--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but…" description: "\"Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's better not to be top dog, because you last longer. If a movie or play flops, you always blame ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/charles-durning-27973_bananas_of-course-i-m-not-often-the-top-dog-but_572834.jpg" --- # Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's… ![“Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's better not to be top dog, because you last longer. If a movie or play flops, you always blame the lead. They say, 'He couldn't carry it.' They always blame him. But they rarely blame the second or third banana.” quote by Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/charles-durning-27973_bananas_of-course-i-m-not-often-the-top-dog-but_572834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/charles-durning-27973_bananas_of-course-i-m-not-often-the-top-dog-but_572834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/charles-durning-27973_bananas_of-course-i-m-not-often-the-top-dog-but_572834.jpg) > “Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's better not to be top dog, because you last longer. If a movie or play flops, you always blame the lead. They say, 'He couldn't carry it.' They always blame him. But they rarely blame the second or third banana.” [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being second or third in a hierarchy can be safer and longer‑lasting than being the top. **In simple terms:** Not always being the leader can protect you. Key Takeaway Consider the benefits of supporting roles. Themes career longevity humility team dynamics risk management Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type observational advice When to use this quote - career planning - team leadership - project management Key Concepts hierarchy role distribution strategic positioning Questions to Reflect On - When is leading worth the risk? - How can support roles be recognized? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook the value and visibility of leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > ['When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/when-you-slip-on-a-banana-peel-people-laugh-at-you-when-you-tell/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [look, you know i don't wanna come on ungrateful, but that warren report, you know as well as me, just didn't make it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/look-you-know-i-don-t-wanna-come-on-ungrateful-but-that-warren-report/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [In Puerto Rico, we have a lot of traditions. We eat a very typical thing that's called 'pasteles' - it's almost like a tamale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-giraud/in-puerto-rico-we-have-a-lot-of-traditions-we-eat-a-very-typical/) [Joyce Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-giraud/) > [I ate two waffles, a banana and cereal with blueberries. And that whas between my two breakfasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-ate-two-waffles-a-banana-and-cereal-with-blueberries-and-that-whas/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [With an animated show you can make a banana purple. You can put three hats on a cowboy. That would require several days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/with-an-animated-show-you-can-make-a-banana-purple-you-can-put-three/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [A Tom Ford three-piece makes you feel so confident, it's bananas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/a-tom-ford-three-piece-makes-you-feel-so-confident-it-s-bananas/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [Los Estados Unidos has turned into a banana republic, a fascist banana republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-celente/los-estados-unidos-has-turned-into-a-banana-republic-a-fascist-banana/) [Gerald Celente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-celente/) > [From cheesecake on a stick to meat skewers to deep-fried bananas on a stick - there are no plates anymore. In Los Angeles, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/from-cheesecake-on-a-stick-to-meat-skewers-to-deep-fried-bananas-on-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Everything goes with short hair. It's bananas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/everything-goes-with-short-hair-it-s-bananas/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [We had an abundance of mangoes, papaias and bananas here, but the pride of the islands, the most delicious fruit known to men, cherimoya,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/we-had-an-abundance-of-mangoes-papaias-and-bananas-here-but-the-pride/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [While it's true that you may lose your religion during the course of a lifetime, you never lose your salvation. Once you let Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-falsani/while-it-s-true-that-you-may-lose-your-religion-during-the-course-of/) [Cathleen Falsani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-falsani/) > [“The banana flavour of his accidental conception, and the banana theme of his accidental death, now all seemed to conspire against him and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-conrad/the-banana-flavour-of-his-accidental-conception-and-the-banana-theme/) [Tom Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-conrad/) > [Hey, maybe instead of going to college, you should drop out and I could quit my job and we can form an all-girl band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-palladino/hey-maybe-instead-of-going-to-college-you-should-drop-out-and-i-could/) Daniel Palladino > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Starting Monday, 7-11 will begin testing a new plastic wrap designed to keep bananas yellow and firm for five days. Though if your banana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-meyers/starting-monday-7-11-will-begin-testing-a-new-plastic-wrap-designed/) [Seth Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-meyers/) ## More by Charles Durning > [Dancing came easy for me. Acting came hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/dancing-came-easy-for-me-acting-came-hard/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I'd like to have a decade of my life back. I dropped into a void for almost a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-d-like-to-have-a-decade-of-my-life-back-i-dropped-into-a-void-for/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [You're out there on a high wire without a net, and that's the way actors operate. They have to be fearless about how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/you-re-out-there-on-a-high-wire-without-a-net-and-that-s-the-way/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I was born looking older - and I've been aging since I was a teenager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-was-born-looking-older-and-i-ve-been-aging-since-i-was-a-teenager/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I was doing judo before anybody knew it existed in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-was-doing-judo-before-anybody-knew-it-existed-in-this-country/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/sometimes-you-succeed-and-sometimes-you-don-t/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [Acting is ephemeral. You can't hang it on a wall. You can't throw it off. And you can't bring it out of a closet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/acting-is-ephemeral-you-can-t-hang-it-on-a-wall-you-can-t-throw-it/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [There's no nobility with war. It's tear-'em-up destruction that leaves you frustrated, bitter and angry... If you really knew what it was like for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/there-s-no-nobility-with-war-it-s-tear-em-up-destruction-that-leaves/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [You make the money in movies and TV so you can do theater. I do a play a year... somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/you-make-the-money-in-movies-and-tv-so-you-can-do-theater-i-do-a-play/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I would rather do a play because it's instantaneous. You go on the stage, and you know whether it's happening or not. Somebody asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-would-rather-do-a-play-because-it-s-instantaneous-you-go-on-the/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I can't count how many of my friends are in the cemetery at Normandy, the heroes are still there, the real heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-can-t-count-how-many-of-my-friends-are-in-the-cemetery-at-normandy/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I lack confidence as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-lack-confidence-as-an-actor/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I never turned down anything and never argued with any producer or director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-never-turned-down-anything-and-never-argued-with-any-producer-or/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [I think I've done 200 plays and 125 movies, so I've been very lucky to have made a living at acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/i-think-i-ve-done-200-plays-and-125-movies-so-i-ve-been-very-lucky-to/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) > [That place that no one knows about - horrifying things we keep secret. A lot of that is released through acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-durning/that-place-that-no-one-knows-about-horrifying-things-we-keep-secret-a/) [Charles Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) [Explore all 20 Charles Durning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-durning/) ## More Bananas quotes > ['When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/when-you-slip-on-a-banana-peel-people-laugh-at-you-when-you-tell/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hey, maybe instead of going to college, you should drop out and I could quit my job and we can form an all-girl band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-palladino/hey-maybe-instead-of-going-to-college-you-should-drop-out-and-i-could/) Daniel Palladino > [“The banana flavour of his accidental conception, and the banana theme of his accidental death, now all seemed to conspire against him and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-conrad/the-banana-flavour-of-his-accidental-conception-and-the-banana-theme/) [Tom Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-conrad/) > [While it's true that you may lose your religion during the course of a lifetime, you never lose your salvation. Once you let Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-falsani/while-it-s-true-that-you-may-lose-your-religion-during-the-course-of/) [Cathleen Falsani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-falsani/) > [We had an abundance of mangoes, papaias and bananas here, but the pride of the islands, the most delicious fruit known to men, cherimoya,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/we-had-an-abundance-of-mangoes-papaias-and-bananas-here-but-the-pride/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Everything goes with short hair. It's bananas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/everything-goes-with-short-hair-it-s-bananas/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [From cheesecake on a stick to meat skewers to deep-fried bananas on a stick - there are no plates anymore. In Los Angeles, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/from-cheesecake-on-a-stick-to-meat-skewers-to-deep-fried-bananas-on-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Los Estados Unidos has turned into a banana republic, a fascist banana republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-celente/los-estados-unidos-has-turned-into-a-banana-republic-a-fascist-banana/) [Gerald Celente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-celente/) > [A Tom Ford three-piece makes you feel so confident, it's bananas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/a-tom-ford-three-piece-makes-you-feel-so-confident-it-s-bananas/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [With an animated show you can make a banana purple. You can put three hats on a cowboy. That would require several days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/with-an-animated-show-you-can-make-a-banana-purple-you-can-put-three/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I ate two waffles, a banana and cereal with blueberries. And that whas between my two breakfasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/i-ate-two-waffles-a-banana-and-cereal-with-blueberries-and-that-whas/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [In Puerto Rico, we have a lot of traditions. We eat a very typical thing that's called 'pasteles' - it's almost like a tamale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-giraud/in-puerto-rico-we-have-a-lot-of-traditions-we-eat-a-very-typical/) [Joyce Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-giraud/) > [look, you know i don't wanna come on ungrateful, but that warren report, you know as well as me, just didn't make it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/look-you-know-i-don-t-wanna-come-on-ungrateful-but-that-warren-report/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Starting Monday, 7-11 will begin testing a new plastic wrap designed to keep bananas yellow and firm for five days. Though if your banana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-meyers/starting-monday-7-11-will-begin-testing-a-new-plastic-wrap-designed/) [Seth Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-meyers/) Browse all 323 Bananas quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course, I'm not often the top dog, but sometimes it's better not to be top dog, because you last longer. If a movie or play flops, you always blame the lead. They say, 'He couldn't carry it.' They always blame him. 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