---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't substitute the act of making…"
description: "\"You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's definitely something that actors like to do.\" — Thomas Gibson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png"
---

#  You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's…

![“You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's definitely something that actors like to do.” quote by Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png)

> “You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's definitely something that actors like to do.”

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

## 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 an essential skill for actors, not replaceable by other talents.

**In simple terms:** Actors need humor.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate comedic timing.

Themes

acting humor skillset

Mood

inspirational practical

Type

career creative

When to use this quote

- audition prep
- improv classes
- stage work

Key Concepts

comedic performance career development

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor enhance storytelling?
- Can an actor succeed without comedy?

A Different Perspective

Comedy may not suit every actor.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Making people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-people-laugh/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/)

## Related quotes

> [Seeing people laugh definitely inspires me, and so does seeing people get life lessons about living better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/seeing-people-laugh-definitely-inspires-me-and-so-does-seeing-people/)

[Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/)

> [I like to make people laugh, and I definitely think laughter is healing. It's one of my favorite thing to do, so I'm attracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-stables/i-like-to-make-people-laugh-and-i-definitely-think-laughter-is/)

[Kelly Stables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-stables/)

> [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 really believe that if you have the ability, there is an obligation to make people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/but-i-really-believe-that-if-you-have-the-ability-there-is-an/)

[Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/)

> [My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rivers/my-mother-s-greatest-joy-in-life-was-to-make-people-laugh/)

[Melissa Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rivers/)

> [When part of what you're trying to get at is the truth hidden under a taboo, or when you want to nail a hypocrisy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/when-part-of-what-you-re-trying-to-get-at-is-the-truth-hidden-under-a/)

[Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/)

> [What is comedy? Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/what-is-comedy-comedy-is-the-art-of-making-people-laugh-without/)

[Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/)

> [To have a job making people laugh really is the greatest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-gold/to-have-a-job-making-people-laugh-really-is-the-greatest-thing/)

[Judy Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-gold/)

> [I have no shame when it comes to making people laugh. I don't care what I look like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-metz/i-have-no-shame-when-it-comes-to-making-people-laugh-i-don-t-care/)

[Chrissy Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-metz/)

> [About the best thing an actor can do when all is said and done is to make people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-levine/about-the-best-thing-an-actor-can-do-when-all-is-said-and-done-is-to/)

Ted Levine

> [I've been at it since 1967, and I still love it. There is nothing quite like making people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/i-ve-been-at-it-since-1967-and-i-still-love-it-there-is-nothing-quite/)

[Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/)

> [I love making people laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-making-people-laugh/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The whole thing about working in front of the camera is to make people laugh when they're not supposed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/the-whole-thing-about-working-in-front-of-the-camera-is-to-make/)

[Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/)

> [The funniest people I know were, not necessarily troubled, but had a harder time in school or were shy or picked on or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-olson/the-funniest-people-i-know-were-not-necessarily-troubled-but-had-a/)

[Kaitlin Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-olson/)

> [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/)

## More by Thomas Gibson

> [I work in show business - there's nothing that shocks me anymore!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/i-work-in-show-business-there-s-nothing-that-shocks-me-anymore/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [One of the things that I'd like to get back to that I did as a younger actor was to work on, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/one-of-the-things-that-i-d-like-to-get-back-to-that-i-did-as-a/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [You know, it's nice on a sitcom to have an audience there, but there's still a wall of cameras between you and them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/you-know-it-s-nice-on-a-sitcom-to-have-an-audience-there-but-there-s/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [Summer I was 13, my grandfather and my father taught me how to play golf. I took lessons that summer, and I played every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/summer-i-was-13-my-grandfather-and-my-father-taught-me-how-to-play/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [I've had probably way too many acting classes, and you try to sort of shed - I think over a period of time, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/i-ve-had-probably-way-too-many-acting-classes-and-you-try-to-sort-of/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [I work out religiously. It's great for my back. It's great for my core. I've been exposed to lots of exercise regimens and movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/i-work-out-religiously-it-s-great-for-my-back-it-s-great-for-my-core/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [People think that human beings have gotten worse, that because of the pressures that modern society puts on us, we've gotten worse, and we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/people-think-that-human-beings-have-gotten-worse-that-because-of-the/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [In a way, as an actor, you do all the preparation and then you want to forget it and just play the scene. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/in-a-way-as-an-actor-you-do-all-the-preparation-and-then-you-want-to/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [Charleston has something for everyone, rain or shine. Its architecture is unparalleled. Carriage rides are great for seeing the city and hearing the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/charleston-has-something-for-everyone-rain-or-shine-its-architecture/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [When my sister and I were kids, swimming down in Charleston, there was this pizza parlor that had this old Dixieland band play, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/when-my-sister-and-i-were-kids-swimming-down-in-charleston-there-was/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [When I'm home, I've got the kind of time that other dads who live there full time don't have. I can go and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/when-i-m-home-i-ve-got-the-kind-of-time-that-other-dads-who-live/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [When I was in New York, I took my bike everywhere for transportation. I didn't have a fixed-gear bicycle, like a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/when-i-was-in-new-york-i-took-my-bike-everywhere-for-transportation-i/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [Charleston is an amazing place. I probably didn't appreciate it enough when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/charleston-is-an-amazing-place-i-probably-didn-t-appreciate-it-enough/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

> [There's nothing better for kids than a bucket and shovel at the beach. I grew up across the marsh from The Citadel. We loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/there-s-nothing-better-for-kids-than-a-bucket-and-shovel-at-the-beach/)

[Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

[Explore all 15 Thomas Gibson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/)

## More Act quotes

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/)

[Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/)

[Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/)

> [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/)

[Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/)

> [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/)

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/)

[Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/)

> [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/)

[Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/)

> [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/)

[Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/)

> [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/)

[Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/)

> [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/)

[Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/)

> [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/)

[Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/)

> [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/)

[Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/)

Browse all 1,802 Act quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's definitely something that actors like to do.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas Gibson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-people-laugh-it-s-definitely/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Act"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-people-laugh-it-s-definitely/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/thomas-gibson-32259_act_you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-p_935366.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can't substitute the act of making people laugh. It's definitely something that actors like to do.” — Thomas Gibson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Thomas Gibson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can't substitute the act of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-people-laugh-it-s-definitely/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/you-can-t-substitute-the-act-of-making-people-laugh-it-s-definitely/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
