--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The funniest thing about comedy is that…" description: "\"The funniest thing about comedy is that you never know why people laugh. I know what makes them laugh but trying to get your hands on the why of it is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/w-c-fields-1625_comedy_the-funniest-thing-about-comedy-is-that_2642541.png" --- # The funniest thing about comedy is that you never know why… ![“The funniest thing about comedy is that you never know why people laugh. I know what makes them laugh but trying to get your hands on the why of it is like trying to pick an eel out of a tub of water.” quote by W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/w-c-fields-1625_comedy_the-funniest-thing-about-comedy-is-that_2642541.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/w-c-fields-1625_comedy_the-funniest-thing-about-comedy-is-that_2642541.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17e/w-c-fields-1625_comedy_the-funniest-thing-about-comedy-is-that_2642541.png) > “The funniest thing about comedy is that you never know why people laugh. I know what makes them laugh but trying to get your hands on the why of it is like trying to pick an eel out of a tub of water.” [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comedy's mystery lies in unpredictable laughter; understanding the cause is as elusive as catching an eel. **In simple terms:** Comedy is mysterious and unpredictable. Key Takeaway Embrace the mystery of humor. Themes humor uncertainty creativity Mood playful thoughtful Type entertainment philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - writing workshops - improv classes - media analysis Key Concepts psychology performance art Questions to Reflect On - What makes something funny to you? - How do you handle humor that falls flat? A Different Perspective Humor can be offensive or misunderstood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-know-269438/) [Eels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eels/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-trying-396836/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Makes Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-laugh-232172/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Picks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picks/) [Thing Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-comedy-345260/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Tubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tubs/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [I know comedy; I know how to do crazy, off-the-wall stuff that makes me laugh out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/i-know-comedy-i-know-how-to-do-crazy-off-the-wall-stuff-that-makes-me/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [I like to make myself laugh. When I'm just sitting with a sketchbook and trying to make myself laugh or trying to come up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-blitt/i-like-to-make-myself-laugh-when-i-m-just-sitting-with-a-sketchbook/) [Barry Blitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-blitt/) > [I always knew I wanted to do comedy. I like making people laugh. I started out young just making my family laugh and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-bell/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-do-comedy-i-like-making-people-laugh-i/) [Jillian Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-bell/) > [I just try to get people to laugh - I'm not trying to change the world or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/i-just-try-to-get-people-to-laugh-i-m-not-trying-to-change-the-world/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [If you're asking me what I love, it's that point where I'm just scribbling and trying to make myself laugh and trying to outrage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-blitt/if-you-re-asking-me-what-i-love-it-s-that-point-where-i-m-just/) [Barry Blitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-blitt/) > [I'm just trying to be funny, trying to make people laugh, and trying to make the world a better place through some jokes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/i-m-just-trying-to-be-funny-trying-to-make-people-laugh-and-trying-to/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [Most of the time when people laugh at me...I'm not trying to be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-norris/most-of-the-time-when-people-laugh-at-me-i-m-not-trying-to-be-funny/) [Donny Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-norris/) > [Laugh & the world laughs with you. Cry & they would still laugh. Die & they would also laugh. What I'm trying to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-zee/laugh-the-world-laughs-with-you-cry-they-would-still-laugh-die-they/) [MO'zee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-zee/) > [Don't make me LAUGH I'm Trying To Be Mad At You..:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/don-t-make-me-laugh-i-m-trying-to-be-mad-at-you/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [I'm there to make people laugh. I'm not trying to come across as sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-m-there-to-make-people-laugh-i-m-not-trying-to-come-across-as-sexy/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I certainly know guys in comedy, I know some actors, and I definitely know some musicians, who have survived to a certain age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-certainly-know-guys-in-comedy-i-know-some-actors-and-i-definitely/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I knew I wanted to be in show business so I took the path of least resistance. I loved comedy. But you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-in-show-business-so-i-took-the-path-of-least/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I think if you turn down the volume on the good comedy, you should not even know if it's a comedy or not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-billingsley/i-think-if-you-turn-down-the-volume-on-the-good-comedy-you-should-not/) [Peter Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-billingsley/) > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) ## More by W. C. Fields > [Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house unless they have a well-stocked bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/thou-shalt-not-covet-thy-neighbor-s-house-unless-they-have-a-well/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Take me down to the bar! We'll drink breakfast together!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/take-me-down-to-the-bar-we-ll-drink-breakfast-together/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/there-comes-a-time-in-the-affairs-of-man-when-he-must-take-the-bull/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If pigs had wings, they would be pigeons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/if-pigs-had-wings-they-would-be-pigeons/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [I feel like a midget with muddy feet had been walking over my tongue all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-feel-like-a-midget-with-muddy-feet-had-been-walking-over-my-tongue/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [What would you do if you were President, and, on the first day of May, the Russian Ambassador presented you with a beautiful cake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/what-would-you-do-if-you-were-president-and-on-the-first-day-of-may/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [My illness is due to my doctor's insistence that I drink milk, a whitish fluid they force down helpless babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/my-illness-is-due-to-my-doctor-s-insistence-that-i-drink-milk-a/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [I am an expert of electricity. My father occupied the chair of applied electricity at the state prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-am-an-expert-of-electricity-my-father-occupied-the-chair-of-applied/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Bert Williams was the funniest man I ever saw and the saddest man I ever knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/bert-williams-was-the-funniest-man-i-ever-saw-and-the-saddest-man-i/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [A comic should suffer as much over a single line as a man with a hernia would in picking up a heavy barbell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/a-comic-should-suffer-as-much-over-a-single-line-as-a-man-with-a/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [All my available funds are completely tied up in cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/all-my-available-funds-are-completely-tied-up-in-cash/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Back in my rummy days, I would tremble and shake for hours upon arising. It was the only exercise I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/back-in-my-rummy-days-i-would-tremble-and-shake-for-hours-upon/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [Happiness means quiet nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/happiness-means-quiet-nerves/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [W. C. Fields, a lifetime agnostic, was discovered reading a Bible on his deathbed. ''I'm looking for a loop-hole,'' he explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/w-c-fields-a-lifetime-agnostic-was-discovered-reading-a-bible-on-his/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [The movie people would have nothing to do with me until they heard me speak in a Broadway play, then they all wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/the-movie-people-would-have-nothing-to-do-with-me-until-they-heard-me/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) [Explore all 221 W. C. Fields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) ## 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": "The funniest thing about comedy is that you never know why people laugh. I know what makes them laugh but trying to get your hands on the why of it is like trying to pick an eel out of a tub of water.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. C. 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