--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think a character in a comedy should…" description: "\"“I think a character in a comedy should not know they're in a comedy.”\" — Steve Carell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/steve-carell-2000_character_i-think-a-character-in-a-comedy-should-n_1039293.jpg" --- # I think a character in a comedy should not know they're in… ![“I think a character in a comedy should not know they're in a comedy.” quote by Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/steve-carell-2000_character_i-think-a-character-in-a-comedy-should-n_1039293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/steve-carell-2000_character_i-think-a-character-in-a-comedy-should-n_1039293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/steve-carell-2000_character_i-think-a-character-in-a-comedy-should-n_1039293.jpg) > ““I think a character in a comedy should not know they're in a comedy.”” [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character unaware of their comedic role preserves the illusion of reality. **In simple terms:** Comedy works when characters think it's real. Key Takeaway Maintain ignorance for comedic effect. Themes comedy meta awareness Mood humorous playful Type entertaining philosophical When to use this quote - scriptwriting - improv - theatre - film - standup comedy Key Concepts dramatic irony selfreferential humor Questions to Reflect On - Does ignorance enhance humor? - When does meta-awareness break immersion? A Different Perspective Audience may feel manipulated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [I think if you turn down the volume on the good comedy, you should not even know if it's a comedy or not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-think-if-you-turn-down-the-volume-on-the-good-comedy-you-should-not/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [You have to know you are in a comedy. You have to know that you are actually allowing the audience to participate on some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/you-have-to-know-you-are-in-a-comedy-you-have-to-know-that-you-are/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [In all honesty, we don't know what's in the hearts of other men. All I know is that I respect comedy and I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/in-all-honesty-we-don-t-know-what-s-in-the-hearts-of-other-men-all-i/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [I know comedy; I know how to do crazy, off-the-wall stuff that makes me laugh out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/i-know-comedy-i-know-how-to-do-crazy-off-the-wall-stuff-that-makes-me/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [Comedy is a way of hiding - especially character comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/comedy-is-a-way-of-hiding-especially-character-comedy/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [When you do something unusual, the audience doesn't 100 percent know what you're up to in the beginning. And if you're doing a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-daniels/when-you-do-something-unusual-the-audience-doesn-t-100-percent-know/) [Greg Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-daniels/) > [All the parts I get offered are character and comedy parts, and I probably wouldn't get them if I had a different face. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-crook/all-the-parts-i-get-offered-are-character-and-comedy-parts-and-i/) [Mackenzie Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-crook/) > [The life of every individual is really always a tragedy, but gone through in detail, it has the character of a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-life-of-every-individual-is-really-always-a-tragedy-but-gone/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I'm starting to play lots more naturalistic, realistic people than when I first started. Maybe because I was doing character comedy shows, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-adefope/i-m-starting-to-play-lots-more-naturalistic-realistic-people-than/) [Lolly Adefope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-adefope/) > [There is no character in the comedy of human life more difficult to play well than that of an old bachelor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/there-is-no-character-in-the-comedy-of-human-life-more-difficult-to/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [I think Jack Nicholson in 'Chinatown' is a very funny character, but I would never call that a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-fleischer/i-think-jack-nicholson-in-chinatown-is-a-very-funny-character-but-i/) [Ruben Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-fleischer/) > [The cleverest character in comedy is the clown, for he who would make people take him for a fool, must not be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-cleverest-character-in-comedy-is-the-clown-for-he-who-would-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['Sightseers' started off as a character comedy double act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-lowe/sightseers-started-off-as-a-character-comedy-double-act/) [Alice Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-lowe/) > [The most difficult character in comedy is that of the fool, and he must be no simpleton that plays that part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/the-most-difficult-character-in-comedy-is-that-of-the-fool-and-he/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) ## More by Steve Carell > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Im not funny. Im actually quite a boring person to meet one-on-one. That seems to shock quite a few people who I run into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/im-not-funny-im-actually-quite-a-boring-person-to-meet-one-on-one/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [It's harder when people are playing along, because it's just not as funny. They're trying to be funny, and it sort of cancels out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-harder-when-people-are-playing-along-because-it-s-just-not-as/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [My wife is way funnier than I am. As much as I don't really feel I share a sense of humour with my family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/my-wife-is-way-funnier-than-i-am-as-much-as-i-don-t-really-feel-i/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [From cheesecake on a stick to meat skewers to deep-fried bananas on a stick - there are no plates anymore. In Los Angeles, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/from-cheesecake-on-a-stick-to-meat-skewers-to-deep-fried-bananas-on-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [If I'd had a great level of success early on, who knows how I would have responded. I might have been a complete jerk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/if-i-d-had-a-great-level-of-success-early-on-who-knows-how-i-would/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [It was kind of like they were just giving us a toy to play with, to do whatever we wanted with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-was-kind-of-like-they-were-just-giving-us-a-toy-to-play-with-to-do/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I wasn't a class clown, I never developed this comedic flair as a kid. Even when I decided to become an actor, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-wasn-t-a-class-clown-i-never-developed-this-comedic-flair-as-a-kid/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Whenever I hear someone describe something as a 'kids movie' or a 'family movie,' it immediately has a negative connotation in my mind because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/whenever-i-hear-someone-describe-something-as-a-kids-movie-or-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I don't text, I don't have a Blackberry. Literally, I just have a cell phone that I haven't programmed and the whole Bluetooth. No.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-don-t-text-i-don-t-have-a-blackberry-literally-i-just-have-a-cell/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I ate fiberglass insulation. It wasn’t cotton candy like the guy said… my tummy itches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-ate-fiberglass-insulation-it-wasn-t-cotton-candy-like-the-guy-said/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [After enjoying a tuna fish sandwich, my seven year old son kindly asked me to 'Change my breath.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/after-enjoying-a-tuna-fish-sandwich-my-seven-year-old-son-kindly/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Different things just strike people differently. And it's so subjective, too. Because what makes one person laugh won't make others laugh. I guess it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/different-things-just-strike-people-differently-and-it-s-so/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“I hate hospitals, in my mind they are associated with sickness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-hate-hospitals-in-my-mind-they-are-associated-with-sickness/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [I think when someone who's known for doing drama does a comedy but just tries to be funny, that's a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-think-when-someone-who-s-known-for-doing-drama-does-a-comedy-but/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) [Explore all 192 Steve Carell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [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/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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