Who said “There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it;…”?

Verified

Dorothy Parker. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceInterview, The Paris Review (Summer 1956)

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“There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words.”
— Dorothy Parker
VerifiedInterview, The Paris Review (Summer 1956) · evidenceWit
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Interview, The Paris Review (Summer 1956).

APA

Parker, D. (n.d.). There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42240-theres-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wise/

MLA

Parker, Dorothy. “There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42240-theres-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wise/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Parker, Dorothy. “There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42240-theres-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wise/.

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