William Penn Adair “Will” Rogers was born in 1879 in Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). He died in a plane crash in Alaska when he was only 55 years old. He was actually part Cherokee on his mother’s side.
During his lifetime he was an American cowboy, vaudeville performer, humorist, social commentator and motion picture actor. In the 1920s and 1930s he was one of the best known celebrities in the World.
The Will Rogers quotes we have chosen show a brand of sardonic humor – and a dislike of politics and government.
He was one of the world’s best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s, and the 71 movies he made helped him become the highest paid star in Hollywood at that time.
But Rogers was more than just a film actor. He wrote more than 4000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns, many of which featured his ascerbic political wit. He also appeared on radio where his earthy anecdotes and folksy style allowed him to poke fun at gangsters, prohibition, politicians, government programs, and a host of other controversial topics.
Browse through our selection of quotes to get the essence of Will Rogers’ humor:
- Everything is funny, as long as it’s happening to somebody else.
- Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.
- There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
- Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
- I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
- The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.
- Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.
- Last year we said, ‘Things can’t go on like this’, and they didn’t, they got worse.
- I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.
- Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don’t have for something they don’t need.
- Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.
- The man with the best job in the country is the vice-president. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, ‘How is the president?’
- Worrying is like paying on a debt that may never come due.
- A fool and his money are soon elected.
- If you ever injected truth into politics you have no politics.
These Will Rogers quotes show that he was not an admirer of politics or politicians.
Do you agree he was right to be cynical. Has anything changed in politics since his death?
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