--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was off TV, people would ask me to…" description: "\"When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come back, which I think was their way of saying, 'There's nothing out there for us.'\" — Bob Newhart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/bob-newhart-2419_ask_when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to_64805.jpg" --- # When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come… ![“When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come back, which I think was their way of saying, 'There's nothing out there for us.'” quote by Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/bob-newhart-2419_ask_when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to_64805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/bob-newhart-2419_ask_when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to_64805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/bob-newhart-2419_ask_when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to_64805.jpg) > “When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come back, which I think was their way of saying, 'There's nothing out there for us.'” [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker observes that audiences request his return because they feel no other entertainment satisfies them, implying a lack of compelling alternatives. **In simple terms:** Audience loyalty reveals scarcity of appealing options. Key Takeaway Popularity can stem from limited competition. Themes celebrity culture media consumption audience expectations entertainment scarcity Mood nostalgic reflective Type observation commentary When to use this quote - TV viewership decline - network programming decisions - fan petitions for shows - replacements for popular hosts Key Concepts public perception media demand cultural relevance Practical Applications - programming strategy - audience retention Questions to Reflect On - What does this suggest about the variety of quality content? - How might this influence a network's talent decisions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Ask Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-come-368063/) [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Come Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-think-307095/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-ask-272785/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv/) [Tv People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv-people-304192/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [How many people ask you to come share their life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-many-people-ask-you-to-come-share-their-life/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I don't really know much about TV and what people want to see. I'm not that well-informed about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-david/i-don-t-really-know-much-about-tv-and-what-people-want-to-see-i-m-not/) [Larry David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-david/) > [You have to create characters - certainly in series TV - who people engage with. They don't have to be nice; you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/you-have-to-create-characters-certainly-in-series-tv-who-people/) [Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/) > [It's just so weird that some people recognize me from TV and then other people say, 'Get away from me, you drunk!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/it-s-just-so-weird-that-some-people-recognize-me-from-tv-and-then/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [I don't do radio or TV. I do people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrine-brown/i-don-t-do-radio-or-tv-i-do-people/) [Corrine Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrine-brown/) > [“I ask, “How may I be of service? Why are you here to see me?” I put a slight emphasis on “me,” and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ember-ed-d/i-ask-how-may-i-be-of-service-why-are-you-here-to-see-me-i-put-a/) [Sally Ember Ed.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ember-ed-d/) > [Why have you come to me here, dear heart, with all these instructions? I promise you I will do everything just as you ask.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/why-have-you-come-to-me-here-dear-heart-with-all-these-instructions-i/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [And I want to wake up with the rain. Falling on a tin roof. While I'm safe there in your arms. So all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/and-i-want-to-wake-up-with-the-rain-falling-on-a-tin-roof-while-i-m/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [Mmm, yeah, I'm going to have to go ahead and ask you to come in on Sunday, too. We've got some new people coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lumbergh/mmm-yeah-i-m-going-to-have-to-go-ahead-and-ask-you-to-come-in-on/) [Bill Lumbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lumbergh/) > [“God does not ask us to carry burdens. He does not ask us to save the world. He does not ask us to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/god-does-not-ask-us-to-carry-burdens-he-does-not-ask-us-to-save-the/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“You will ask yourself How come; you will ask yourself What if. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-will-ask-yourself-how-come-you-will-ask-yourself-what-if/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Why they don’t wanna walk in my shoes, I ask them to come out of their shoes and walk the world in mine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreya-gupta/why-they-don-t-wanna-walk-in-my-shoes-i-ask-them-to-come-out-of-their/) [Shreya Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreya-gupta/) > [Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself as you seek your way in life, I offer you "the way, the truth, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/whoever-you-are-and-wherever-you-find-yourself-as-you-seek-your-way/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Your true friends are the ones that do not come when you ask them, but come when they know you need them the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-true-friends-are-the-ones-that-do-not-come-when-you-ask-them-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You’ve so distracted me, your absence fans my love. Don’t ask how. Then you come near. “Do not…” I say, and “Do not…,” you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/you-ve-so-distracted-me-your-absence-fans-my-love-don-t-ask-how-then/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by Bob Newhart > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I didn't need the elf outfit to play an elf; I could just play an elf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-didn-t-need-the-elf-outfit-to-play-an-elf-i-could-just-play-an-elf/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I just made the decision that I was going to try comedy, and if didn't work, then I knew it didn't work. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-just-made-the-decision-that-i-was-going-to-try-comedy-and-if-didn-t/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Don't be silly and don't waste your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/don-t-be-silly-and-don-t-waste-your-time/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I'm most proud of the longevity of my marriage, my kids, and my grandchildren. 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Much of my humor comes out of reaction to what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/the-reason-i-m-a-psychologist-is-based-in-part-on-my-telephone/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I think that what comes through in Chicago humor is the affection. Even though you're poking fun at someone or something, there's still an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-think-that-what-comes-through-in-chicago-humor-is-the-affection/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I feel more comfortable in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-feel-more-comfortable-in-comedy/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I really don't know what makes a comedian. I think it's a family background and environment. Yet if you put the same ingredients in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-really-don-t-know-what-makes-a-comedian-i-think-it-s-a-family/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I made a record album in 1960 and it exploded, and I got all these offers for TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-made-a-record-album-in-1960-and-it-exploded-and-i-got-all-these/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Chuck Lorre and I had been talking about doing one of his shows for a while. I said I'd like to do 'The Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/chuck-lorre-and-i-had-been-talking-about-doing-one-of-his-shows-for-a/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) [Explore all 167 Bob Newhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) ## More Ask quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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