Stand-up is the place where you can do things that you could never do in public.
Interpretation
Stand-up comedy allows for the expression of thoughts and ideas that are often considered inappropriate or taboo in everyday life.
Robin Williams highlights the unique nature of stand-up comedy, which serves as a platform for comedians to address topics and express thoughts that might be too controversial or socially unacceptable in ordinary public discourse. This form of performance art provides a space for candidness and humor, enabling both the performer and the audience to explore and confront complex societal issues through laughter.
In practice
Using this quote at a comedy club to emphasize the freedom of expression in stand-up.
It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so quick that even I was like, 'Wow.' Because you have that initial warm feeling going, 'Oh, I remember this'. And your body does, too. And your body goes, 'Yeah, so do I'. Then the demon voice comes, 'Yeah, so do I. You know what would be great? You know we bought a little bottle before? A full bottle would be wonderful'.
I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go, 'Why did you do that?' But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people. There was always something that was worth it.
I've never been asked to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,' so I guess I mustn't be on the professional skids just yet.
The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'
I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.
I've found nothing but support and generosity from older comics. I think comedians are a lot nicer than the stigma is, at least from my experience.
Hungry Joe collected lists of fatal diseases and arranged them in alphabetical order so that he could put his finger without delay on any one he wanted to worry about.
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.
Humorists can never start to take themselves seriously. It's literary suicide.
I certainly don't delude myself that there aren't certainly more important things to do in life than make people laugh, but I can't imagine anything that would bring me more joy.
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