--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Doing stand-up is like running across a…" description: "\"Doing stand-up is like running across a frozen pond with the ice breaking behind you. I love it because it's dangerous.\" — Steven Wright" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/steven-wright-432_behind-you_doing-stand-up-is-like-running-across-a_2506242.jpg" --- # Doing stand-up is like running across a frozen pond with… ![“Doing stand-up is like running across a frozen pond with the ice breaking behind you. I love it because it's dangerous.” quote by Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/steven-wright-432_behind-you_doing-stand-up-is-like-running-across-a_2506242.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/steven-wright-432_behind-you_doing-stand-up-is-like-running-across-a_2506242.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/steven-wright-432_behind-you_doing-stand-up-is-like-running-across-a_2506242.jpg) > “Doing stand-up is like running across a frozen pond with the ice breaking behind you. I love it because it's dangerous.” [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) ## 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 thrilling because it involves risk and the unknown, like skating on thin ice. **In simple terms:** Comedy is risky and exciting. Key Takeaway Embrace the danger in your craft. Themes risk humor performance Mood nervous excited Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - open‑mic nights - improv classes - creative writing Key Concepts adrenaline audience reaction Questions to Reflect On - How does risk fuel your humor? - What limits does fear impose? A Different Perspective Danger can lead to failure or injury. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behind you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behind-you/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Doing Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-stand/) [Frozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frozen/) [I love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-love/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Ice Breaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-breaking-624381/) [Like Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-running/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Pond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pond/) [Ponds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ponds/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand/) ## Related quotes > [You can do ice-breaking by being cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/you-can-do-ice-breaking-by-being-cool/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Sloane’s laugh was brief and brittle, like ice breaking in an enchanted forest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/sloane-s-laugh-was-brief-and-brittle-like-ice-breaking-in-an/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [I like being a big fish in a small pond. I'm not interested in a huge audience because it brings headaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lowe/i-like-being-a-big-fish-in-a-small-pond-i-m-not-interested-in-a-huge/) [Nick Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lowe/) > [You throw a stone into a deep pond. Splash. The sound is big, and it reverberates throughout the surrounding area. What comes out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-throw-a-stone-into-a-deep-pond-splash-the-sound-is-big-and-it/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [But once you throw a stone, there are ripples in the pond, even if you remove the rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-once-you-throw-a-stone-there-are-ripples-in-the-pond-even-if-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [For hours, in fall days, I watched the ducks cunningly tack and veer and hold the middle of the pond, far from the sportsman;...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/for-hours-in-fall-days-i-watched-the-ducks-cunningly-tack-and-veer/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I like to sit on the front porch of an old cabin I built in the woods and just listen to the birds; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-like-to-sit-on-the-front-porch-of-an-old-cabin-i-built-in-the-woods/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Music is an ocean, but the repertory is hardly even a lake; it is a pond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/music-is-an-ocean-but-the-repertory-is-hardly-even-a-lake-it-is-a-pond/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/the-first-place-that-i-can-well-remember-was-a-large-pleasant-meadow/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [And the pond's stillness nippled as if by rain instead is pocked with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-kumin/and-the-pond-s-stillness-nippled-as-if-by-rain-instead-is-pocked-with/) [Maxine Kumin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-kumin/) > [The old pond, ah! A frog jumps in: The water's sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/the-old-pond-ah-a-frog-jumps-in-the-water-s-sound/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [Beyond the terrace, a light breeze stirred the reeds at the edge of the pond. Looking out at this intimate vista, one could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnham-schwartz/beyond-the-terrace-a-light-breeze-stirred-the-reeds-at-the-edge-of/) [John Burnham Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnham-schwartz/) > [I prefer being a small fish in a big pond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-keibler/i-prefer-being-a-small-fish-in-a-big-pond/) [Stacy Keibler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-keibler/) > [Swim out of your little pond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/swim-out-of-your-little-pond/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Empty the pond to get the fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/empty-the-pond-to-get-the-fish/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) ## More by Steven Wright > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-lawyers-are-disbarred-and-clergymen-defrocked-doesn-t-it-follow/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [If I ever had twins, I'd use one for parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-i-ever-had-twins-i-d-use-one-for-parts/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Nobody can really compare a relationship in which the victim is 15 years old to one where she's 6. While both criminal, they're very different circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/nobody-can-really-compare-a-relationship-in-which-the-victim-is-15/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I saw a tree fall in the woods, and I didn't hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-saw-a-tree-fall-in-the-woods-and-i-didn-t-hear-it/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [It's very intense to be in front of a live audience. It's just an amazing experience. It's dangerous. Everything out there is heightened. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/it-s-very-intense-to-be-in-front-of-a-live-audience-it-s-just-an/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I got pulled over by a cop, and he said, 'do you know the speed limit here is 55 miles per hour?'. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-got-pulled-over-by-a-cop-and-he-said-do-you-know-the-speed-limit/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Babies don't need a vacation, but I still see them at the beach... it pisses me off! I'll go over to a little baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/babies-don-t-need-a-vacation-but-i-still-see-them-at-the-beach-it/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [When I'm on stage, it's really intense. My mind is going a million miles an hour, trying to remember my act, trying to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/when-i-m-on-stage-it-s-really-intense-my-mind-is-going-a-million/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I don't like politicians, and I don't like politics. I definitely don't want to be associated with any of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-don-t-like-politicians-and-i-don-t-like-politics-i-definitely-don-t/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I went to this restaurant last night that was set up like a big buffet in the shape of an Ouija board. You'd think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-went-to-this-restaurant-last-night-that-was-set-up-like-a-big/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/why-isn-t-the-number-11-pronounced-onety-one/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/a-conscience-is-what-hurts-when-all-your-other-parts-feel-so-good/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) [Explore all 564 Steven Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) ## More Behind you quotes > [Strong families use the word "we" a lot, but "I" is never forgotten. 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Try it, ye who think there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-would-rather-speak-the-truth-to-ten-men-than-blandishments-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Leave your yawns behind you and feel the tiny new breeze of life lighting up inside of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-porchon-lynch/leave-your-yawns-behind-you-and-feel-the-tiny-new-breeze-of-life/) [Tao Porchon-Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-porchon-lynch/) > [Be sure that Christ is not behind you, but before, calling and drawing you on. This is the liberty, the beautiful liberty of Christ.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-bushnell/be-sure-that-christ-is-not-behind-you-but-before-calling-and-drawing/) [Horace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-bushnell/) > [When you become angry, you enter a tunnel, leaving the light behind you; when you get calm, you exit the tunnel, finding the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-become-angry-you-enter-a-tunnel-leaving-the-light-behind-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I wish you were that birch rising from the clump behind you, and I the gray oak alongside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-hall/i-wish-you-were-that-birch-rising-from-the-clump-behind-you-and-i-the/) [Donald Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-hall/) > [What has happened has happened and it is now behind you. Take the best of it all as you move positively forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/what-has-happened-has-happened-and-it-is-now-behind-you-take-the-best/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [A cultivated style would be like a mask. Everybody knows it's a mask, and sooner or later you must show yourself -- or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/a-cultivated-style-would-be-like-a-mask-everybody-knows-it-s-a-mask/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [I understand the opposite side of the camera. I have a profound respect for that. I have worked with people who, when you hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-understand-the-opposite-side-of-the-camera-i-have-a-profound/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to the animals, for they are without sin, while you, with all your greatness, you defile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-do-not-pride-yourself-on-your-superiority-to-the-animals-for-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The thing about 50 is that you've clearly reached a point where you have more of your life behind you than ahead of you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/the-thing-about-50-is-that-you-ve-clearly-reached-a-point-where-you/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Inwardly you are God, outwardly you are a person. 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