--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now that I had assigned myself an act…" description: "\"“Now that I had assigned myself an act without jokes, I gave myself a rule. Never let them know I was bombing”\" — Steve Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/steve-martin-593_bombing_now-that-i-had-assigned-myself-an-act-wi_3118020.jpg" --- # Now that I had assigned myself an act without jokes, I… ![“Now that I had assigned myself an act without jokes, I gave myself a rule. Never let them know I was bombing” quote by Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/steve-martin-593_bombing_now-that-i-had-assigned-myself-an-act-wi_3118020.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/steve-martin-593_bombing_now-that-i-had-assigned-myself-an-act-wi_3118020.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec3/steve-martin-593_bombing_now-that-i-had-assigned-myself-an-act-wi_3118020.jpg) > ““Now that I had assigned myself an act without jokes, I gave myself a rule. Never let them know I was bombing”” [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He decided to keep his failures hidden to protect his reputation and avoid ridicule. **In simple terms:** Hide mistakes to preserve image. Key Takeaway Maintain privacy about failures. Themes humor reputation vulnerability Mood reflective cautious Type advice personal insight When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - career building - personal branding Key Concepts self‑presentation image control risk management Questions to Reflect On - How does hiding failure affect growth? - When is transparency more valuable? A Different Perspective Keeping secrets can erode trust and hinder learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bombing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombing/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) ## Related quotes > [“Free love, man, Free Love! Which, by the way, was the single greatest concept a young man has ever heard. About three years late,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/free-love-man-free-love-which-by-the-way-was-the-single-greatest/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [When you're onstage and you know you're bombing, that's very, very scary. Because you know you gotta keep going - you're bombing, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/when-you-re-onstage-and-you-know-you-re-bombing-that-s-very-very-2/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [When you're onstage and you know you're bombing, that's very, very scary. Because you know you gotta keep going - you're bombing, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/when-you-re-onstage-and-you-know-you-re-bombing-that-s-very-very/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) > [“Be tasteless, rude, and offensive, Live in a swamp and be three dimensional, Put a live chicken in your underwear, Get all excited and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/be-tasteless-rude-and-offensive-live-in-a-swamp-and-be-three/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“You know what your problem is, it's that you haven't seen enough movies - all of life's riddles are answered in the movies." Steve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-know-what-your-problem-is-it-s-that-you-haven-t-seen-enough-2/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Be pompous, obese, and eat cactus Be dull and boring and omnipresent Criticize things you don't know about Be oblong and have your knees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/be-pompous-obese-and-eat-cactus-be-dull-and-boring-and-omnipresent/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“A kiss may not be the truth but it is what we wish were true.” L.A. Story (1991) – Harris Telemacher (Steve Martin)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/a-kiss-may-not-be-the-truth-but-it-is-what-we-wish-were-true-l-a/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I'd love to work with Steve Martin. I'd love to work with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/i-d-love-to-work-with-steve-martin-i-d-love-to-work-with-bill-murray/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [The only thing I really recommend, if you're starting out in stand-up is to not try to copy anybody else. You can be influenced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-only-thing-i-really-recommend-if-you-re-starting-out-in-stand-up/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I was at a dinner party with a group of people, and we were talking about fake names. You know, how its difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-was-at-a-dinner-party-with-a-group-of-people-and-we-were-talking/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [Steve Martin said that philosophy is good for comedy because it screws up your thinking just enough, and I agree with that. Being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/steve-martin-said-that-philosophy-is-good-for-comedy-because-it/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I grew up listening to Steve Martin and Robin Williams, so I didn't ever intend to be a musical comedian. I sort of stumbled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-grew-up-listening-to-steve-martin-and-robin-williams-so-i-didn-t/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Stand-up comedy is a very hard thing on the spirit. There are people who transcend it, like Jack Benny and Steve Martin, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/stand-up-comedy-is-a-very-hard-thing-on-the-spirit-there-are-people/) [Mike Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-nichols/) > [The Pink Panther wasn't shown to the press for reasons that soon became apparent when I saw it at a public performance. Two people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/the-pink-panther-wasn-t-shown-to-the-press-for-reasons-that-soon/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [I was a huge fan of Steve Martin, as everyone I knew in comedy was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-short/i-was-a-huge-fan-of-steve-martin-as-everyone-i-knew-in-comedy-was/) [Martin Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-short/) ## More by Steve Martin > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“It was easy to be great. Every entertainer has a night when everything is clicking. These nights are accidental and statistical: Like lucky cards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/it-was-easy-to-be-great-every-entertainer-has-a-night-when-everything/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I like a woman with a head on her shoulders. I hate necks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-like-a-woman-with-a-head-on-her-shoulders-i-hate-necks/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“And after his unparsable response, including a passage where he said he was 'blurring the boundaries between a thing and thought,' she said, 'Thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/and-after-his-unparsable-response-including-a-passage-where-he-said/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I have no fear, no fear at all. I wake up, and I have no fear. I go to bed without fear. Fear, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-have-no-fear-no-fear-at-all-i-wake-up-and-i-have-no-fear-i-go-to/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Be undeniably good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/be-undeniably-good/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [When I finally retire, I just want to go away so no one has to listen to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/when-i-finally-retire-i-just-want-to-go-away-so-no-one-has-to-listen/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Only then does he realize what he has done to Mirabelle, how wanting a square inch of her and not all of her has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/only-then-does-he-realize-what-he-has-done-to-mirabelle-how-wanting-a/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Lacey was just as happy alone as with company. When she was alone, she was potential; with others she was realized. Alone, she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/lacey-was-just-as-happy-alone-as-with-company-when-she-was-alone-she/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [At first I had no skills in writing comedy. I didn't know what a joke was, but, as someone once told me, your emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/at-first-i-had-no-skills-in-writing-comedy-i-didn-t-know-what-a-joke/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [You cannot make your opportunities concur with the opportunities of people whose incomes are ten times greater than yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-cannot-make-your-opportunities-concur-with-the-opportunities-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The lure in art collecting and its financial rewards, not counting for a moment its aesthetic, cultural and intellectual rewards, is like the trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-lure-in-art-collecting-and-its-financial-rewards-not-counting-for/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [My most persistent memory of stand - up is of my mouth being in the present and my mind being in the future: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/my-most-persistent-memory-of-stand-up-is-of-my-mouth-being-in-the/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [What I mean is that none of my talents had a - what's that great word - rubric. A singer, an actor, a dancer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/what-i-mean-is-that-none-of-my-talents-had-a-what-s-that-great-word/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) [Explore all 453 Steve Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## More Bombing quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stated that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are 'among the most unspeakable crimes in history.' I took no position on just where they stand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-stated-that-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-are-among-the-most-unspeakable/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Bombing Syria will achieve nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/bombing-syria-will-achieve-nothing/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [I am back in LA now. And I keep thinking back to my time in New York after the bombings… I was crying so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-am-back-in-la-now-and-i-keep-thinking-back-to-my-time-in-new-york/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I had been a guerrilla leader in World War II. And I used to say that the way to fight the guerrilla was with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-hilsman/i-had-been-a-guerrilla-leader-in-world-war-ii-and-i-used-to-say-that/) [Roger Hilsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-hilsman/) > [The question is the morning after. What sort of Iraq do we wake up to after the bombing? What happens in the region? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/the-question-is-the-morning-after-what-sort-of-iraq-do-we-wake-up-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Clinton's bombing campaign has caused all of these problems to explode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/clinton-s-bombing-campaign-has-caused-all-of-these-problems-to-explode/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [“Be back presently, Florence!” he called to his wife, and stumped out the front door into the noise and panic of a London bombing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brazytis/be-back-presently-florence-he-called-to-his-wife-and-stumped-out-the/) [Sarah Brazytis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brazytis/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [WASHINGTON - Ever since President Obama ordered American warplanes to begin bombing terrorist targets in Iraq and Syria last year, members of Congress have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baker/washington-ever-since-president-obama-ordered-american-warplanes-to/) [Peter Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baker/) > [If you're against globalisation, it doesn't achieve much by sort of bombing the head offices of Shell or Nestle. You unsettle people much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/if-you-re-against-globalisation-it-doesn-t-achieve-much-by-sort-of/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [Ideas are very important to the shaping of society. In fact, they are more powerful than bombings or armies or guns. And this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/ideas-are-very-important-to-the-shaping-of-society-in-fact-they-are/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [In some ways more painful is the fact that their experience appears to be fading from the collective memory of humankind. Having never experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadatoshi-akiba/in-some-ways-more-painful-is-the-fact-that-their-experience-appears/) Tadatoshi Akiba > [“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/some-wars-are-about-bombing-for-the-people-of-the-baltics-this-war/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) [Browse all 336 Bombing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Now that I had assigned myself an act without jokes, I gave myself a rule. 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