custard, and jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/when-you-re-three-you-re-into-custard-and-jumping/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I always found it strange, when I went round to other people's houses for tea and that, how strict their parents were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-always-found-it-strange-when-i-went-round-to-other-people-s-houses/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [Mum's side of the family are daft, beautiful and brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/mum-s-side-of-the-family-are-daft-beautiful-and-brilliant/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I'm a bit of a Luddite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-a-bit-of-a-luddite/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [Death by rats would be the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/death-by-rats-would-be-the-worst/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [It's a bit of a cliche but throughout London, even in places like Notting Hill, you'll see utter luxury alongside council flats - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/it-s-a-bit-of-a-cliche-but-throughout-london-even-in-places-like/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [The British Museum is great for seeing how excellent we were at stealing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/the-british-museum-is-great-for-seeing-how-excellent-we-were-at/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [If I was to get into Twitter I'd expose myself to people who adore me or people who absolutely hated me. Neither of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/if-i-was-to-get-into-twitter-i-d-expose-myself-to-people-who-adore-me/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [There's a club called Headliners in Chiswick where I do a lot of my warmups for tours. For me it's a nice 'big-small' room:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/there-s-a-club-called-headliners-in-chiswick-where-i-do-a-lot-of-my/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [Mumbai was magical, which I was really surprised by, and I got an insight into the world of Bollywood while hanging out with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/mumbai-was-magical-which-i-was-really-surprised-by-and-i-got-an/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [It's just a joy travelling with your job. You get to wander around these interesting cities and then things happen or you observe things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/it-s-just-a-joy-travelling-with-your-job-you-get-to-wander-around/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [This bloke was so pissed, he thought his vomit had come to life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/this-bloke-was-so-pissed-he-thought-his-vomit-had-come-to-life/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I've reached the age of 32 with little wisdom, I'm afraid. It's tragic. I still have to turn to my mum and dad for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-ve-reached-the-age-of-32-with-little-wisdom-i-m-afraid-it-s-tragic/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I would just like to be remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-would-just-like-to-be-remembered/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

[Explore all 126 Russell Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

## More Comedy quotes

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/)

[Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/)

> [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. 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. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/)

[Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/)

[Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/)

> [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/)

[Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/)

> [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/)

[Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/)

> [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/)

[Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/)

> [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

[Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that people think is naughty, that proves there's no real news that day, does it not?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Russell Howard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doing-a-joke-that-people-think/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comedy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doing-a-joke-that-people-think/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/russell-howard-3626_comedy_if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doi_1268120.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If the front-page news is a comedian doing a joke that people think is naughty, that proves there's no real…” — Russell Howard",
                "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": "Russell Howard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If the front-page news is a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doing-a-joke-that-people-think/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/if-the-front-page-news-is-a-comedian-doing-a-joke-that-people-think/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
