Who said “Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire…”?

Verified

James Thurber. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter, March 11, 1954, to Malcolm Cowley. Collecting Himself (1989)

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“Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear.”
— James Thurber
VerifiedLetter, March 11, 1954, to Malcolm Cowley. Collecting Himself (1989) · evidenceComedy and Comedians
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter, March 11, 1954, to Malcolm Cowley. Collecting Himself (1989).

APA

Thurber, J. (n.d.). Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6688-comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you/

MLA

Thurber, James. “Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6688-comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Thurber, James. “Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6688-comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you/.

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“You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.”
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