Humor must not professedly teach, and it must not professedly preach, but it must do both if it would live forever. By forever, I mean thirty years.

Summary

This quote highlights the delicate nature of humor. It suggests that humor should not overtly adopt the role of teaching or preaching, as it may become didactic or offensive. Instead, humor should subtly embody these qualities, allowing its messages to be impactful and resonate with others. The humorous content that accomplishes this delicate balancing act stands a chance of being remembered and appreciated for a long time, although the tongue-in-cheek remark about "forever" referring to a mere thirty years emphasizes the transient nature of popularity and relevance.

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