--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the…" description: "\"“Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of regret. All they were good for was saying whoop-whoop-whoop and smacking each other over the h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/thea-harrison-1089_humor_shoulda-woulda-coulda-they-were-the-thre_3133511.jpg" --- # Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of… ![“Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of regret. All they were good for was saying whoop-whoop-whoop and smacking each other over the head.” quote by Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/thea-harrison-1089_humor_shoulda-woulda-coulda-they-were-the-thre_3133511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/thea-harrison-1089_humor_shoulda-woulda-coulda-they-were-the-thre_3133511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/thea-harrison-1089_humor_shoulda-woulda-coulda-they-were-the-thre_3133511.jpg) > ““Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of regret. All they were good for was saying whoop-whoop-whoop and smacking each other over the head.”” [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret often masquerades as humor, but it masks deeper disappointment and self‑criticism. **In simple terms:** Regret hides pain. Key Takeaway Recognize and address underlying feelings. Themes regret humor self‑criticism Mood melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - relationship decisions - career choices - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How does humor affect your processing of regret? - What steps help transform regret into growth? A Different Perspective Humor can trivialize genuine sorrow, preventing healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Three stooges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-stooges/) ## Related quotes > [A simple job for simple people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly-howard/a-simple-job-for-simple-people/) [Curly Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly-howard/) > [Comedy is a weird thing. You have to understand, it's the weirdest thing you can do. There's no consensus. 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Think of any of your famous threesomes. The Three Stooges? Look at the anger there. My bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reiser/three-has-always-been-tougher-than-two-think-of-any-of-your-famous/) [Paul Reiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reiser/) > [There's a thousand reasons why I shouldn't drink... but I can't think of one right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shemp-howard/there-s-a-thousand-reasons-why-i-shouldn-t-drink-but-i-can-t-think-of/) Shemp Howard > [I grew up a huge fan of The Three Stooges and Monty Python, so somebody getting slapped in the face with a fish, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sadoski/i-grew-up-a-huge-fan-of-the-three-stooges-and-monty-python-so/) [Thomas Sadoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sadoski/) > [“I'm like the fucking Three Stooges of espionage. All three of 'em. 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Being hurt physically or emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/what-else-don-t-women-like-besides-the-three-stooges-tom-waits-being/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [“Sex and violence: the greatest duo since the Three Stooges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/sex-and-violence-the-greatest-duo-since-the-three-stooges/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I go dumb like the three stooges \*;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/i-go-dumb-like-the-three-stooges/) Author Name > [The Bushwhackers are living proof that the Three Stooges had children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gorilla-monsoon/the-bushwhackers-are-living-proof-that-the-three-stooges-had-children/) [Gorilla Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gorilla-monsoon/) ## More by Thea Harrison > [“She had been lonely, the kiss hadn't meant anything, and he was clearly regretting it. How many mistakes did that sentence encapsulate in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/she-had-been-lonely-the-kiss-hadn-t-meant-anything-and-he-was-clearly/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Buck up,” she whispered to him. “Don’t be such a wuss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/buck-up-she-whispered-to-him-don-t-be-such-a-wuss/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“If you die, I will find you. I will never leave you. I will never let you go. I will not let you fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/if-you-die-i-will-find-you-i-will-never-leave-you-i-will-never-let/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“He looked at Chloe "Come over to the table. Sit with your aunt. I will clear away the mess and…I will achieve pancakes." Grace's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/he-looked-at-chloe-come-over-to-the-table-sit-with-your-aunt-i-will/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“He stared at her neck. Realization pulsed. He was looking at the bite he had given her. A hard length was growing against her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/he-stared-at-her-neck-realization-pulsed-he-was-looking-at-the-bite/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“That may be so, but his faerie had suffered too much and he had had more than enough. If anybody so much as looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/that-may-be-so-but-his-faerie-had-suffered-too-much-and-he-had-had/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“My worst mistake ever. We should not talk about that penny any more, la la la.” He pulled her hands down. “We’re never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/my-worst-mistake-ever-we-should-not-talk-about-that-penny-any-more-la/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“The harpy’s eyes were wide with wonder. “So that’s Adriyel. No wonder it’s famous in poems and shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/the-harpy-s-eyes-were-wide-with-wonder-so-that-s-adriyel-no-wonder-it/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Xanthe, you are the most beautiful surprise in my life. I hardly noticed you at first. You carry the quiet of a river with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/xanthe-you-are-the-most-beautiful-surprise-in-my-life-i-hardly/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Listen to me. I did not say I was falling in love with you, if only you would hide some part of yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/listen-to-me-i-did-not-say-i-was-falling-in-love-with-you-if-only-you/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“If you ever try to do anything to restrict my movements again, you’ll find out I know how to hold a grudge too,” she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/if-you-ever-try-to-do-anything-to-restrict-my-movements-again-you-ll/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“See, I told you it would all work out,” Niniane said to Tiago. “You are, as always, perfectly right,” Tiago told her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/see-i-told-you-it-would-all-work-out-niniane-said-to-tiago-you-are-as/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Oh, I don’t want to pat you on the head, faerie,” he said low in his throat in a deep purring growl that vibrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/oh-i-don-t-want-to-pat-you-on-the-head-faerie-he-said-low-in-his/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Niniane thought she saw something odd as Aryal looked back at them. The harpy's eyes were narrowed, her angular face white with strain. Niniane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/niniane-thought-she-saw-something-odd-as-aryal-looked-back-at-them/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“These jokers were not that complicated. Death-by-stupidity was the cause as far as Tiago was concerned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/these-jokers-were-not-that-complicated-death-by-stupidity-was-the/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) [Explore all 295 Thea Harrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) ## More Humor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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