--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scariest thing about screening a…" description: "\"The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in real time if people are enjoying it or not...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg" --- # The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen… ![“The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in real time if people are enjoying it or not. But in a comedy, it's like, if people aren't laughing, it's sort of scary.” quote by Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg) > “The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in real time if people are enjoying it or not. But in a comedy, it's like, if people aren't laughing, it's sort of scary.” [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy audiences are harder to gauge in real time compared to drama. **In simple terms:** Comedy feedback is uncertain. Key Takeaway Seek clear audience signals. Themes entertainment uncertainty feedback Mood anxious curious Type observational analytical When to use this quote - Live shows - screenings - testing jokes Key Concepts Comedy timing audience reaction Questions to Reflect On - How do you test jokes before a show? - What metrics help gauge comedy success? A Different Perspective Live reactions can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I've played farce on the stage, but I have never played any sort of comedy on the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/i-ve-played-farce-on-the-stage-but-i-have-never-played-any-sort-of/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [I am very good at comedy off screen. I wish I could translate it so that you could get to see how mad I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/i-am-very-good-at-comedy-off-screen-i-wish-i-could-translate-it-so/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [“There are just some people in the world you can’t please except by not pleasing them. And life’s too short for making drama, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/there-are-just-some-people-in-the-world-you-can-t-please-except-by/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [Real people avoid drama because they know their time is precious and choose not to waste it on unimportant people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-people-avoid-drama-because-they-know-their-time-is-precious-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I lose the first set, I still have two more. Let's not make a drama, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/if-i-lose-the-first-set-i-still-have-two-more-let-s-not-make-a-drama/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) > [With drama, you know if you're having a true moment, but in comedy, if somebody doesn't laugh, then you know you're not being funny.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-nevin/with-drama-you-know-if-you-re-having-a-true-moment-but-in-comedy-if/) [Brooke Nevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-nevin/) > [Drama is many times like poison in the air. You watch people on TV, co-workers, friends, and family thrive in it, breathing it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/drama-is-many-times-like-poison-in-the-air-you-watch-people-on-tv-co/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [“don't play role in Drama that i well know about the content of script. i can count your steps after this. don't forget who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikke-achmad/don-t-play-role-in-drama-that-i-well-know-about-the-content-of-script/) [ikke achmad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikke-achmad/) > [I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/i-think-that-comedy-really-tells-you-how-it-is-the-other-thing-about/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [There are certain actors who, when they appear in a drama, you know exactly what you're going to get. That's not me - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/there-are-certain-actors-who-when-they-appear-in-a-drama-you-know/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [The makers of '21 and Over' have been screening it, and I'm getting a lot of comparisons to a young Vince Vaughn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/the-makers-of-21-and-over-have-been-screening-it-and-i-m-getting-a/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [I haven't fully moved over to the iPad. At any given time, I have about four DVDs in my pocket. I'm constantly screening 'Top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-cohen/i-haven-t-fully-moved-over-to-the-ipad-at-any-given-time-i-have-about/) [Andy Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-cohen/) > [I didn't audition or anything like that. But I went into John Loganhis office... It was his screening room in his office, actually, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/i-didn-t-audition-or-anything-like-that-but-i-went-into-john-loganhis/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [It seemed like my professional life would take a more scientific route. I guess that plan started to become undone when, at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnon-goldfinger/it-seemed-like-my-professional-life-would-take-a-more-scientific/) [Arnon Goldfinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnon-goldfinger/) > [Rehearsals and screening rooms are often unreliable because they can't provide the chemistry between an audience and what appears on the stage or screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/rehearsals-and-screening-rooms-are-often-unreliable-because-they-can/) [Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/) ## More by Tim Heidecker > [Most of my ideas just come out funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/most-of-my-ideas-just-come-out-funny/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [Abbott and Costello were huge for me as a very young person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/abbott-and-costello-were-huge-for-me-as-a-very-young-person/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [I'm very wary of doing political stuff for a lot of reasons. One of the big ones is that the shelf-life for them is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/i-m-very-wary-of-doing-political-stuff-for-a-lot-of-reasons-one-of/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [In a crazy world where he would get nominated, I'd like to see Obama run against Herman Cain. That would be fantastic. If Herman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/in-a-crazy-world-where-he-would-get-nominated-i-d-like-to-see-obama/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [Everyone's heard the same joke a million times and knows the setups. They are tired of the mass-marketed entertainment served on the networks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/everyone-s-heard-the-same-joke-a-million-times-and-knows-the-setups/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [In the world of 'Tim and Eric,' everything is big and ridiculous and absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/in-the-world-of-tim-and-eric-everything-is-big-and-ridiculous-and/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [Costumes are fun. Dress up like a pilot some night and watch as people stare!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/costumes-are-fun-dress-up-like-a-pilot-some-night-and-watch-as-people/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [Funny people don't really laugh very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/funny-people-don-t-really-laugh-very-much/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [“Have you ever wondered how to commit human sacrifice and destroy all the evidence while having a delicious meal all at the same time?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/have-you-ever-wondered-how-to-commit-human-sacrifice-and-destroy-all/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [There are a lot of young, well-educated, artistic people out there that like to be entertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/there-are-a-lot-of-young-well-educated-artistic-people-out-there-that/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [That kind of language is what makes us laugh. Like, "Well, just eFax that to me, and I'll take a look at it."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/that-kind-of-language-is-what-makes-us-laugh-like-well-just-efax-that/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [I want people to think about movies and how we watch them. Let them know it's okay to question the structure or how we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/i-want-people-to-think-about-movies-and-how-we-watch-them-let-them/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [Sometimes laughing isn't the best judge of what's funny, 'cause I think there's a lot of things that are really funny that don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/sometimes-laughing-isn-t-the-best-judge-of-what-s-funny-cause-i-think/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [I don't really know, I was thinking about that the other day that there aren't a lot of younger up and comers that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/i-don-t-really-know-i-was-thinking-about-that-the-other-day-that/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) > [I think comedy has to come from a real place. It has to come from an honest place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/i-think-comedy-has-to-come-from-a-real-place-it-has-to-come-from-an/) [Tim Heidecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) [Explore all 62 Tim Heidecker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/) ## More Comedy 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/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [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/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in real time if people are enjoying it or not. But in a comedy, it's like, if people aren't laughing, it's sort of scary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Heidecker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-comedy-if-you-screen-a-drama-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-comedy-if-you-screen-a-drama-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/tim-heidecker-10977_comedy_the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-com_3216291.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The scariest thing about screening a comedy if you screen a drama, you know, there's no real way to tell in…” — Tim Heidecker", "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": "Tim Heidecker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-heidecker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The scariest thing about screening a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-comedy-if-you-screen-a-drama-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-heidecker/the-scariest-thing-about-screening-a-comedy-if-you-screen-a-drama-you/#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 } } ] } ```