"Paul Riser tells it in an interesting way; he dissects it and tells the structure, you know, 'you don't mention that part here.' But that's what's interesting about it and the people who are absent are interesting too"
About this Quote
Comedy isn’t just what gets said; it’s what gets strategically withheld. Bob Saget is talking about Paul Reiser like a mechanic admiring another mechanic’s clean teardown: the “interesting way” isn’t personality-first charm, it’s craft. Reiser “dissects it,” and Saget’s little quoted stage direction - “you don’t mention that part here” - pulls back the curtain on an unglamorous truth about storytelling: the punchline is often built in the negative space, in what you delay, disguise, or refuse to name until the exact right moment.
Saget’s intent is generous but also revealing. He’s praising a method that treats a bit like architecture, not confession. The subtext is that a story’s integrity depends on structure more than sincerity. That’s a quietly radical stance for a culture that rewards oversharing: the best storytellers aren’t the ones who “tell everything,” they’re the ones who know what to leave out.
The most pointed line is the last one: “the people who are absent are interesting too.” That’s a comedian’s way of admitting that omission isn’t just technique; it’s meaning. Who gets cut from the narrative - an ex, a parent, the friend who complicates the anecdote - becomes its own punchline, its own moral. In Saget’s world, absence isn’t a gap. It’s a choice, and choices are where the real story lives.
Saget’s intent is generous but also revealing. He’s praising a method that treats a bit like architecture, not confession. The subtext is that a story’s integrity depends on structure more than sincerity. That’s a quietly radical stance for a culture that rewards oversharing: the best storytellers aren’t the ones who “tell everything,” they’re the ones who know what to leave out.
The most pointed line is the last one: “the people who are absent are interesting too.” That’s a comedian’s way of admitting that omission isn’t just technique; it’s meaning. Who gets cut from the narrative - an ex, a parent, the friend who complicates the anecdote - becomes its own punchline, its own moral. In Saget’s world, absence isn’t a gap. It’s a choice, and choices are where the real story lives.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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