--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Phyllis Diller came through a mine field…" description: "\"Phyllis Diller came through a mine field of male comedians when she arrived on the comedy scene and she defused them all. She won her place in the Hall..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/tim-conway-16732_comedian_phyllis-diller-came-through-a-mine-field_1249261.jpg" --- # Phyllis Diller came through a mine field of male comedians… ![“Phyllis Diller came through a mine field of male comedians when she arrived on the comedy scene and she defused them all. She won her place in the Hall of Comedy as the First Lady. I will miss her.” quote by Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/tim-conway-16732_comedian_phyllis-diller-came-through-a-mine-field_1249261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/tim-conway-16732_comedian_phyllis-diller-came-through-a-mine-field_1249261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/tim-conway-16732_comedian_phyllis-diller-came-through-a-mine-field_1249261.jpg) > “Phyllis Diller came through a mine field of male comedians when she arrived on the comedy scene and she defused them all. She won her place in the Hall of Comedy as the First Lady. I will miss her.” [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker honors Phyllis Diller’s pioneering role in comedy, noting her ability to outshine male peers and earn the title “First Lady of Comedy.” **In simple terms:** Phyllis Diller broke barriers and became a celebrated female comedian. Key Takeaway Celebrate trailblazers who challenge gender norms. Themes comedy gender barriers legacy humor Mood respectful celebratory Type biographical inspirational When to use this quote - stand-up shows - women’s history lessons - media retrospectives Key Concepts breaking glass ceilings cultural impact role models Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles did female comedians face historically? - How does Diller’s style influence modern humor? A Different Perspective May overlook other contributions in comedy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedians/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [First lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-lady/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) ## Related quotes > [Moms Mabley blazed a path for female stand-ups in a housecoat and floppy hat. Phyllis Diller worked equally hard to make herself unattractive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/moms-mabley-blazed-a-path-for-female-stand-ups-in-a-housecoat-and/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Growing up, my two favorite books were Woody Allen's 'Side Effects' and Phyllis Diller's 'Housekeeping Hints.' I carried that Phyllis Diller book with me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-davis/growing-up-my-two-favorite-books-were-woody-allen-s-side-effects-and/) [Jill Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-davis/) > [I was always a fan of the old-style comics. I loved vaudeville. I loved Milton Berle, Dick Shawn, Phyllis Diller, Don Rickles, Charlie Callas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-the-cable-guy/i-was-always-a-fan-of-the-old-style-comics-i-loved-vaudeville-i-loved/) [Larry the Cable Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-the-cable-guy/) > [“I had never before been a special fan of that great comedian Phyllis Diller, but she utterly won my heart this week by sending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-had-never-before-been-a-special-fan-of-that-great-comedian-phyllis/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I've been pitching a show of five female stand-up comedians through the generations, from Phyllis Diller to Amy Schumer, so when I got an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-liebman/i-ve-been-pitching-a-show-of-five-female-stand-up-comedians-through/) [Wendy Liebman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-liebman/) > [Phyllis Diller's Christmas Advice : Never stand under a partride in a pear tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/phyllis-diller-s-christmas-advice-never-stand-under-a-partride-in-a/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off. - Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off-phyllis-diller/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [E.T., who said to Phyllis Diller, You look weird. Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/e-t-who-said-to-phyllis-diller-you-look-weird-never-got-a-dinner/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [ I think the fact that she \[Eleanor Roosevelt\] was a woman probably in those days would have been an additional criticism, although first ladies… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-rusher/i-think-the-fact-that-she-eleanor-roosevelt-was-a-woman-probably-in/) [William A. 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It's hardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/throughout-ronnie-s-presidency-there-was-an-ongoing-public-discussion/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [When Hillary Clinton was in the Clinton White House as first lady, the left - the right accused her of being wide eyed radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/when-hillary-clinton-was-in-the-clinton-white-house-as-first-lady-the/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More by Tim Conway > [Why do you do what you do? Why do you dress the way you dress?Why do you do what you do with your time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/why-do-you-do-what-you-do-why-do-you-dress-the-way-you-dress-why-do/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [You can't TV surf without coming across an Andy of Mayberry episode where you've just got to watch Don as Barney. And that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/you-can-t-tv-surf-without-coming-across-an-andy-of-mayberry-episode/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [If I wouldn't offend my religion or God, why would I want to offend an audience because in effect those people are being watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/if-i-wouldn-t-offend-my-religion-or-god-why-would-i-want-to-offend-an/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [As a kid I was short and only weighed 95 pounds. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/i-would-get-ill-before-going-onstage-something-about-getting-in-front/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [We kept a broad audience, and we didn't make fun of people who had necessarily made mistakes in their life and burned them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/we-kept-a-broad-audience-and-we-didn-t-make-fun-of-people-who-had/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [I spend a lot of time thinking of the Hereafter - each time I enter a room I wonder what I'm here after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-thinking-of-the-hereafter-each-time-i-enter-a/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [Harvey never had an original idea or thought in his life. I was out wandering around the country doing charity benefits, mainly, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/harvey-never-had-an-original-idea-or-thought-in-his-life-i-was-out/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [I have a lot of awards in my house that I have absolutely no idea what they are for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/i-have-a-lot-of-awards-in-my-house-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [The majority of what calls itself Christianity today is a circus. You've got a bunch of people chasing health, wealth, prosperity; chasing a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/the-majority-of-what-calls-itself-christianity-today-is-a-circus-you/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [It's hard to be sad when you're laughing, so I enjoy making people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/it-s-hard-to-be-sad-when-you-re-laughing-so-i-enjoy-making-people/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [A lot of people like to live on laurels that happened 20 or 30 years ago, but it's nice to get awards. It's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/a-lot-of-people-like-to-live-on-laurels-that-happened-20-or-30-years/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [I've known Harvey for over 40 years and I worked with him on the Burnett show for 11 years. I guess you could say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/i-ve-known-harvey-for-over-40-years-and-i-worked-with-him-on-the/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) [Explore all 39 Tim Conway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) ## More Comedian quotes > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. 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She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. 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