--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People try to put ownership on things…" description: "\"People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine, that's my joke.' No such thing. Like if you tripped or stumbled and people go, 'Oh, that's Charlie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/tommy-chong-4039_chaplin_people-try-to-put-ownership-on-things-th_31430.png" --- # People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine… ![“People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine, that's my joke.' No such thing. Like if you tripped or stumbled and people go, 'Oh, that's Charlie Chaplin.' You know what I mean? You can't own a joke. You can be the guy that tells it the best, but you can't own a joke. Nowhere can you own a…” quote by Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/tommy-chong-4039_chaplin_people-try-to-put-ownership-on-things-th_31430.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/tommy-chong-4039_chaplin_people-try-to-put-ownership-on-things-th_31430.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/tommy-chong-4039_chaplin_people-try-to-put-ownership-on-things-th_31430.png) > “People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine, that's my joke.' No such thing. Like if you tripped or stumbled and people go, 'Oh, that's Charlie Chaplin.' You know what I mean? You can't own a joke. You can be the guy that tells it the best, but you can't own a joke. Nowhere can you own a laugh.” [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas, jokes, and humor are public domain; they cannot be owned by any individual, only shared and performed. **In simple terms:** Humor is communal, not property. Key Takeaway Ownership claims over jokes are invalid. Themes Intellectual property Humor Creativity Social norms Mood Playful Reflective Type Anecdotal Philosophical When to use this quote - Stand-up comedy - Social media memes - Improvisational theater Key Concepts Public domain Authorship Cultural sharing Practical Applications - Encourage open collaboration on comedic content - Teach about the limits of copyright in humor Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean for a joke to belong to a culture? - How does claiming ownership affect creative freedom? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [There are people that I am in love with, totally in love with them. I would die for them. I love Michelangelo. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/there-are-people-that-i-am-in-love-with-totally-in-love-with-them-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Charlie Chaplin is the greatest artist of the 20th century. He takes me from laughter to tears in seconds. And he was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/charlie-chaplin-is-the-greatest-artist-of-the-20th-century-he-takes/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Charlie Chaplin was known to be an acrimonious person. Not that I compare myself to him but I am quite brusque, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/charlie-chaplin-was-known-to-be-an-acrimonious-person-not-that-i/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [I've studied Charlie Chaplin for years. I've studied Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, all of them. I don't play around. This is not a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-haddish/i-ve-studied-charlie-chaplin-for-years-i-ve-studied-lucille-ball/) [Tiffany Haddish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-haddish/) > [When you see Charlie Chaplin, he stays funny. He doesn't become drama, and so what really seems to endure is comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/when-you-see-charlie-chaplin-he-stays-funny-he-doesn-t-become-drama/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [American culture has a lot of great moustaches in its history. Mark Twain had a great moustache, Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin ... but Zappa,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/american-culture-has-a-lot-of-great-moustaches-in-its-history-mark/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I've always loved the Marx brothers and Charlie Chaplin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-slater/i-ve-always-loved-the-marx-brothers-and-charlie-chaplin/) [Ethan Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-slater/) > [If you know anything about James Whitcomb Riley, you know that Little Orphan Annie is one of the most fantastic characters who ever lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-young/if-you-know-anything-about-james-whitcomb-riley-you-know-that-little/) [Marguerite Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-young/) > [The end of 'City Lights' makes me cry every time I see it - when Charlie Chaplin walks by the shop window and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/the-end-of-city-lights-makes-me-cry-every-time-i-see-it-when-charlie/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it - Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/to-truly-laugh-you-must-be-able-to-take-your-pain-and-play-with-it/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Charlie Chaplin, too, through spectacle, contraband certain ideas, put them through, ideas that even today are not being expressed by great statesmen and politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/charlie-chaplin-too-through-spectacle-contraband-certain-ideas-put/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [In my life, I wanted to meet certain people. I never met Charlie Chaplin, but I met Werner Herzog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/in-my-life-i-wanted-to-meet-certain-people-i-never-met-charlie/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [He's my favorite! He wrote and produced, and starred in and cast all of his movies! Can you imagine? I get really excited when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/he-s-my-favorite-he-wrote-and-produced-and-starred-in-and-cast-all-of/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [I know of only six genuine comic geniuses in movie history; Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Groucho Marx & Harpo Marx, Peter Sellers, and W.C.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-know-of-only-six-genuine-comic-geniuses-in-movie-history-charlie/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Because of my comedic-influence growing up, Mel Brooks, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin… A lot of Jeff comedic-influences included Charlie Chaplin and physical comedians of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-spencer/because-of-my-comedic-influence-growing-up-mel-brooks-jim-carrey/) [J. Robert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-spencer/) ## More by Tommy Chong > [I've always known, all my life, that I was going to be something special. I never knew what it was, but I always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-ve-always-known-all-my-life-that-i-was-going-to-be-something/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [We survived Nixon and Reagan and George Bush, and so we can survive anything that comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/we-survived-nixon-and-reagan-and-george-bush-and-so-we-can-survive/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [The Shades never recorded anything, Little Daddy and the Bachelors recorded a couple of records, ya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/the-shades-never-recorded-anything-little-daddy-and-the-bachelors/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I believe that all marijuana is medical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-believe-that-all-marijuana-is-medical/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I look on everything with a very optimistic eye. Because I'm a body builder by trade, you know, that was my intent all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-look-on-everything-with-a-very-optimistic-eye-because-i-m-a-body/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I'm a hybrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-m-a-hybrid/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I've always been into improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-ve-always-been-into-improvisation/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I used to joke for years that I was a black man. I adopted the black culture, the black race. I married a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-used-to-joke-for-years-that-i-was-a-black-man-i-adopted-the-black/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I am off all the cancer meds. Energy is a bit low but other than that, I feel really good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-am-off-all-the-cancer-meds-energy-is-a-bit-low-but-other-than-that/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [When they put me in jail, that's when they turned me into an activist. Up until the time I went to jail, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/when-they-put-me-in-jail-that-s-when-they-turned-me-into-an-activist/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [Marijuana grows everywhere in the world. And it really is currency, if you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/marijuana-grows-everywhere-in-the-world-and-it-really-is-currency-if/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [More than anything, the weed really helped with my mental state, because marijuana works on the brain. And if anything, it soothes the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/more-than-anything-the-weed-really-helped-with-my-mental-state/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I never did smoke that much pot; never was a big pothead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-never-did-smoke-that-much-pot-never-was-a-big-pothead/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I converted a family-owned strip club into an improvisational acting theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-converted-a-family-owned-strip-club-into-an-improvisational-acting/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [I know, because I tried all sorts of ways of being in character, and the best way is to be totally straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/i-know-because-i-tried-all-sorts-of-ways-of-being-in-character-and/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) [Explore all 117 Tommy Chong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) ## More Chaplin quotes > [A certain type of critic doesn't really want French movies to be visual. They think movies started from books and they forgot this part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/a-certain-type-of-critic-doesn-t-really-want-french-movies-to-be/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [There are people that I am in love with, totally in love with them. I would die for them. I love Michelangelo. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/there-are-people-that-i-am-in-love-with-totally-in-love-with-them-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [In spite of their obvious differences, folk art and popular art have much in common; they are easy to understand, they are romantic, patriotic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-seldes/in-spite-of-their-obvious-differences-folk-art-and-popular-art-have/) [Gilbert Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-seldes/) > [When Chaplin found a voice to say what was on his mind, he was like a child of eight writing lyrics for Beethoven's Ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/when-chaplin-found-a-voice-to-say-what-was-on-his-mind-he-was-like-a/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [I know of only six genuine comic geniuses in movie history; Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Groucho Marx & Harpo Marx, Peter Sellers, and W.C.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-know-of-only-six-genuine-comic-geniuses-in-movie-history-charlie/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [He's my favorite! He wrote and produced, and starred in and cast all of his movies! Can you imagine? I get really excited when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/he-s-my-favorite-he-wrote-and-produced-and-starred-in-and-cast-all-of/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [My mother doesn't have much of a social life with other A-list people. Which in a way I'm very grateful for, because if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oona-chaplin/my-mother-doesn-t-have-much-of-a-social-life-with-other-a-list-people/) [Oona Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oona-chaplin/) > [In my life, I wanted to meet certain people. I never met Charlie Chaplin, but I met Werner Herzog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/in-my-life-i-wanted-to-meet-certain-people-i-never-met-charlie/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [Chaplin is no business man - all he knows is that he can't take anything less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/chaplin-is-no-business-man-all-he-knows-is-that-he-can-t-take/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [Charlie Chaplin, too, through spectacle, contraband certain ideas, put them through, ideas that even today are not being expressed by great statesmen and politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/charlie-chaplin-too-through-spectacle-contraband-certain-ideas-put/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it - Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/to-truly-laugh-you-must-be-able-to-take-your-pain-and-play-with-it/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Working with Chaplin was a marvelous experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-coogan/working-with-chaplin-was-a-marvelous-experience/) [Jackie Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-coogan/) > [I read every book about Buster Keaton and Chaplin to see how they worked - it's all about dedication, tunnel vision, pursuit of perfection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-merton/i-read-every-book-about-buster-keaton-and-chaplin-to-see-how-they/) [Paul Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-merton/) > [Making people laugh is one of the highest achievements you can have. And when you can make someone laugh and cry, alternatively, as Chaplin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-erwitt/making-people-laugh-is-one-of-the-highest-achievements-you-can-have/) [Elliott Erwitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-erwitt/) > [Chaplin was the greatest thing ever to hit motion pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-coogan/chaplin-was-the-greatest-thing-ever-to-hit-motion-pictures/) [Jackie Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-coogan/) Browse all 114 Chaplin quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People try to put ownership on things: 'That's mine, that's my joke.' No such thing. Like if you tripped or stumbled and people go, 'Oh, that's Charlie Chaplin.' You know what I mean? You can't own a joke. You can be the guy that tells it the best, but you can't own a joke. 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