I think one reason for a successful marriage is laughter. I think laughter gets you through the rough moments in a marriage.

Newhart frames marriage not as a constant state of harmony but as a long partnership that inevitably includes “rough moments.” In that view, laughter functions as a practical marital skill: it diffuses tension, restores perspective, and helps couples avoid treating every conflict as catastrophic. Coming from a comedian whose public persona often relied on understated, observational humor, the remark also suggests that humor is less about performing jokes and more about a shared way of seeing life—an ability to recognize the absurd, forgive small failings, and reconnect emotionally. The quote elevates levity to a form of resilience and intimacy.