His violin always plays off-key, but his humor is never off-color. ~ Ronald Reagan
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Acknowledges a flaw in musical skill while praising moral cleanliness in comedy.
- In plain terms
- Bad violin playing but good clean jokes.
- What can you take from it?
- Highlight strengths while downplaying weaknesses.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we balance flaws and strengths?
- Does humor outweigh talent?
Another view
Focusing on positives might ignore real areas for improvement.
More from Jack Benny
Last night, Jack Benny played Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn lost. ~ New York Post Critic
Permalink to quote #108 Jack Benny had style from the beginning. He stood straight and walked kind of sideways as if he were being gently shoved by a touch of genius. ~ William Saroyan
Permalink to quote #110 Benny has done more than raise millions of dollars to erase operating deficits of major orchestras. He has brought multitudes of people who would not otherwise…
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