---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me, being funny is more important than…"
description: "\"To me, being funny is more important than making a point, but I don't know. Most politicians are so interested in making points that they don't ... I'd..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg"
---

#  To me, being funny is more important than making a point…

![“To me, being funny is more important than making a point, but I don't know. Most politicians are so interested in making points that they don't ... I'd rather be funny myself, and I'd rather listen to somebody with a little sense of humor.” quote by Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg)

> “To me, being funny is more important than making a point, but I don't know. Most politicians are so interested in making points that they don't ... I'd rather be funny myself, and I'd rather listen to somebody with a little sense of humor.”

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Humor can be more effective than serious argument; many politicians prioritize points over wit.

**In simple terms:** Humor may outweigh serious points.

Key Takeaway

Use humor to engage audiences.

Themes

politics humor communication media leadership

Mood

witty critical

Type

satirical educational

When to use this quote

- Political speeches
- debates
- media interviews
- campaign rallies

Key Concepts

Satire rhetoric public discourse

Questions to Reflect On

- When is humor appropriate in politics?
- How does humor affect public perception?

A Different Perspective

Humor can undermine seriousness of issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/)

## Related quotes

> [There comes a point, in any kind of, whether it's in your family discussions or business or whatever, where you finally have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kyl/there-comes-a-point-in-any-kind-of-whether-it-s-in-your-family/)

[Jon Kyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kyl/)

> [When you're 20 years old and you're making points with volume and dynamism, it's a fantastic thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/when-you-re-20-years-old-and-you-re-making-points-with-volume-and/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [“ Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys Entry Ten Observation #1: Boys have immature ways of making their points. Like leaving you without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brian/megan-meade-s-guide-to-the-mcgowan-boys-entry-ten-observation-1-boys/)

[Kate Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brian/)

> [I didn't grow up with my dad, so it was always very funny to me, and always has been, what an important part DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-didn-t-grow-up-with-my-dad-so-it-was-always-very-funny-to-me-and/)

[Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/)

> [I’m instantly mortified by my fat, uncontrollable mouth, but that’s when it occurs to me that my humor is a self-defense mechanism. Even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/i-m-instantly-mortified-by-my-fat-uncontrollable-mouth-but-that-s/)

[Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/)

> [People have many theories about comedy, but being just plain funny is the one most important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/people-have-many-theories-about-comedy-but-being-just-plain-funny-is/)

[Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/)

> [“My mom loves to laugh, especially when nothing is funny. It's an important trait to have around here, but I'm afraid I didn't inherit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-sue-hitchcock/my-mom-loves-to-laugh-especially-when-nothing-is-funny-it-s-an/)

[Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-sue-hitchcock/)

> [Making a living is nothing; the great difficulty is making a point, making a difference-with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/making-a-living-is-nothing-the-great-difficulty-is-making-a-point/)

[Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/)

> [He was impolite while making a point? This is Vlad the Impaler. His points usually come at the end of a long pole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/he-was-impolite-while-making-a-point-this-is-vlad-the-impaler-his/)

[Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/)

> [“Are you going to be making a point any time soon, or are you holding up the game to brag about your detective skills?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/are-you-going-to-be-making-a-point-any-time-soon-or-are-you-holding/)

[Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/)

> [“Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/tact-is-the-knack-of-making-a-point-without-making-an-enemy/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [I don't care half so much about making money as I do about making my point, and coming out ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-vanderbilt/i-don-t-care-half-so-much-about-making-money-as-i-do-about-making-my/)

[Cornelius Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-vanderbilt/)

> [“Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy. ” Howard W. Newton”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/tact-is-the-art-of-making-a-point-without-making-an-enemy-howard-w/)

[Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/)

> [My show on MTV, as outrageous as it was, it was also making a point, which was, 'Look at what we're doing here. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-green/my-show-on-mtv-as-outrageous-as-it-was-it-was-also-making-a-point/)

[Tom Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-green/)

> [“I don't see the point, in making the point that you will never say or do something by doing what you said you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-paul/i-don-t-see-the-point-in-making-the-point-that-you-will-never-say-or/)

[Emma Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-paul/)

## More by Tom Lehrer

> [Plagiarize, plagiarize, / Let no man's work evade your eyes, / Remember why the good Lord made your eyes, / Don't shade your eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/plagiarize-plagiarize-let-no-man-s-work-evade-your-eyes-remember-why/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [I ache for the touch of your lips dear, but much more for the touch of your whips dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-ache-for-the-touch-of-your-lips-dear-but-much-more-for-the-touch-of/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [When someone makes a move Of which we don't approve, Who is it that always intervenes? U.N. and O.A.S., They have their place, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/when-someone-makes-a-move-of-which-we-don-t-approve-who-is-it-that/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [Don't solicit for your sister, it's not nice. Unless you get a good percentage of her price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/don-t-solicit-for-your-sister-it-s-not-nice-unless-you-get-a-good/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/it-is-a-sobering-thought-that-when-mozart-was-my-age-he-had-been-dead/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [“I am never forget the day I first meet the great Lobachevsky. In one word he told me secret of success in mathematics: Plagiarize!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-am-never-forget-the-day-i-first-meet-the-great-lobachevsky-in-one/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [Counting in octal is just likst counting in decimal--if you don't use your thumbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/counting-in-octal-is-just-likst-counting-in-decimal-if-you-don-t-use/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [Disclaimer: If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared to not only retract it, but also to deny under oath I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/disclaimer-if-anyone-disagrees-with-anything-i-say-i-am-quite/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [Don't write naughty words on the wall if you can't spell!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/don-t-write-naughty-words-on-the-wall-if-you-can-t-spell/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [I don't want to satirise George Bush and his puppeteers, I want to vaporise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-don-t-want-to-satirise-george-bush-and-his-puppeteers-i-want-to/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [San Francisco is a city of twenty-something millionaire white kids named Doug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/san-francisco-is-a-city-of-twenty-something-millionaire-white-kids/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [On Christmas day you can't get sore, Your fellow man you must adore, There's time to cheat him all the more The other three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/on-christmas-day-you-can-t-get-sore-your-fellow-man-you-must-adore/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [Be prepared, and be careful not to do your good deeds when there's no one watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/be-prepared-and-be-careful-not-to-do-your-good-deeds-when-there-s-no/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

> [There's something mathematically satisfying about music: notes fit together and harmony and all that. And mathematics has to do with abstractions and making connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/there-s-something-mathematically-satisfying-about-music-notes-fit/)

[Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

[Explore all 130 Tom Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/)

## 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": "To me, being funny is more important than making a point, but I don't know. Most politicians are so interested in making points that they don't ... I'd rather be funny myself, and I'd rather listen to somebody with a little sense of humor.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tom Lehrer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than-making-a-point-but-i-don-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comedy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than-making-a-point-but-i-don-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/tom-lehrer-3442_funny_to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than_1338363.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To me, being funny is more important than making a point, but I don't know. Most politicians are so…” — Tom Lehrer",
                "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": "Tom Lehrer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To me, being funny is more...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than-making-a-point-but-i-don-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/to-me-being-funny-is-more-important-than-making-a-point-but-i-don-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
