--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: David did not have any show ideas about…" description: "\"“David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he knew never to say no while pitching a television executive. “Sure,” he extemporized, dreaming u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg" --- # David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he… ![“David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he knew never to say no while pitching a television executive. “Sure,” he extemporized, dreaming up a name on the spot. “I have Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” quote by Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg) > ““David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he knew never to say no while pitching a television executive. “Sure,” he extemporized, dreaming up a name on the spot. “I have Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”” [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. David improvises a show title on the spot, showing quick thinking and willingness to say yes to opportunities. **In simple terms:** Improvisation wins opportunities. Key Takeaway Be ready to say yes. Themes creativity improvisation opportunity Mood energetic confident Type advice practical When to use this quote - television - sales - marketing Key Concepts business communication entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - When should you decline an idea? - How can you prepare for spontaneous pitches? A Different Perspective Saying yes without thought can backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I like 'Man v. Food,' 'Diners Drive-ins and Dives.' 'Restaurant Impossible' is pretty good, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr/i-like-man-v-food-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-restaurant-impossible-is/) [Dale Earnhardt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr/) > [When I was playing, my wife and kids would go on the road with me, and we would go to different lunch spots that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-fielder/when-i-was-playing-my-wife-and-kids-would-go-on-the-road-with-me-and/) [Prince Fielder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-fielder/) > [Love the show 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.' Being from Louisiana and a big outdoorsman, I'm a big fan of 'Duck Dynasty' as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-brown/love-the-show-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-being-from-louisiana-and-a/) [Wes Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-brown/) > [I'm constantly trying to invent different ways to do things. If you're going to be a television executive, you have to change with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/i-m-constantly-trying-to-invent-different-ways-to-do-things-if-you-re/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Never trust a television executive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-holland/never-trust-a-television-executive/) [Dominic Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-holland/) > [Finding new voices with fresh ideas is the hardest and most rewarding part of a television executive's job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-tassler/finding-new-voices-with-fresh-ideas-is-the-hardest-and-most-rewarding/) [Nina Tassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-tassler/) > [I'm a huge Food Network fan - I still love watching 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-palmer/i-m-a-huge-food-network-fan-i-still-love-watching-diners-drive-ins/) [Jesse Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-palmer/) > [You're told that you're in your head too much, a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Or maybe there's another word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/you-re-told-that-you-re-in-your-head-too-much-a-phrase-that-s-often/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [My parents owned a soul food diner. It inspired me to go to culinary school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flavor-flav/my-parents-owned-a-soul-food-diner-it-inspired-me-to-go-to-culinary/) [Flavor Flav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flavor-flav/) > [After almost exactly three hours, we rolled into a small hole of a town that had one traffic light and a resturant simply marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/after-almost-exactly-three-hours-we-rolled-into-a-small-hole-of-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I am back in LA now. And I keep thinking back to my time in New York after the bombings… I was crying so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-am-back-in-la-now-and-i-keep-thinking-back-to-my-time-in-new-york/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [“This is the Mona Lisa of bad diners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/this-is-the-mona-lisa-of-bad-diners/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [They say it doesn't get any more Jersey than 24-hour diners. Of course, they say the same thing about women with big hair, hapless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/they-say-it-doesn-t-get-any-more-jersey-than-24-hour-diners-of-course/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) ## More by Allen Salkin > [“To Robin’s recollection, one of the first shots that went out on the Television Food Network was of rats scurrying across a black floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/to-robin-s-recollection-one-of-the-first-shots-that-went-out-on-the/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“Gene was working on a new show called Star Trek. On a napkin, he drew for Alton, wide-eyed, a picture of the starship called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/gene-was-working-on-a-new-show-called-star-trek-on-a-napkin-he-drew/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“It took nearly a year for Food Network to produce a show starring Justin, Rebel Eats, a one-off budget road trip program. No future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/it-took-nearly-a-year-for-food-network-to-produce-a-show-starring/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“A guest chef would come in and shoot five shows in two days. Most had no TV training and little on-camera experience. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/a-guest-chef-would-come-in-and-shoot-five-shows-in-two-days-most-had/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“The Iron Chef America producers would reveal to all the competitors three possibilities for the secret ingredient twenty-four hours before contests were shot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/the-iron-chef-america-producers-would-reveal-to-all-the-competitors/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“Inspired first by the need to keep the cameramen awake, Emeril started yelling as he added ingredients to dishes—“Bam!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/inspired-first-by-the-need-to-keep-the-cameramen-awake-emeril-started/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“Since the late 1980s and early 1990s hits, she and Harry had stumbled with unmemorable shows such as Women of the House and Hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/since-the-late-1980s-and-early-1990s-hits-she-and-harry-had-stumbled/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“In 1987, he landed a gig as the director of photography on the video for R.E.M.’s song “The One I Love,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/in-1987-he-landed-a-gig-as-the-director-of-photography-on-the-video/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“The dog and the butler could go, but the rest had serious potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/the-dog-and-the-butler-could-go-but-the-rest-had-serious-potential/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) > [“What Applebee’s was proposing was like Rick Bayless’s endorsement of a line of chicken sandwiches for Burger King”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/what-applebee-s-was-proposing-was-like-rick-bayless-s-endorsement-of/) [Allen Salkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) [Explore all 11 Allen Salkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/) ## More Diners quotes > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [They say it doesn't get any more Jersey than 24-hour diners. Of course, they say the same thing about women with big hair, hapless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/they-say-it-doesn-t-get-any-more-jersey-than-24-hour-diners-of-course/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“This is the Mona Lisa of bad diners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/this-is-the-mona-lisa-of-bad-diners/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [I am back in LA now. And I keep thinking back to my time in New York after the bombings… I was crying so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-am-back-in-la-now-and-i-keep-thinking-back-to-my-time-in-new-york/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [After almost exactly three hours, we rolled into a small hole of a town that had one traffic light and a resturant simply marked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/after-almost-exactly-three-hours-we-rolled-into-a-small-hole-of-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My parents owned a soul food diner. It inspired me to go to culinary school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flavor-flav/my-parents-owned-a-soul-food-diner-it-inspired-me-to-go-to-culinary/) [Flavor Flav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flavor-flav/) > [You're told that you're in your head too much, a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Or maybe there's another word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/you-re-told-that-you-re-in-your-head-too-much-a-phrase-that-s-often/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [ The whole acting and Hollywood \[thing\], it's just work to me. Stand-up comedy ruins you so badly for doing television. I don't really need… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/the-whole-acting-and-hollywood-thing-it-s-just-work-to-me-stand-up/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [For the most part, Australian diners are familiar with kimchi, Korean fried chicken and even bimbimbap - those deliciously nourishing bowls of rice topped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/for-the-most-part-australian-diners-are-familiar-with-kimchi-korean/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [A restaurant is a fantasy-a kind of living fantasy in which diners are the most important members of the cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warner-leroy/a-restaurant-is-a-fantasy-a-kind-of-living-fantasy-in-which-diners/) Warner LeRoy > [Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/sitting-at-the-table-doesn-t-make-you-a-diner-unless-you-eat-some-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [In the middle of nowhere, along a quiet stretch of road, the diner dreamt of the hungry dead. And of two men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/in-the-middle-of-nowhere-along-a-quiet-stretch-of-road-the-diner/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [You asked me if I believed in magic, and I said yes, and that's how. You just step out, start pulling your life out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-barkley/you-asked-me-if-i-believed-in-magic-and-i-said-yes-and-that-s-how-you/) [Brad Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-barkley/) > [If you owe too much on American Express, and your Diner's Club notes are too hard, take a loan on your Visa, and pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/if-you-owe-too-much-on-american-express-and-your-diner-s-club-notes/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) Browse all 98 Diners quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he knew never to say no while pitching a television executive. “Sure,” he extemporized, dreaming up a name on the spot. “I have Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Allen Salkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about-diners-but-he-knew-never-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Diners" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about-diners-but-he-knew-never-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/allen-salkin-39499_diners_david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about_2824369.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“David did not have any show ideas about diners, but he knew never to say no while pitching a television…” — Allen Salkin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Allen Salkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-salkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“David did not have any show...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about-diners-but-he-knew-never-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-salkin/david-did-not-have-any-show-ideas-about-diners-but-he-knew-never-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```