When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other.

Alda’s remark links humor to social restraint: laughter is a shared, disarming response that tends to reduce fear and hostility, making violence less likely in the moment. The line also implies that comedy can function as a kind of informal diplomacy—creating common ground across differences by reminding people of their mutual humanity. It is not a claim that humor solves underlying conflicts, but that it can interrupt escalation and open space for empathy and conversation. Coming from a performer known for humanistic, character-driven comedy, the quote reflects a belief in the civilizing, connective power of laughter.