Always Leave Them Laughing When You Say Goodbye

The phrase expresses a performer’s (and more broadly, a communicator’s) strategy: end interactions with warmth, levity, and uplift. In theatrical terms it suggests finishing a set or scene with a strong laugh so the audience’s last impression is pleasure—an approach that can build goodwill and ensure people remember the experience fondly. Outside the stage, it reads as advice about social grace and emotional intelligence: departures matter, and leaving others smiling can preserve relationships, defuse tension, and create a sense of closure. Its durability comes from translating a practical entertainment principle into a general rule for human encounters.