--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Hollywood sees a good story about a…" description: "\"When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells confidence, they see themselves and they like it.\" — Ben Stein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg" --- # When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells… ![“When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells confidence, they see themselves and they like it.” quote by Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg) > “When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells confidence, they see themselves and they like it.” [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how audiences connect with narratives that reflect their own desires for self‑assurance, making such stories appealing. **In simple terms:** People like stories about confidence because they see themselves in them. Key Takeaway Create relatable confidence‑building narratives. Themes media psychology storytelling Mood reflective analytical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - advertising campaigns - personal branding - motivational workshops Key Concepts self‑esteem identification marketing Questions to Reflect On - How does confidence selling affect real self‑worth? - What makes confidence stories resonate? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex self‑esteem issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-like-448067/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-story/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Hollywood Sees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood-sees-1061788/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Sees Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sees-good-604243/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Sells Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells-confidence-1790359/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [When you have box-office results, Hollywood treats you different. Hollywood stands up. Once you get to the point where Hollywood sees that you create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/when-you-have-box-office-results-hollywood-treats-you-different/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [If a young woman is looking at the landscape of Hollywood, what she sees is almost only challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/if-a-young-woman-is-looking-at-the-landscape-of-hollywood-what-she/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I think Hollywood sees so many parts of America through a very narrow prism. The South is no exception. And those stereotypes, while sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walton-goggins/i-think-hollywood-sees-so-many-parts-of-america-through-a-very-narrow/) [Walton Goggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walton-goggins/) > [I don't know how Hollywood sees me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-locklear/i-don-t-know-how-hollywood-sees-me/) [Heather Locklear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-locklear/) > [Honestly, I don't need someone who sees the good in me. I need someone who sees the bad in me and still wants me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-i-don-t-need-someone-who-sees-the-good-in-me-i-need-someone-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Honestly, I don't need someone that sees what's good about me. I need someone that sees the bad and still wants me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/honestly-i-don-t-need-someone-that-sees-what-s-good-about-me-i-need/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [I don't want someone who sees the good about me, I want someone who sees the bad and still loves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleesha/i-don-t-want-someone-who-sees-the-good-about-me-i-want-someone-who/) [Aleesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleesha/) > [I don't need someone that sees what's good about me. I need someone that sees the bad and still wants me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-don-t-need-someone-that-sees-what-s-good-about-me-i-need-someone/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Learning is a good medicine: but no medicine is powerful enough to preserve itself from taint and corruption independently of defects in the jar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/learning-is-a-good-medicine-but-no-medicine-is-powerful-enough-to/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I dont need someone who only sees the good about me. I need someone who sees the bad in me and still want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanny-angel/i-dont-need-someone-who-only-sees-the-good-about-me-i-need-someone/) [Vanny Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanny-angel/) > [Honestly, I don't need someone who sees the good in me. I need someone who sees the bad & still wants me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-saicha/honestly-i-don-t-need-someone-who-sees-the-good-in-me-i-need-someone/) [Anwar Saicha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-saicha/) > [I don't need someone who Sees only good things in me . . But I do need someone who Knows about the bad things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaki/i-don-t-need-someone-who-sees-only-good-things-in-me-but-i-do-need/) [Zaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaki/) > [When everyone sees good, then bad exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-everyone-sees-good-then-bad-exists/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“Not everyone sees the goof in people like you do Emmy" Sam said "She even sees the good in you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kady-cross/not-everyone-sees-the-goof-in-people-like-you-do-emmy-sam-said-she/) [Kady Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kady-cross/) > [Honestly, I don't need someone who sees the good in me. I need someone who sees the bad and still accepts me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-acevedo/honestly-i-don-t-need-someone-who-sees-the-good-in-me-i-need-someone-3/) [Stephanie Acevedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-acevedo/) ## More by Ben Stein > [I think, there are many people who are much smarter than I am, and many, many, many who are much harder-working than I am,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-think-there-are-many-people-who-are-much-smarter-than-i-am-and-many/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [Emperor Sid Caesar is gone to eternity himself now. He takes with him the gratitude of every one of us who first learned the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/emperor-sid-caesar-is-gone-to-eternity-himself-now-he-takes-with-him/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [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/) > [I'm not a Mensa member. I have no idea where that rumor came from. I never have been, and I doubt if I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-m-not-a-mensa-member-i-have-no-idea-where-that-rumor-came-from-i/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [The successful people of this world take life as it comes. They just go out and deal with the world as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/the-successful-people-of-this-world-take-life-as-it-comes-they-just/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [It's really amazing that in the age of unbelief, as a smart man called it, there isn't even more fraud. After all, with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/it-s-really-amazing-that-in-the-age-of-unbelief-as-a-smart-man-called/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [It is so great to sleep in safe, glorious, beautiful America. I just cannot get over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/it-is-so-great-to-sleep-in-safe-glorious-beautiful-america-i-just/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [The first step in getting what you want from life-decide what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/the-first-step-in-getting-what-you-want-from-life-decide-what-you-want/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [And now, any of those who refuse, or are unable, to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/and-now-any-of-those-who-refuse-or-are-unable-to-prove-they-are/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [I have to tell you I never in my life anticipated getting this old, this fast. It seems as if I were 25 just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-have-to-tell-you-i-never-in-my-life-anticipated-getting-this-old/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [Yes, Americans can still get credit for cars and trucks and refrigerators, and those businesses are doing well. But just try to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/yes-americans-can-still-get-credit-for-cars-and-trucks-and/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [For any exam in history, here is the answer: all human history is the struggle between systems that attempt to shackle the human personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/for-any-exam-in-history-here-is-the-answer-all-human-history-is-the/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [The ordinary American - as far as I can tell - knows so much less than he did fifty years ago and has such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/the-ordinary-american-as-far-as-i-can-tell-knows-so-much-less-than-he/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [But when I talk to people who are Darwinists or evolutionists and say, 'Well, how did life begin' -- they're...they don't have an answer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/but-when-i-talk-to-people-who-are-darwinists-or-evolutionists-and-say/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/personal-relationships-are-the-fertile-soil-from-which-all/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) [Explore all 153 Ben Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells confidence, they see themselves and they like it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Stein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a-man-who-sells-confidence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a-man-who-sells-confidence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/ben-stein-2703_confidence_when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a_1772414.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Hollywood sees a good story about a man who sells confidence, they see themselves and they like it.” — Ben Stein", "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": "Ben Stein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When Hollywood sees a good story...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a-man-who-sells-confidence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/when-hollywood-sees-a-good-story-about-a-man-who-sells-confidence/#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 } } ] } ```