"You must realize that honorary degrees are given generally to people whose SAT scores were too low to get them into schools the regular way. As a matter of fact, it was my SAT scores that led me into my present vocation in life, comedy"
About this Quote
Neil Simon’s joke is a neat little act of social vandalism: he strolls up to one of America’s most sanctified status rituals - the honorary degree - and casually kicks out a support beam. The line works because it weaponizes a familiar cultural insecurity. SAT scores are the national shorthand for early sorting: merit, promise, future. By claiming honorary degrees are for people who couldn’t clear that gate, Simon flips the prestige economy upside down. The “honor” becomes a consolation prize, and the institution granting it looks less like a cathedral of achievement and more like a PR office handing out flattering souvenirs.
The subtext is sharper than the punchline suggests. Simon isn’t just self-deprecating; he’s mocking the idea that standardized tests are a clean measure of worth. If low scores “led” him to comedy, the joke implies that the so-called objective pipeline doesn’t merely measure talent, it actively misroutes it. The system declares you deficient; you build a life out of being declared deficient. That’s not just funny, it’s an American origin story.
Context matters: Simon was a craftsman of mainstream theater who still carried the scent of outsiderhood - a Brooklyn kid who made it by writing jokes, not by collecting credentials. In a ceremonial setting where honorees are expected to sound grateful and elevated, he chooses to sound dangerous: amused, unimpressed, and eager to remind the room that status is often just a costume with good lighting.
The subtext is sharper than the punchline suggests. Simon isn’t just self-deprecating; he’s mocking the idea that standardized tests are a clean measure of worth. If low scores “led” him to comedy, the joke implies that the so-called objective pipeline doesn’t merely measure talent, it actively misroutes it. The system declares you deficient; you build a life out of being declared deficient. That’s not just funny, it’s an American origin story.
Context matters: Simon was a craftsman of mainstream theater who still carried the scent of outsiderhood - a Brooklyn kid who made it by writing jokes, not by collecting credentials. In a ceremonial setting where honorees are expected to sound grateful and elevated, he chooses to sound dangerous: amused, unimpressed, and eager to remind the room that status is often just a costume with good lighting.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
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