--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could…" description: "\"Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George Carlin, Bill Maher: I want that edge.' But every time I start to get that edgy thing, I get kin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/tom-smothers-37856_bill_every-day-i-think-gosh-i-wish-i-could-be_1210032.jpg" --- # Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George… ![“Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George Carlin, Bill Maher: I want that edge.' But every time I start to get that edgy thing, I get kind of mean.” quote by Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/tom-smothers-37856_bill_every-day-i-think-gosh-i-wish-i-could-be_1210032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/tom-smothers-37856_bill_every-day-i-think-gosh-i-wish-i-could-be_1210032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/tom-smothers-37856_bill_every-day-i-think-gosh-i-wish-i-could-be_1210032.jpg) > “Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George Carlin, Bill Maher: I want that edge.' But every time I start to get that edgy thing, I get kind of mean.” [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desiring a sharp, comedic edge can lead to harshness, revealing a tension between wit and kindness. **In simple terms:** Seeking edge may cause meanness. Key Takeaway Balance humor with empathy. Themes comedy self-improvement authenticity Mood introspective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - political commentary - daily conversations Key Concepts social dynamics personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What makes you feel edgy? - How can you stay funny without being mean? A Different Perspective Edginess can alienate audiences if not tempered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-maher/) [Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carlin/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edge/) [Edgy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edgy/) [Edgy Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edgy-thing-694980/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Every time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-time/) [George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-carlin/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Gosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gosh/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [I wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-wish/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Edgy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-edgy-3662865/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-edge-3662866/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wish Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish-like-310099/) ## Related quotes > [I remember going to the East Village for the first time as a fifteen-year-old and going to Tompkins Square Park. That really seemed like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/i-remember-going-to-the-east-village-for-the-first-time-as-a-fifteen/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [I go where the story leads. And, sometimes, it is a little bit outrageous. And I relish that. I sort of want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-go-where-the-story-leads-and-sometimes-it-is-a-little-bit/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [You always want to give yourself an edge, want to help your team win. That's pretty much going to preparation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/you-always-want-to-give-yourself-an-edge-want-to-help-your-team-win/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [For a writer, you definitely do not want to be in the mainstream. You want to be on the edge because that's where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/for-a-writer-you-definitely-do-not-want-to-be-in-the-mainstream-you/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [You look at Richard Pryor and Robert Klein and George Carlin and Richard Lewis - those guys were so smart, they were the thinking-man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/you-look-at-richard-pryor-and-robert-klein-and-george-carlin-and/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [I've always thought George Carlin was brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/i-ve-always-thought-george-carlin-was-brilliant/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [I'm a big fan of George Carlin's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-van-holt/i-m-a-big-fan-of-george-carlin-s/) [Brian Van Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-van-holt/) > [“Fuck the drug war. Dropping acid was a profound turning point for me, a seminal experience. I make no apologies for it. More people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/fuck-the-drug-war-dropping-acid-was-a-profound-turning-point-for-me-a/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Thanks to people like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin, it's real freedom to do stand-up comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-amstell/thanks-to-people-like-lenny-bruce-and-george-carlin-it-s-real-freedom/) [Simon Amstell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-amstell/) > [You can be funny and say what you mean; these ideas are not mutually exclusive. Some of the best jokes came from people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kondabolu/you-can-be-funny-and-say-what-you-mean-these-ideas-are-not-mutually/) [Hari Kondabolu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kondabolu/) > [I listened to George Carlin when I was a kid and knew every word of his routines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-listened-to-george-carlin-when-i-was-a-kid-and-knew-every-word-of/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [“Why do so many people need help?! Life is not that complicated. You get up, you go to work, eat three meals, you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/why-do-so-many-people-need-help-life-is-not-that-complicated-you-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [One of my greatest inspirations for stand-up was Jonathan Winters. He was a genius. One thing about him, and also Lenny Bruce, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/one-of-my-greatest-inspirations-for-stand-up-was-jonathan-winters-he/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [If I can make you laugh and learn, I want to be like George Carlin and Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy and Sam Kinison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/if-i-can-make-you-laugh-and-learn-i-want-to-be-like-george-carlin-and/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [“Why should I have to hide the fact that I don't believe there’s a supreme being? There’s no proof of it. There’s no harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/why-should-i-have-to-hide-the-fact-that-i-don-t-believe-there-s-a/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) ## More by Tom Smothers > [Freedom of expression and freedom of speech aren't really important unless they're heard. The freedom of hearing is as important as the freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/freedom-of-expression-and-freedom-of-speech-aren-t-really-important/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [I found out that I couldn't have a nervous breakdown. I tried a couple of times, but it just didn't work out. My mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/i-found-out-that-i-couldn-t-have-a-nervous-breakdown-i-tried-a-couple/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [It's hard for me to stay silent when I keep hearing that peace is only attainable through war. There's nothing more scary than watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/it-s-hard-for-me-to-stay-silent-when-i-keep-hearing-that-peace-is/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [We weren't radical chic. Jane Fonda embarrassed me. We belonged to no political parties. Basically, we were vaudevillians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/we-weren-t-radical-chic-jane-fonda-embarrassed-me-we-belonged-to-no/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [If you're ahead of your time, who's going to listen? If you're behind the times, it's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/if-you-re-ahead-of-your-time-who-s-going-to-listen-if-you-re-behind/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [No comedian's wife thinks he's funny. The first few years of the marriage, maybe. I was funny as hell the first couple of years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/no-comedian-s-wife-thinks-he-s-funny-the-first-few-years-of-the/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [They ought to put an amendment to the First Amendment that says there shall also be freedom of hearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/they-ought-to-put-an-amendment-to-the-first-amendment-that-says-there/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [We were against the war in Vietnam and for voter registration and social issues. Everybody has their choices, and the obligation of a comedian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/we-were-against-the-war-in-vietnam-and-for-voter-registration-and/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [Our mother was so public - we always talked about her. But with her passing, all of a sudden we don't even want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/our-mother-was-so-public-we-always-talked-about-her-but-with-her/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [So it - we have one enduring, uh, idea that will always live on with the Smothers Brothers, that 'Mom always liked you best.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/so-it-we-have-one-enduring-uh-idea-that-will-always-live-on-with-the/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) > [I wanted to be in show business, and I was funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-smothers/i-wanted-to-be-in-show-business-and-i-was-funny/) [Tom Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) [Explore all 12 Tom Smothers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-smothers/) ## More Bill quotes > [I'm a really big fan of Bill Murray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hartman/i-m-a-really-big-fan-of-bill-murray/) [Phil Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hartman/) > [“The medical profession is a money making con, they will keep you sick on a variety of expensive prescriptions and on a yo-yo into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-medical-profession-is-a-money-making-con-they-will-keep-you-sick/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I'm obviously a huge Bill Weld fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-baker/i-m-obviously-a-huge-bill-weld-fan/) [Charlie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-baker/) > [In the summer of 1964, my sister and I went to South Ballston, Virginia, to stay with my aunt and her kids. They passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/in-the-summer-of-1964-my-sister-and-i-went-to-south-ballston-virginia/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I didn't make any friends in New York by insisting on moving the league headquarters to Cincinnati. The fact was that my son Bill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-giles/i-didn-t-make-any-friends-in-new-york-by-insisting-on-moving-the/) [Warren Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-giles/) > [We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [“All this waiting. Waiting for the rain to stop. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for the bill. Waiting at the airport for an old friend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/all-this-waiting-waiting-for-the-rain-to-stop-waiting-in-traffic/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [My favorite country blues player was Big Bill Broonzy. City blues was Freddie King, but I liked them all - Muddy Waters, John Lee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-lee/my-favorite-country-blues-player-was-big-bill-broonzy-city-blues-was/) [Alvin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-lee/) > [“I didn’t do it to you, I did it to her. Maybe your past self thinks it’s funny.” “She doesn’t.” “That’s not my fault.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/i-didn-t-do-it-to-you-i-did-it-to-her-maybe-your-past-self-thinks-it/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [If Bill O'Reilly is calling you a far-left critic, in my book, no matter what your political persuasion is, that's probably - that probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-bill-o-reilly-is-calling-you-a-far-left-critic-in-my-book-no/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Bill O'Reilly is like a comfortable pair of shimmeringly angry slippers, but you know every night what you're going to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-morgan/bill-o-reilly-is-like-a-comfortable-pair-of-shimmeringly-angry/) [Piers Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-morgan/) > [Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/expeditions-are-escapism-the-stuff-that-we-re-normally-concerned/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [Here are a few of the actors who have brought my novels to TV life: Bill Pullman, Holly Hunter, Frances McDormand, Julian Sands, Gena…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luanne-rice/here-are-a-few-of-the-actors-who-have-brought-my-novels-to-tv-life/) [Luanne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luanne-rice/) > [Bill Maher fancies himself the reincarnation of Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/bill-maher-fancies-himself-the-reincarnation-of-lenny-bruce/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [What you did was live on very little. I think all of us that were competing - Bill is the same way - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/what-you-did-was-live-on-very-little-i-think-all-of-us-that-were/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) [Browse all 420 Bill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George Carlin, Bill Maher: I want that edge.' 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