Famous quotes
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Laughter
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“So he starts by asking me what I know about capitalism. “People were rich and there was a lot of corruption and a lot of crime,” I say. “And now we have socialism and people are poor and there’s a lot of corruption and a lot of crime.” He laughs. Anything I say about politics makes him laugh.”
Maureen F. McHugh (born 1959) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I was born serious and I have earned my bread making other people laugh.”
Marie Dressler (1868–1934) first seen 1934 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: My Own Story (1934), Ch. 1
“...I hope everyone can identify and laugh and cry over what could be their own inner roar – a grunt of frustration at being misunderstood, misrepresented, at feeling intimidated or overwhelmed – the kind of normal things you can feel in one day...”
Cecelia Ahern (born 1981) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Isn't it fascinating that probably the only laugh this man will ever get in his life is by stripping off his clothes and showing his shortcomings.”
David Niven (1910–1983) first seen 1964 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the ; quoted in The Other Side of the Moon (1985), Ch. XXV: 1964–1966
“I told him that Mustafa Sa'eed was a lie. 'Do you want to know the truth about Mustafa Sa'eed?' I said to him with another drunken laugh.”
Tayeb Salih (1929–2009) said by 2009 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My laugh is far away inside, like the morning car not starting when the key turns.”
Binyavanga Wainaina (1971–2019) said by 2019 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I do not not own life, you often said when you tried to laugh your difficulties away.”
Phaswane Mpe (1970–2004) said by 2004 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think that if you're not a fan of irony as a form of expression, then a book that contains the line, "There's nothing so unattractive to a man as strident feminism" is going to make you cross. I also think that if we can't have a comic female character, if we can't laugh at ourselves without having a panic attack about what it says about women, we haven't got very far with our equality.”
Helen Fielding (born 1958) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interviewed by Viv Groskop, as cited in "Bridget Jones: older, yes, but still mad about the boys", The Observer (2 June 2013)
“Then he laughed and she laughed. And quivering with the movement of the train, the dead man seemed to laugh too.”
Jim Thompson (writer) first seen 1958 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Getaway (1958)
“When you are just so delighted that you laugh.”
Julia Quinn (born 1970) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I would just look over to the officer, flutter my eyelashes and say ‘Do you want to search moi?’ and they would laugh flirtatiously, ‘No Mademoiselle, you carry on’.”
Nancy Wake (1912–2011) first seen 2001 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Reported in Peter FitzSimons, Nancy Wake (2001), ch. 11
“I always laugh my lungs out that this province has this cultural practice of preserving purity through virginity testing as if these young girls wait for Prince Charming riding a white horse”
Nomafrench Mbombo (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When trees did bud and fields were green, And broom bloom’d fair to see, When Mary was complete fifteen, And love laugh’d in her ee, Blythe Davie’s blinks her heart did move To speak her mind thus free: Gang doun the burn, Davie love, An’ I will follow thee.”
Robert Crawford (Scottish poet, died 1733) first seen 1854 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Doun the Burn, Davie", st. 1, in The Illustrated Book of Scottish Songs, 2nd ed. (1854), p. 54
“I sometimes laugh when members of Parliament have a party line and you can see the difference between the mouth and the eyes. You see someone is saying something but doesn’t really believe it.”
Thandi Modise (born 1959) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ciao Darwin is not vulgar: it is grotesque and there is a subtle difference. Many did not understand it, others did not want to understand it. The exaggeration of tone, the exhibitionism, are grotesque condemnations to which humanity is subjected. Trying to exorcise it, we show the reality: this is the world, even if we do not want to see it. A laugh will bury us.”
Paolo Bonolis (born 1961) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Silvia Fumarola, Bonolis no limits: "Altro che tv trash, questa è l'apocalisse", Repubblica.it, 18 April 2016
“America has no north, no south, no east, no west; the sun rises over the hills and sets over the mountains, the compass just points up and down, and we can laugh now at the absurd notion of there being a north and a south. ... We are one and undivided.”
Samuel R. Watkins (1839–1901) said by 1901 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Mum was a disciplinarian though not in the physical sense – as to the latter at best she might use her slippers, but the truth was she was no dab hand and couldn’t beat anyone to save her life! We would usually just pretend to cry so she could let us go, whilst we ran off to have a good laugh.”
Beatrice Aboyade (1935–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The effect of character is always to command consideration. We sport and toy and laugh with men or women who have none, but we never confide in them.”
William Gilmore Simms (1806–1870) said by 1870 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Access to it by attending drawing writing and dancing I practice love, became a fetus the absence of fear I forget to eat I laugh with friends crying for their death.”
Edmond Baudoin (born 1942) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A commune of women or suffragists—that’s what they already call us, with a cold laugh born of the insecurity of seeing us together: an insurmountable barrier, the group of us three.”
Maria Teresa Horta (1937–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People always laugh at the fact that I comment on my own videos, but I couldn’t say it more clearly: I’M MY BIGGEST FAN”
Elsa Majimbo (born 2001) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I initially made my videos to bring joy to myself. I would make them and I'd think, I am so funny! I would watch the videos and just laugh!”
Elsa Majimbo (born 2001) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My looks have changed. I have laugh lines – not wrinkles.”
Iman (model) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I had to give up the hustle and live (at) home for three years. My father would sometimes spend weeks and months in the hospital. Then he would be better and laugh‚ then the next thing he had dementia or couldn't walk. If it wasn't diabetes‚ epilepsy‚ kidney failure‚ hypertension or blood clots in the brain‚ it was something else. One day his body couldn't take it anymore and it shut down”
Soso Rungqu (born 1983) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He makes me laugh. It's the best. From day one, and that's how I knew.”
Julia Anastasopoulos (born 1983) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Women in politics are still women. We can laugh and be joyful and still be in politics. We do not want to be like men, we want to be ourselves and still engage effectively in politics”
Meherzia Labidi Maïza (1963–2021) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: From where I stand: “Women have to be at the heart of the Africa of tomorrow, retrieved on 25 July 2017
“Maybe a little [...] Not on a daily basis, but I'm fine, I have a good life, I have a good laugh.”
Natacha Amal (born 1968) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Natacha Amal reveals the reason why she didn't have children, a forced choice, retrieved on September 4, 2023
“But when I see the stories that I have stopped music, I just laugh because before I got married, I went to school. Will you say I stopped music to go to school?.”
Kaakie (born 1991) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kaakie breaks silence on music hiatus rumors,By Joyce Amaka Sesi, retrieved on January 4, 2024
“As someone in the entertainment industry, you might think it’s partying or anything along those lines, but I enjoy talking and listening to people. If we can effectively communicate with each other, laugh about our worries, share a little advice, for me, that is better than anything else.”
Cindy Sanyu (born 1985) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People who believe in little laugh at little.”
Leonard Feeney (1897–1978) first seen 1936 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: How Much Do I Like a Pun?", in America (September 26, 1936), p. 595
“Now, children, you must never laugh At the stately tall giraffe. She's sensitive, as you can tell; But, my dears, she kicks like hell!”
Roland Young (1887–1953) said by 1953 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You could not give me toys in those bleak days; So when my playmates proudly boasted theirs, You caught me to the shelter of your arms, And taught me how to laugh away my tears.”
DuBose Heyward (1885–1940) said by 1940 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“On stage, I dedicate myself to living truthfully. Yet, people try to turn their real lives into a performance. Sometimes I think our roles have been reversed, and when I say this, directors laugh and agree, “That’s true.” It all feels so artificial.”
Namsrayn Suvd (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I pick up the New York Times sometime in 1992 and find your name. My heart catches. We are twenty years from a summer filled with each other, and now I hear you laugh, and I sound foolishly romantic, now death is around us. The first winnowing, a doctor said, cold. And if she is right, who will be left standing? This feels like a rout.”
Michelle Cliff (1946–2016) said by 2016 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Comedy has been used not just to entertain us, but to communicate our virtues, vices, foibles and nuances to greater audiences. People like to laugh.”
Afeez Oyetoro (born 1963) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: I used to get embarrassed because of my skin —Actor Afeez Oyetoro. 2018, Tribune Newspaper.
“If God gives you a gift, it is not an easy thing. I talk, you laugh. I don’t know how I do it, sometimes. I am embarrassed.”
Nkem Owoh (born 1958) first seen 2009 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview With Nkem Awoh 2009, AfricaMovieStar.com
“At least if you can laugh instead of cry the troubles will either kill you or go away, and it is a bit better to die laughing than to die crying.”
Robert Ruark (1915–1965) said by 1965 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I thought, ‘you’re having a laugh… I’m not leaving now. There’s not a chance I’m going to walk away when things are tough, if anything it makes me more determined.”
Leeann Dempster (born 1970) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I think I am one of the most misunderstood Nigerians nowadays. It makes me laugh. I enjoy it, you know why? People do not face the real issues.”
Rochas Okorocha (born 1962) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“He laughs best who laughs last, The wiseacres vow; But I am impatient, I want to laugh now.”
Carolyn Wells (1862–1942) first seen 1938 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Delays Are Dangerous", st. 1, reported in Bartlett's (1938) p. 812
“Then I was like, people are watching, and they thought that was funny. So I did another one, and then I did another one. And people would hit me and say, “My mom was dying and we would sit and we would sit around and watch you and it made my mom smile and laugh.”
Lexi Allen (born 1967) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I’ve learned through some of my research that Black girls want to be able to have more of a family, relaxed environment — to be able to laugh and be social — while at the same time doing their math work.”
Nicole M. Joseph wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is actually a sensible way for mental therapy and stress release; a good laugh is better than negativity”
Hilary Denise wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A lot of the time, the people in the industry will promise them jobs or whatever it is and be like you know what? If you sleep with me I will give you a job.' Women even laugh about it. It wasn't like a serious thing. I was like: 'Are you guys serious? There's so many ways that you can go about it, why would you sleep with someone”
Lerato Marabe (born 1999) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you are on stage and use theater as a tool to talk to people, you reach them better. People don't want to be lectured. People don't want to be screamed at. People don't want to feel sad. But, you need to entertain as well as giving out the message. So, we kind of felt like in a community, people want to laugh.”
Thoko Ntshinga (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I feel that creativity is a state of mind, and I try to bring that energy to everything I do. I love to paint, sing, play the piano, do yoga, take long walks with my husband, laugh daily and feed my friends. I've discovered that service to others is important, but not to the point of self-depletion, so balance and routine help to restore my energy.”
Nancy Calef (born 1960) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Expect the unexpected. It's like talking to your family members, and making everybody laugh”
Kountry Wayne (born 1987) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People being real. It's got to be real to make me laugh. Either it's real, or someone's told me a bold-face lie. I think it's funny because if they think I believe that, they must be crazy”
Kountry Wayne (born 1987) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Just know they're coming to see the real. We'll be there all the way live, and I've come to make them laugh”
Kountry Wayne (born 1987) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Q&A with Kountry Wayne: Big family style laughs ahead at MPAC,12 September 2024
“From a culture that still asks women to laugh it off, to not be so sensitive and to pick their battles.”
Anne Curtis (born 1985) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source