--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's grueling never knowing if the…" description: "\"It's grueling never knowing if the audience is going to think you're funny. It's soul-destroying when they don't laugh.\" — Vince Vaughn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/vince-vaughn-6702_audience_it-s-grueling-never-knowing-if-the-audie_1664359.png" --- # It's grueling never knowing if the audience is going to… ![“It's grueling never knowing if the audience is going to think you're funny. It's soul-destroying when they don't laugh.” quote by Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/vince-vaughn-6702_audience_it-s-grueling-never-knowing-if-the-audie_1664359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/vince-vaughn-6702_audience_it-s-grueling-never-knowing-if-the-audie_1664359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/vince-vaughn-6702_audience_it-s-grueling-never-knowing-if-the-audie_1664359.png) > “It's grueling never knowing if the audience is going to think you're funny. It's soul-destroying when they don't laugh.” [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The fear of not being funny can be crushing, highlighting the vulnerability of performers to audience reaction. **In simple terms:** Fear of not being funny hurts performers. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity and learn from each set. Themes performance humor vulnerability audience confidence Mood anxious hopeful Type motivational practical When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - public speaking - creative workshops Key Concepts Psychology comedy stagecraft Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help manage performance anxiety? - How can you turn a silent audience into a learning moment? A Different Perspective Comedy success also depends on timing and context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There's really no way of ever knowing how the audience is going to respond to any episode or change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-nathan/there-s-really-no-way-of-ever-knowing-how-the-audience-is-going-to/) Stephen Nathan > [Reading nice stuff about you is lovely, but I know it's going to be soul-destroying when you do something that everyone is tearing apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mackay/reading-nice-stuff-about-you-is-lovely-but-i-know-it-s-going-to-be/) [George MacKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mackay/) > [There's a fine line between character building and soul destroying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hay/there-s-a-fine-line-between-character-building-and-soul-destroying/) [Colin Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hay/) > ['Wonderland' was incredible, but 'Once Upon A Time,' I found it quite soul-destroying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-socha/wonderland-was-incredible-but-once-upon-a-time-i-found-it-quite-soul/) [Michael Socha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-socha/) > [I'm not much of a crier but it is mildly soul-destroying and exposing to do something physical that you are terrible at in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-blunt/i-m-not-much-of-a-crier-but-it-is-mildly-soul-destroying-and-exposing/) [Emily Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-blunt/) > [I can think of nothing more soul destroying in life than to persist in trying to do a thing you want desperately to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-can-think-of-nothing-more-soul-destroying-in-life-than-to-persist/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Love, even of the most ardent and soul-destroying kind, is never caught by the lens of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/love-even-of-the-most-ardent-and-soul-destroying-kind-is-never-caught/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [“Authors know their subject. Editors specialize in knowing the audience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/authors-know-their-subject-editors-specialize-in-knowing-the-audience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never had a spirit-breaking, soul-destroying religion drummed into me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-never-had-a-spirit-breaking-soul-destroying-religion-drummed-into-me/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [“There is no more hollow feeling than to stand with your honor shattered at your feet while soaring public reputation wraps you in rewards.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-is-no-more-hollow-feeling-than-to-stand-with-your-honor-2/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The wind is the appalling enemy. It is mind-destroying, physically-destroying, soul-destroying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bonington/the-wind-is-the-appalling-enemy-it-is-mind-destroying-physically/) Chris Bonington > [“For a man, few things can compare to the act of a woman surrendering herself and giving herself completely to him. It follows then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-k-p-o-neill/for-a-man-few-things-can-compare-to-the-act-of-a-woman-surrendering/) [Shane K.P. O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-k-p-o-neill/) > [That soul-destroying, meaningless, mechanical, moronic work is an insult to human nature which must necessarily and inevitably produce either escapism or aggression, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/that-soul-destroying-meaningless-mechanical-moronic-work-is-an-insult/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [It is soul-destroying to have your work and physical appearance picked to pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/it-is-soul-destroying-to-have-your-work-and-physical-appearance/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [The movie industry is brutal. It is dangerous. It is, for most, soul destroying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-apteker/the-movie-industry-is-brutal-it-is-dangerous-it-is-for-most-soul-2/) [Ronnie Apteker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-apteker/) ## More by Vince Vaughn > [My father came from nothing, so he believed that people could do anything if they worked hard enough. I think he liked that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/my-father-came-from-nothing-so-he-believed-that-people-could-do/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [Sometimes people that are very good at improvisation in life, meaning like stage improvisation, aren't good in films because you have to ultimately take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/sometimes-people-that-are-very-good-at-improvisation-in-life-meaning/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [To me, more importantly, I want to make films that I believe in, that I find value in that I think folks will like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/to-me-more-importantly-i-want-to-make-films-that-i-believe-in-that-i/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I think we all have a lot of different personas inside of ourselves. What happens in life is that most people get caught up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-think-we-all-have-a-lot-of-different-personas-inside-of-ourselves/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [If you've been on the covers of some magazines and been in a few movies that have been seen by people, for some reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/if-you-ve-been-on-the-covers-of-some-magazines-and-been-in-a-few/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-found-that-if-you-have-a-goal-that-you-might-not-reach-it-but-if/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I'm not a big gadget guy. When I write, I'll do the whole thing by hand, and then I'll put it into the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-m-not-a-big-gadget-guy-when-i-write-i-ll-do-the-whole-thing-by-hand/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I don't like dates. If you meet someone that you like then meet them out somewhere. That's good because that's comfortable. I don't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-don-t-like-dates-if-you-meet-someone-that-you-like-then-meet-them/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [You don't worry about being liked. You have to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/you-don-t-worry-about-being-liked-you-have-to-be-yourself/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [If you go out with someone famous, you'll get a certain level of attention around you but it was never something I focused on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/if-you-go-out-with-someone-famous-you-ll-get-a-certain-level-of/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I moved out at 18. I always studied classes and trained a lot, you know. I think nowadays is such a different time because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-moved-out-at-18-i-always-studied-classes-and-trained-a-lot-you-know/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [You realize how much the relationship when kids are young can suffer. And it's important to make sure that you are able to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/you-realize-how-much-the-relationship-when-kids-are-young-can-suffer/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [Well, Columbus wasn't looking for America, my man, but that turned out to be pretty okay for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/well-columbus-wasn-t-looking-for-america-my-man-but-that-turned-out/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [We are gonna have tons and tons of opportunities to meet gorgeous ladies that get so aroused by the thought of marriage that they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/we-are-gonna-have-tons-and-tons-of-opportunities-to-meet-gorgeous/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [I'm romantic to some degree, if I really like somebody. I'm more romantic if there's someone that I like than I am a romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-m-romantic-to-some-degree-if-i-really-like-somebody-i-m-more/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) [Explore all 98 Vince Vaughn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's grueling never knowing if the audience is going to think you're funny. 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