The essence of all jokes, of all comedy, seems to be an honest or well intended halfness; a non performance of that which is pretended to be performed, at the same time that one is giving loud pledges of performance. The balking of the intellect, is comedy and it announces itself in the pleasant spasms we call laughter.
quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Related quotes
At those times I got into... I suppose you call it a rut. I used to do comedy, comedy, comedy and I suddenly thought I ought to break away from this somehow.
I had a flair for comedy and could give a sustained performance.
quote by Jessie Matthews
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Yes, I would say my comedy is grunge, evidenced by the fact my jokes have put an end to big-hair glam comedy.
quote by Joel McHale
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Comedy, at least the way I write comedy, is just drama with jokes.
quote by Rob Walton
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I think that comedy really tells you how it is. The other thing about comedy is that - you don't even know if you're failing in drama, but you do know when you're failing in comedy. When you go to a comedy and you don't hear anybody laughing, you know that you've failed.
quote by Carl Reiner
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There's a lot of comedy in Intermission but it's got this depth. It's not comedy for comedy's sake - it's informed by something else. I like stuff like that.
quote by Cillian Murphy
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If I do a poetry reading I want people to walk out and say they feel better for having been there - not because you've done a comedy performance but because you're talking about your father dying or having young children, things that touch your soul.
quote by Roger McGough
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Performance
We are all performers
on a daily stage,
each of us having a part
to play the best we can
from waking in the morning
to sleeping late at night.
Every performance
is watched from on high
and he sends us a message
when we get our performance wrong.
He tell us in his own way
how to mend the performance
that we gave,
then we go out and start
all over again,
only this time
to right the wrongs we made.
5 February 2008
poem by David Harris
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I suddenly realized that comedy, for me, was just being honest, and playing it for real. I've seen so many wonderful actors who turn into creatures from another planet when they're told they are supposed to be playing comedy.
quote by Bea Arthur
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At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society permits more satirical comment than a repressive, so that if comedy is to function in some way as a safety release then it must obviously deal with these taboo areas. This is part of the responsibility we accord our licensed jesters, that nothing be excused the searching light of comedy. If anything can survive the probe of humour it is clearly of value, and conversely all groups who claim immunity from laughter are claiming special privileges which should not be granted.
Theo does comedy now, and he's traveling around the country doing comedy, and I actually just saw him, he's from Louisiana, and I just saw him when I went home to visit my family in Louisiana. I saw his comedy show and he was brilliant.
quote by Trishelle Cannatella
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Everybody says how hard comedy is, but, when it comes time to honor things, whether it's on a weekly critical basis or whether it's award time, at that time of the year, comedy is the poor, dumb child of dramatic work.
quote by Ivan Reitman
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The only honest art form is laughter, comedy. You can't fake it... try to fake three laughs in an hour - ha ha ha ha ha - they'll take you away, man. You can't.
quote by Lenny Bruce
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Curtain call
Curtain call
~
A show as long as a life
Written in the script of the unknown
The mysterious bard has foretold
The final curtain call
~
The closing act is well underway
The last scene about to begin
Soon the lights shall dim to blackness
And the curtains shall fall to close
The lead bystander is all but done
A role written to an end
~
This has been no great story
A simple forgetful tale if told true
The mild tragedy of a few events
Within the comedy of it all
The final performance, a swansong
Then all shall be done
~
Once it is over and the curtain falls
The audience shall rise to leave
With a clatter of chairs ringing out
A dull applause
poem by Matthew Holloway
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Killing time is perhaps the essence of comedy, just as the essence of tragedy is killing eternity.
quote by Miguel de Unamuno
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Performances
Our life is filled with performances
from the day we are born
until the day we pass on.
Everyday we give a new performance.
Our performance always depends
on whatever kind of mood we are in,
some are on the sad side,
while others are filled with sunshine and laughter.
Each day is different
as we pass it through
and so are our performances
in our lives as we pass each day through.
13 June 2010
poem by David Harris
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Something Theatrical
Come to the theatre, discern the actions, there on the stage,
With actors giving you their all, your interest to engage,
The light, scenery and music, the atmosphere is great,
There's drama, and there's comedy, it's a chance to celebrate.
Such power in the performance, which can always mesmerize,
The colour and the spectacle that unfolds before your eyes,
The musical and the pantomime, are all such fun to see,
The songs are awe inspiring, 'Cinderella' is for me.
A story of love and romance, with a happy ending too,
Also 'Aladdin and his Magic Lamp', with a genie spot on cue.
From Shakespeare, to playwrights new, they're there to entertain,
So venture to the theatre, your trip won't be in vain,
The costumes are fantastic, the settings are just right,
I know you won't regret it, so go and have a super night.
poem by Ernestine Northover
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I can do comedy, so people want me to do that, but the other side of comedy is depression. Deep, deep depression is the flip side of comedy. Casting agents don't realize it but in order to be funny you have to have that other side.
quote by Parker Posey
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South Shores Lake Worth
Hemp's South Shore Comedy night,
you could hear comedy, have drinks and a bite.
Sitting with Jim at a table in the back,
watching the comics yak and yak.
It was fun I have to say,
Jim and me did comedy starting at 8.
Jim was a deadpan comic so he worked his punchline
he had a laugh all the time.
He even sang a Johny Cash song,
it was "Ring of Fire" a joke about his
_____not his dong.
Now I went on stage after him with Razel so cold,
she would make fun of the audience, she was bold.
For Razel would make fun of anyone she was mad at,
she was blunt and obnoxious like a brat.
Now funny times with Jim was such a delight,
we had fun at Hemp's South Shore Comedy night.
Written By Suzae Chevalier on February 13,2012
poem by Christina Sunrise
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It's a great counter to doing the soap because it's a comedy. It's real physical comedy.
quote by Corbin Bernsen
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