--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"More fun than a barrel of monkeys.\" Has…" description: "\"\"More fun than a barrel of monkeys.\" Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious, a barrelful of monkeys would be, especially..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg" --- # "More fun than a barrel of monkeys." Has anyone ever… ![“"More fun than a barrel of monkeys." Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious, a barrelful of monkeys would be, especially once released from the barrel?” quote by Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg) > “"More fun than a barrel of monkeys." Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious, a barrelful of monkeys would be, especially once released from the barrel?” [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing something to a barrel of monkeys suggests chaos, but the reality may be more hostile than playful. **In simple terms:** Barrel of monkeys is chaotic, possibly dangerous. Key Takeaway Consider hidden dangers in seemingly fun situations. Themes humor danger expectations Mood playful warning Type satirical observational When to use this quote - team building - party planning - risk assessment - creative brainstorming Key Concepts metaphor social commentary Questions to Reflect On - How might this metaphor mislead? - What are the real risks? A Different Perspective Fun analogies can mask serious risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barrel Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrel-monkeys-2751198/) [Barrelful Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrelful-monkeys-2119032/) [Barrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrels/) [Cranky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cranky/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Monkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkey/) [Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkeys/) [Think Cranky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-cranky-2751199/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicious/) [Vicious Barrelful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicious-barrelful-2751197/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a barrel of monkeys, kid, though mostly I figure monkeys stuck in a barrel are just going to be pissed off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-barrel-of-monkeys-kid-though-mostly-i-figure-monkeys-stuck-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He was having more fun than a barrelful of monkeys.\* \*Several years earlier Spider had actually been tremendously disappointed by a barrelful of monkeys.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/he-was-having-more-fun-than-a-barrelful-of-monkeys-several-years/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“I am a misanthrope, but exceedingly benevolent; I am very cranky, and am a super-idealist. ... I can digest philosophy better than food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bernhard-nobel/i-am-a-misanthrope-but-exceedingly-benevolent-i-am-very-cranky-and-am/) [Alfred Bernhard Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bernhard-nobel/) > [Simi, why did Acheron send you here? (Astrid) To protect you from Thanatos so that your sisters don’t get all freaky and destroy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/simi-why-did-acheron-send-you-here-astrid-to-protect-you-from/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I have a skeptical and cranky side, and I'm forever puzzled why people believe the, seeming to me, dumb things that they choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-have-a-skeptical-and-cranky-side-and-i-m-forever-puzzled-why-people/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [You should not do everything in your power to make reviewers cranky before - right before they see your movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-grazer/you-should-not-do-everything-in-your-power-to-make-reviewers-cranky/) [Brian Grazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-grazer/) > [“He couldn't leave a friend to die. Even someone as cranky as Alby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-couldn-t-leave-a-friend-to-die-even-someone-as-cranky-as-alby/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [Now that we were alone,i was self-conscious and cranky again.Why had i wanted to stay?if i had been programmed to want to be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/now-that-we-were-alone-i-was-self-conscious-and-cranky-again-why-had/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [These days I have to be extra nice in stores. It never fails that whenever I look as bad as I can possibly look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/these-days-i-have-to-be-extra-nice-in-stores-it-never-fails-that/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [Crankiness is at the essence of all comedy. My wife and I were discussing the different types of cranky. There's entertaining cranky, annoying cranky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/crankiness-is-at-the-essence-of-all-comedy-my-wife-and-i-were/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [When I don't get enough sleep, I am cranky, vulnerable to headaches, and my concentration is poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/when-i-don-t-get-enough-sleep-i-am-cranky-vulnerable-to-headaches-and/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Gary Greenberg is a thoughtful comedian and a cranky philosopher and a humble pest of a reporter, equal parts Woody Allen, Kierkegaard, and Columbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-lewis-kraus/gary-greenberg-is-a-thoughtful-comedian-and-a-cranky-philosopher-and/) [Gideon Lewis-Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-lewis-kraus/) > [I'm not cranky. I just have a violent reaction to stupid people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-cranky-i-just-have-a-violent-reaction-to-stupid-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [I have played several characters that are crabby and cranky. I don't know if I'm just not a very well-developed human being or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-have-played-several-characters-that-are-crabby-and-cranky-i-don-t/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) ## More by Tom Shales > [Maybe it's the hair. Maybe it's the teeth. Maybe it's the intellect. No, it's the hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-it-s-the-hair-maybe-it-s-the-teeth-maybe-it-s-the-intellect-no/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jimmy Kimmel still comes across like a guy who crashed a party and got caught at it, yet adamantly refuses to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jimmy-kimmel-still-comes-across-like-a-guy-who-crashed-a-party-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [In city after city, newspaper after newspaper has diminished its staff of critics, sometimes to zero. Film and T.V. critics have been dropped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/in-city-after-city-newspaper-after-newspaper-has-diminished-its-staff/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Kukla, Fran and Ollie' occurred in real time and was a benign and bewitching example of pure television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/kukla-fran-and-ollie-occurred-in-real-time-and-was-a-benign-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-larry-kings-cannot-thrive-or-even-survive-in-a-world-where-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Robert Osborne either has the best job in the world, or comes very close. As millions of viewers know, Osborne is the resident host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/robert-osborne-either-has-the-best-job-in-the-world-or-comes-very/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [For those who don't like Dave Letterman, there's Jay Leno; and for those who like neither, there's Craig Ferguson; and if you're still feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/for-those-who-don-t-like-dave-letterman-there-s-jay-leno-and-for/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The once inviolate frame within which programs or commercials were displayed on television - always separately - has been violated to a pulp. Program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-once-inviolate-frame-within-which-programs-or-commercials-were/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Leave It to Beaver,' which ran from 1957 until 1963, was one of the strangest, sweetest, most distinctive domestic sitcoms of television's celebrated Golden Age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/leave-it-to-beaver-which-ran-from-1957-until-1963-was-one-of-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The original and very basic 'Law & Order' series has always seemed to me to be 100-percent exposition, with no filler, no pesky nuances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-original-and-very-basic-law-order-series-has-always-seemed-to-me/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Gimmicks come and go; the cop show seems one genre that will never leave - not as long as people like to sit at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/gimmicks-come-and-go-the-cop-show-seems-one-genre-that-will-never/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [If the networks can get audiences to tolerate pop-up promos by the dozens, maybe they'll start selling pop-up commercials, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/if-the-networks-can-get-audiences-to-tolerate-pop-up-promos-by-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jerry Seinfeld is amazing in many ways, not the least of them his ability to find humor, and convincing us to find it, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jerry-seinfeld-is-amazing-in-many-ways-not-the-least-of-them-his/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) [Explore all 54 Tom Shales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## More Barrels quotes > [It's good to find the barrel of the bat again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-utley/it-s-good-to-find-the-barrel-of-the-bat-again/) [Chase Utley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-utley/) > [The benevolence of wrapping the partridge in a vine leaf brings out its quality, just as the barrel of Diogenes brought forth the qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-des-essarts/the-benevolence-of-wrapping-the-partridge-in-a-vine-leaf-brings-out/) [Emmanuel des Essarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-des-essarts/) > [You could pay a fair market price for a barrel of oil and cut 50 cents a barrel or a dollar barrel off what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bolling/you-could-pay-a-fair-market-price-for-a-barrel-of-oil-and-cut-50/) [Eric Bolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bolling/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [When the landscape buckles and jerks around, when a dust column of debris rises from the collapse of a block of buildings on bodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/when-the-landscape-buckles-and-jerks-around-when-a-dust-column-of/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The sudden release of five million barrels of oil, enormous quantities of methane and two million gallons of toxic dispersants into an already greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/the-sudden-release-of-five-million-barrels-of-oil-enormous-quantities/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [In addition, each barrel of oil we save through conservation further decreases our dangerous reliance on unstable Middle East oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/in-addition-each-barrel-of-oil-we-save-through-conservation-further/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [Muzzle control has to be a religion. You cannot point that weapon at one of your brothers-or yourself. Know where you barrel is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-couch/muzzle-control-has-to-be-a-religion-you-cannot-point-that-weapon-at/) [Dick Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-couch/) > [The defense budget is more than a piggy bank for people who want to get busy beating swords into pork barrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-defense-budget-is-more-than-a-piggy-bank-for-people-who-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today's political leaders demonstrate their low opinion of the public with every social law they pass. They believe that, if given the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/today-s-political-leaders-demonstrate-their-low-opinion-of-the-public/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [Europe and North America, we are told, are less dependent on energy-intensive heavy industry than in the 1960s and 1970s. It seems we squeeze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buchan/europe-and-north-america-we-are-told-are-less-dependent-on-energy/) [James Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buchan/) > [My silence is golden, I Dnt waste time on empty barrels, empty barrels make the most noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sweetner/my-silence-is-golden-i-dnt-waste-time-on-empty-barrels-empty-barrels/) [Sweetner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sweetner/) > [The desert seems to be a brown wasteland of dry, prickly scrub whose only purpose is to serve as a setting for the majestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/the-desert-seems-to-be-a-brown-wasteland-of-dry-prickly-scrub-whose/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [To accept the principal that "all power proceeds from the barrel of a gun" is to accept a society which will be dominated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/to-accept-the-principal-that-all-power-proceeds-from-the-barrel-of-a/) [Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/) > [You look tired," Rachel told Jason. "I wish I could jog and sleep at the same time." "Can't you?" Ferrin asked, joining them at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/you-look-tired-rachel-told-jason-i-wish-i-could-jog-and-sleep-at-the/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) [Browse all 277 Barrels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrels/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "\"More fun than a barrel of monkeys.\" Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious, a barrelful of monkeys would be, especially once released from the barrel?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Shales" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-anyone-ever-stopped-to-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barrels" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-anyone-ever-stopped-to-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/tom-shales-12468_barrels_more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-an_1893483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“\"More fun than a barrel of monkeys.\" Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious…” — Tom Shales", "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 Shales", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "\"More fun than a barrel of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-anyone-ever-stopped-to-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys-has-anyone-ever-stopped-to-think/#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 } } ] } ```