"So it took me five years because in the interim I have been doing a lot of personal appearances and movies and some television series that went into the plumbing and I stopped writing for a while"
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A comedian confessing that the work got delayed because he was busy becoming a product is funny for the same reason it’s a little grim. Klein frames five missing years not as artistic struggle but as an itinerary: “personal appearances,” “movies,” “television series.” The punchline lands with “went into the plumbing,” a wonderfully unglamorous phrase that treats entertainment like a busted toilet. In one quick demotion, show business stops being a dream factory and starts being home maintenance: necessary, messy, and rarely something you brag about at a dinner party.
The specific intent is disarmingly practical. Klein isn’t romanticizing the muse; he’s explaining the economics of a career that rewards visibility over craft. “In the interim” does the work of a shrug. It implies: life happened, checks cleared, schedules filled, and writing - the supposedly sacred core of comedy - became optional. That’s the subtext that stings: the industry can keep you famous while pulling you away from the very skill that made you worth watching.
Context matters because Klein came up in an era when comedians were migrating from clubs into film and TV, when “crossing over” was both validation and dilution. “Stopped writing for a while” is the quietest clause and the most revealing. It’s not burnout; it’s drift. He’s describing how a creative identity can get outsourced, one gig at a time, until the artist realizes he’s been onstage everywhere except at the desk.
The specific intent is disarmingly practical. Klein isn’t romanticizing the muse; he’s explaining the economics of a career that rewards visibility over craft. “In the interim” does the work of a shrug. It implies: life happened, checks cleared, schedules filled, and writing - the supposedly sacred core of comedy - became optional. That’s the subtext that stings: the industry can keep you famous while pulling you away from the very skill that made you worth watching.
Context matters because Klein came up in an era when comedians were migrating from clubs into film and TV, when “crossing over” was both validation and dilution. “Stopped writing for a while” is the quietest clause and the most revealing. It’s not burnout; it’s drift. He’s describing how a creative identity can get outsourced, one gig at a time, until the artist realizes he’s been onstage everywhere except at the desk.
Quote Details
| Topic | Writing |
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