--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't see the point of doing comedy…" description: "\"I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from pain.\" — Simon Amstell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png" --- # I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from… ![“I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from pain.” quote by Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png) > “I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from pain.” [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy is most authentic when it channels personal suffering, turning hardship into humor that resonates. **In simple terms:** Humor from pain feels genuine. Key Takeaway Pain fuels relatable comedy. Themes authenticity vulnerability catharsis self-expression emotional honesty Mood reflective wry introspective Type observational self‑deprecating philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - writing a sitcom - personal blog humor - therapy group jokes - social media satire Key Concepts comedy pain creative inspiration emotional processing Practical Applications - stand‑up performance - writing comedic scripts Questions to Reflect On - How does personal suffering shape artistic voice? - Can humor dilute or amplify the impact of pain? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) ## Related quotes > [The fact of the matter is, you can't do comedy unless someone is behaving badly. Otherwise, it's not a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-you-can-t-do-comedy-unless-someone-is/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [Nobody should try to play comedy unless they have a circus going on inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-lubitsch/nobody-should-try-to-play-comedy-unless-they-have-a-circus-going-on/) [Ernst Lubitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-lubitsch/) > [You can not have comedy unless people are behaving badly. You can't have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/you-can-not-have-comedy-unless-people-are-behaving-badly-you-can-t/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [I tried to make a point of doing things outside the box, of not having basketball consume me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hill/i-tried-to-make-a-point-of-doing-things-outside-the-box-of-not-having/) [Grant Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hill/) > [There is no point of doing anything if you're not going to do it all the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-jackson/there-is-no-point-of-doing-anything-if-you-re-not-going-to-do-it-all/) [Trevor Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-jackson/) > [At the end of the day, I feel like if you're not having fun with what you do, there's really not much of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kelce/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-feel-like-if-you-re-not-having-fun-with-what/) [Travis Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kelce/) > [The point is the doing of them rather than the accomplishments . There is no actor but the action; there is no experiencer but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-point-is-the-doing-of-them-rather-than-the-accomplishments-there/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“What is the point of doing anything if there isn't any point?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-wilhelmy/what-is-the-point-of-doing-anything-if-there-isn-t-any-point/) [Sydney Wilhelmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-wilhelmy/) > [There was no point in doing art if you were going to be second-rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bram/there-was-no-point-in-doing-art-if-you-were-going-to-be-second-rate/) [Christopher Bram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bram/) > [The one thing I made a point of doing, when we were sat with the producers rehearsing, is I'd never see the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/the-one-thing-i-made-a-point-of-doing-when-we-were-sat-with-the/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [When I was playing that was the main focus - you knew what you had to achieve but you want to have fun doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-mcgrath/when-i-was-playing-that-was-the-main-focus-you-knew-what-you-had-to/) [Glenn McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-mcgrath/) > [“And if it wasn’t as good as before, what was the point of doing it? There wasn’t a point, as far as I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/and-if-it-wasn-t-as-good-as-before-what-was-the-point-of-doing-it/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [And what's the point of doing something if you're not doing it 100 percent ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-anton-ohno/and-what-s-the-point-of-doing-something-if-you-re-not-doing-it-100/) Apolo Anton Ohno > [“There is no point in doing something unless you do it well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/there-is-no-point-in-doing-something-unless-you-do-it-well/) [Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Simon Amstell > [My mum makes me laugh a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/my-mum-makes-me-laugh-a-lot/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [I've always felt that comedy doesn't just come from misery. It comes from an absurdity around that misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-ve-always-felt-that-comedy-doesn-t-just-come-from-misery-it-comes/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [I quite like being cheeky and naughty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-quite-like-being-cheeky-and-naughty/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [The first time I got into therapy was when I was 29 - it's always when I'm about to hit a number. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/the-first-time-i-got-into-therapy-was-when-i-was-29-it-s-always-when/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [I am more interested in finding peace than upsetting anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-am-more-interested-in-finding-peace-than-upsetting-anyone/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [If you are somebody who is going to at some point be revealed as not like everyone else, then to be in an insular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/if-you-are-somebody-who-is-going-to-at-some-point-be-revealed-as-not/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [I got my first job in television when I was 18, on the kids' cable channel Nickelodeon, introducing the 'Rugrats' and other programs. 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However, intellect is also useful for things like understanding books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/you-can-t-think-your-way-to-being-in-love-or-able-to-be-loved-however/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [As a teenager, I found a lot of courage through people on the television being funny or subversive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/as-a-teenager-i-found-a-lot-of-courage-through-people-on-the/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [I've stopped doing things that aren't clear comedy gigs - to do something that's not "comedy night," it's a difficult thing. People have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-ve-stopped-doing-things-that-aren-t-clear-comedy-gigs-to-do/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) [Explore all 112 Simon Amstell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) ## 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. 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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. 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": "I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon Amstell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-unless-it-comes-from-pain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-unless-it-comes-from-pain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/simon-amstell-4347_comedy_i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-un_19364.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't see the point of doing comedy unless it comes from pain.” — Simon Amstell", "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": "Simon Amstell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't see the point of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-unless-it-comes-from-pain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/i-don-t-see-the-point-of-doing-comedy-unless-it-comes-from-pain/#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 } } ] } ```