--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's easy to be negatively funny about…" description: "\"It's easy to be negatively funny about personalities in the media. It's just kind of a cheap laugh.\" — Stephen Malkmus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/stephen-malkmus-2984_comedy_it-s-easy-to-be-negatively-funny-about-p_2262202.png" --- # It's easy to be negatively funny about personalities in… ![“It's easy to be negatively funny about personalities in the media. It's just kind of a cheap laugh.” quote by Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/stephen-malkmus-2984_comedy_it-s-easy-to-be-negatively-funny-about-p_2262202.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/stephen-malkmus-2984_comedy_it-s-easy-to-be-negatively-funny-about-p_2262202.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/stephen-malkmus-2984_comedy_it-s-easy-to-be-negatively-funny-about-p_2262202.png) > “It's easy to be negatively funny about personalities in the media. It's just kind of a cheap laugh.” [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques shallow humor that mocks media personalities, calling it a cheap, unfulfilling laugh. **In simple terms:** Mocking media personalities is a cheap laugh. Key Takeaway Avoid cheap jokes; seek deeper humor. Themes media criticism humor ethics Mood cynical critical Type observational satirical When to use this quote - social media commentary - stand‑up comedy - online memes - talk shows - news analysis Key Concepts superficiality social commentary Questions to Reflect On - Why do we resort to cheap laughs? - How can humor be both funny and meaningful? A Different Perspective It may overlook the power of satire to provoke thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cheap Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheap-laugh-2313731/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-personalities-5210085/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Negatively Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negatively-funny-5210084/) [Personalities Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities-media-5210086/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) ## Related quotes > [There's no such thing as a cheap laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-cheap-laugh/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [I'm physically completely mal-coordinated. My best friend used to make me run for the bus just to give herself a quick, cheap laugh because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-m-physically-completely-mal-coordinated-my-best-friend-used-to-make/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [But I couldn't cut that whole septic tank scene out because the audience liked it so much. So I sort of fell right back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-couldn-t-cut-that-whole-septic-tank-scene-out-because-the/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [You didn't want to laugh, did you? 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What makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/laughter-is-one-of-the-great-beacons-in-life-because-we-don-t-refract/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [“Tread softly Breathe peacefully Laugh hysterically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandel/tread-softly-breathe-peacefully-laugh-hysterically/) [Nelson Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandel/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) ## More by Stephen Malkmus > ['Silence Kid' starts with a broken classic-rock intro. It's funny to hear us do that. Obviously, we weren't skillful rock stars. Then it's spinning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/silence-kid-starts-with-a-broken-classic-rock-intro-it-s-funny-to/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [What producers did was mostly recording in the studio, so it never changed our sound just that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/what-producers-did-was-mostly-recording-in-the-studio-so-it-never/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm better when I'm an autodidact and things just come. Or you're just blessed. I'm not bragging or anything, it just comes to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-better-when-i-m-an-autodidact-and-things-just-come-or-you-re-just/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [Men are men and women are women, but the men are dumber than the women, usually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/men-are-men-and-women-are-women-but-the-men-are-dumber-than-the-women/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I am good at just looking in the kitchen and getting stuff on the table and keeping the mess minimal. 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It just always comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/the-word-down-is-very-musical-it-just-always-comes/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm more into describing a scenario and I move around in that scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-more-into-describing-a-scenario-and-i-move-around-in-that-scenario/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I like visual imagery in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-like-visual-imagery-in-my-head/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'll cover just about anything - except for a Kid Rock song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ll-cover-just-about-anything-except-for-a-kid-rock-song/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [“I cannot do even one sit-up / Sit-ups are so bourgeoisie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-cannot-do-even-one-sit-up-sit-ups-are-so-bourgeoisie/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I like a narrative, even if it's fractured, or kind of psychedelic. But my favorite thing is if I hear words and I close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-like-a-narrative-even-if-it-s-fractured-or-kind-of-psychedelic-but/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [Freddie Gray was a story I followed closer than others, for whatever reason, in this larger narrative of police brutality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/freddie-gray-was-a-story-i-followed-closer-than-others-for-whatever/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [We're not on a desperate mission to write chart compatible stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/we-re-not-on-a-desperate-mission-to-write-chart-compatible-stuff/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm not dying for things to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-not-dying-for-things-to-say/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) [Explore all 143 Stephen Malkmus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) ## 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. 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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": "It's easy to be negatively funny about personalities in the media. 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