--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One longs to be funny, to make people…" description: "\"One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. Laughter is such a sign of approval, isn't it?\" — Tom Baker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a96/tom-baker-11691_approval_one-longs-to-be-funny-to-make-people-lau_3110812.png" --- # One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. Laughter is… ![“One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. Laughter is such a sign of approval, isn't it?” quote by Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a96/tom-baker-11691_approval_one-longs-to-be-funny-to-make-people-lau_3110812.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a96/tom-baker-11691_approval_one-longs-to-be-funny-to-make-people-lau_3110812.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a96/tom-baker-11691_approval_one-longs-to-be-funny-to-make-people-lau_3110812.png) > “One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. Laughter is such a sign of approval, isn't it?” [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People desire humor because laughter signals social acceptance and approval. **In simple terms:** People want to be funny to gain approval. Key Takeaway Use humor to connect and gain acceptance. Themes social acceptance humor validation Mood hopeful reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - team meetings - social media posts - public speaking Key Concepts psychology social signaling Questions to Reflect On - Do you use humor to connect or to impress? - How does laughter affect group dynamics? A Different Perspective Humor can backfire if perceived as forced or offensive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Making people laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-people-laugh/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Indulging in unrestrained and immoderate laughter is a sign of intemperance, of a want of control over one's emotions, and of failure to repress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/indulging-in-unrestrained-and-immoderate-laughter-is-a-sign-of/) [Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/) > [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/) > [Thanks to my son, I've learned to laugh at myself. Laughter has been my saving grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-montandon/thanks-to-my-son-i-ve-learned-to-laugh-at-myself-laughter-has-been-my/) [Patricia Montandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-montandon/) > [“Kid, don't miss an opportunity to laugh, because laughter is what makes the boot heels of life palatable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-r-dennis/kid-don-t-miss-an-opportunity-to-laugh-because-laughter-is-what-makes/) Bryan R. Dennis ## More by Tom Baker > [Instead of the 1997 film directed, written, by James Cameron with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane creating a love story and a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/instead-of-the-1997-film-directed-written-by-james-cameron-with/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Not only don't I know who I am, but I'm very suspicious of people who do know who they are. I am sometimes ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/not-only-don-t-i-know-who-i-am-but-i-m-very-suspicious-of-people-who/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Lis Sladen was very important to me, you know. When I joined the little world of 'Doctor Who', Lis was already a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/lis-sladen-was-very-important-to-me-you-know-when-i-joined-the-little/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [The Old Testament is my favourite science fantasy reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/the-old-testament-is-my-favourite-science-fantasy-reading/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Politicians are just Daily Mail journalists writ large, aren't they? They're always telling us what's going to happen, and we know they don't know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/politicians-are-just-daily-mail-journalists-writ-large-aren-t-they/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [A great tribute, is expressing the great love for a Grandmother we share with our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/a-great-tribute-is-expressing-the-great-love-for-a-grandmother-we/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Life is like the rungs on a ladder. The reason they are placed so close together is that we can learn to take baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/life-is-like-the-rungs-on-a-ladder-the-reason-they-are-placed-so/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [We are pre-disposed for fantasy, there is a natural impulse for human beings to want to get off their heads or out of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/we-are-pre-disposed-for-fantasy-there-is-a-natural-impulse-for-human/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [I used to always be putting my hat on children being photographed and then getting home and discovering I was riddled with lice. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/i-used-to-always-be-putting-my-hat-on-children-being-photographed-and/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Well, I think people don't recognise my face because I'm so much older now, but it is astonishing that people can recognise a voice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/well-i-think-people-don-t-recognise-my-face-because-i-m-so-much-older/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow, they represent a gift of love given a long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/some-christmas-tree-ornaments-do-more-than-glitter-and-glow-they/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [When judging others it's the intangibles that we often miss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/when-judging-others-it-s-the-intangibles-that-we-often-miss/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [I'm really not an actor of any kind. I've always seen myself as an entertainer, someone who makes people laugh. That's all I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/i-m-really-not-an-actor-of-any-kind-i-ve-always-seen-myself-as-an/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [It's the end--but the moment has been prepared for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/it-s-the-end-but-the-moment-has-been-prepared-for/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [It never occurred to me that I’d be typecast, although I was. And I never thought of the role as a commercial product, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/it-never-occurred-to-me-that-i-d-be-typecast-although-i-was-and-i/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) [Explore all 58 Tom Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 904 Approval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. 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