--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The show doesn’t go on because it’s…" description: "\"“The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30. This is something Lorne [Michaels] has said often about Saturday Night Live,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/tina-fey-484_perfectionism_the-show-doesn-t-go-on-because-it-s-read_553963.jpg" --- # The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on… ![“The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30. This is something Lorne [Michaels] has said often about Saturday Night Live, but I think it’s a great lesson about not being too precious about your writing. You have to try your hardest to be at the top of your game and…” quote by Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/tina-fey-484_perfectionism_the-show-doesn-t-go-on-because-it-s-read_553963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/tina-fey-484_perfectionism_the-show-doesn-t-go-on-because-it-s-read_553963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/tina-fey-484_perfectionism_the-show-doesn-t-go-on-because-it-s-read_553963.jpg) > ““The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30. This is something Lorne \[Michaels\] has said often about Saturday Night Live, but I think it’s a great lesson about not being too precious about your writing. You have to try your hardest to be at the top of your game and improve every joke you can until the last possible second, and then you have to let it go. You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute. (And I’m from a generation where a lot of people died on waterslides, so this was an important lesson for me to learn.) You have to let people see what you wrote. It will never be perfect, but perfect is overrated. Perfect is boring on live TV. What I learned about ‘bombing’ as an improviser at Second City was that bombing is painful, but it doesn’t kill you. No matter how badly an improv set goes, you will still be physically alive when it’s over. What I learned about bombing as a writer at Saturday Night is that you can’t be too worried about your ‘permanent record.’ Yes, you’re going to write some sketches that you love and are proud of forever—your golden nuggets. But you’re also going to write some real shit nuggets. And unfortunately, sometimes the shit nuggets will make it onto the air. You can’t worry about it. As long as you know the difference, you can go back to panning for gold on Monday.”” [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work thrives under time pressure; perfectionism hinders performance and growth. **In simple terms:** Time pressure fuels creativity; perfectionism blocks it. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection and keep producing. Themes creativity performance imperfection growth resilience Mood determined reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - TV writing - live performance - creative deadlines Key Concepts psychology of perfectionism time constraints improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance quality with speed? - What strategies help you release work without over‑editing? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can lead to paralysis and missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Perfectionism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectionism/) [Permanent Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-record/) [Saturday night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night/) [Saturday night live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night-live/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > ['Saturday Night Live' was actually started with a show that Lorne Michaels and I did at a summer camp called Timberlane in Ontario when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-shore/saturday-night-live-was-actually-started-with-a-show-that-lorne/) [Howard Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-shore/) > [ \[Wayne's World and Tommy Boy\] was all from hosting Saturday Night Live the first time \[in 1990\]. I just had such a great time,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/wayne-s-world-and-tommy-boy-was-all-from-hosting-saturday-night-live/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [After college, I funded my short films with acting roles in film and TV. I learned my craft through the great opportunities British television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/after-college-i-funded-my-short-films-with-acting-roles-in-film-and/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [SM:TV' is where we learned our trade. It was young, we could try out new sketches every week. When we got better ratings than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-mcpartlin/sm-tv-is-where-we-learned-our-trade-it-was-young-we-could-try-out-new/) [Ant McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-mcpartlin/) > [“(Things I learned from Lorne Michaels) Producing is about discouraging creativity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/things-i-learned-from-lorne-michaels-producing-is-about-discouraging/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“It is worth noting that at this time, I had been doing Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live for two full seasons. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/it-is-worth-noting-that-at-this-time-i-had-been-doing-weekend-update/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [You can't stay at Saturday Night Live forever. It's a little like trying to stay in high school forever. You need to move on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-can-t-stay-at-saturday-night-live-forever-it-s-a-little-like/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I think if you ask any of us here, we all dreamed of ending up on Saturday Night Live. I remember thinking, 'I'll just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-think-if-you-ask-any-of-us-here-we-all-dreamed-of-ending-up-on/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“I'm saying that, you know, we never get to go to the beach and just, you know, let loose. Fall in love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-m-saying-that-you-know-we-never-get-to-go-to-the-beach-and-just-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Look up at the stars, and we are bombarded by light generated on the day the last victim at Pingfang died, the day the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/look-up-at-the-stars-and-we-are-bombarded-by-light-generated-on-the/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [“Why include conditions precedent at all if there is going to be a simultaneous closing? It is not a necessity, but it does serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/why-include-conditions-precedent-at-all-if-there-is-going-to-be-a/) [Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/) > [Moreover, photography has made it possible to fix these images and now provides us with a permanent record of each observed spectrum, which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pieter-zeeman/moreover-photography-has-made-it-possible-to-fix-these-images-and-now/) [Pieter Zeeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pieter-zeeman/) > [When I was growing up, my mother would always say, 'It will go on your permanent record.' There was no 'permanent record.' If there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/when-i-was-growing-up-my-mother-would-always-say-it-will-go-on-your/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“Well … yes, and here we go again. But before we get to The Work, as it were, I want to make sure I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/well-yes-and-here-we-go-again-but-before-we-get-to-the-work-as-it/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [They still have negligent auditing, they still have things going for a walk, and they have no idea where they're coming from and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/they-still-have-negligent-auditing-they-still-have-things-going-for-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Tina Fey > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [You mostly know that you want to be funny, know that you have the desire. It's not like people who grow up beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-mostly-know-that-you-want-to-be-funny-know-that-you-have-the/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I was a very confident little kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-was-a-very-confident-little-kid/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-can-tell-how-smart-people-are-by-what-they-laugh-at/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/whatever-the-problem-be-part-of-the-solution-don-t-just-sit-around/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Pentagon records show that at least 8,000 members of the all-volunteer U.S. Army have deserted since the Iraq war began. Hey, at least somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/pentagon-records-show-that-at-least-8-000-members-of-the-all/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“That summer I got to know four families in which half the children were gay. In case you’re interested from a sociological point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/that-summer-i-got-to-know-four-families-in-which-half-the-children/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [The topic of working moms is a tap-dance recital in a minefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/the-topic-of-working-moms-is-a-tap-dance-recital-in-a-minefield/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [You can be a little bit darker and rougher on the stage, partly because when you're in the theater, people have come to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-can-be-a-little-bit-darker-and-rougher-on-the-stage-partly/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [ \[...\] things most people do naturally are often inexplicably difficult for me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/things-most-people-do-naturally-are-often-inexplicably-difficult-for/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“To this day, all I know is there are between two and four openings down there and that the set up inside looks vaguely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/to-this-day-all-i-know-is-there-are-between-two-and-four-openings/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Wafah Dufour bin Laden, niece of Osama bin Laden has signed a contract to star in a reality show... called Skating with the Nieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/wafah-dufour-bin-laden-niece-of-osama-bin-laden-has-signed-a-contract/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [It's not vanity, because if you look weird, it will distract from what your trying to do. If you look as good as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/it-s-not-vanity-because-if-you-look-weird-it-will-distract-from-what/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Sometimes, you can feel or see how a movie can... how you can do it. Sometimes it's just like seeing, "Can that work? Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/sometimes-you-can-feel-or-see-how-a-movie-can-how-you-can-do-it/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“forward, women embraced their diversity and realized that all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Ah ha ha. No. I’m totally messing with you. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/forward-women-embraced-their-diversity-and-realized-that-all-shapes/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) [Explore all 527 Tina Fey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More Perfectionism quotes > [“I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-think-perfectionism-is-based-on-the-obsessive-belief-that-if-you/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Keep going even when the going is slow and uncertain. Make your dream your prayer and your service. Don’t wait for recognition. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-g-renee-hill/keep-going-even-when-the-going-is-slow-and-uncertain-make-your-dream/) [G.G. Renee Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-g-renee-hill/) > [Perfectionism is the death of a great room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mcdonald/perfectionism-is-the-death-of-a-great-room/) Anne McDonald > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Intuitionism is not constructive, perfectionism is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/intuitionism-is-not-constructive-perfectionism-is-unacceptable/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [To strive to be perfect is going down the road of self-destruction. To strive to be yourself is going down the road of greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/to-strive-to-be-perfect-is-going-down-the-road-of-self-destruction-to/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [“You know, the whole thing about perfectionism. The perfectionism is very dangerous. Because of course if your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-know-the-whole-thing-about-perfectionism-the-perfectionism-is/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Perfection may not be possible, but striving for excellence is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/perfection-may-not-be-possible-but-striving-for-excellence-is/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“Research shows, however, that anxiety is linked to some aspects of perfectionism but not others. Specifically, while anxious people are concerned about mistakes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-petersen/research-shows-however-that-anxiety-is-linked-to-some-aspects-of/) Andrea Petersen > [Perfectionism is really a challenge for me, and it causes me to be super-critical of myself in so many ways: about body image constantly;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-nettles/perfectionism-is-really-a-challenge-for-me-and-it-causes-me-to-be/) [Jennifer Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-nettles/) > [Everything that these folks are saying that they're trying to move away from, like comparison, perfectionism, judgement, and exhaustion as a status symbol -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/everything-that-these-folks-are-saying-that-they-re-trying-to-move/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is a perpetual flight into an illusory future that cannot be attained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/perfectionism-is-a-perpetual-flight-into-an-illusory-future-that/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [“Perfectionism prevents action. Waiting until you have devised the perfect solution to something is merely a form of procrastination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/staffan-noteberg/perfectionism-prevents-action-waiting-until-you-have-devised-the/) Staffan Noteberg > [If you are a real perfectionist, you can't finish any job! We, the mortals, we don't have enough time to be perfectionist! Perfectionism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-are-a-real-perfectionist-you-can-t-finish-any-job-we-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Perfectionism is the counterfeit of excellence. Excellence is Kingdom, while perfectionism is religion. What ever you do, do it with all you might, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/perfectionism-is-the-counterfeit-of-excellence-excellence-is-kingdom/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) [Browse all 280 Perfectionism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectionism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30. This is something Lorne [Michaels] has said often about Saturday Night Live, but I think it’s a great lesson about not being too precious about your writing. You have to try your hardest to be at the top of your game and improve every joke you can until the last possible second, and then you have to let it go. You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute. (And I’m from a generation where a lot of people died on waterslides, so this was an important lesson for me to learn.) You have to let people see what you wrote. It will never be perfect, but perfect is overrated. Perfect is boring on live TV. What I learned about ‘bombing’ as an improviser at Second City was that bombing is painful, but it doesn’t kill you. No matter how badly an improv set goes, you will still be physically alive when it’s over. What I learned about bombing as a writer at Saturday Night is that you can’t be too worried about your ‘permanent record.’ Yes, you’re going to write some sketches that you love and are proud of forever—your golden nuggets. But you’re also going to write some real shit nuggets. And unfortunately, sometimes the shit nuggets will make it onto the air. You can’t worry about it. 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