--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hero was a big man; the celebrity is…" description: "\"The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name.\" — Daniel J. Boorstin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/daniel-j-boorstin-3089_bigs_the-hero-was-a-big-man-the-celebrity-is_1237455.png" --- # The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name. ![“The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name.” quote by Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/daniel-j-boorstin-3089_bigs_the-hero-was-a-big-man-the-celebrity-is_1237455.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/daniel-j-boorstin-3089_bigs_the-hero-was-a-big-man-the-celebrity-is_1237455.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/daniel-j-boorstin-3089_bigs_the-hero-was-a-big-man-the-celebrity-is_1237455.png) > “The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name.” [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fame is based on reputation, not physical size; influence comes from name recognition, not stature. **In simple terms:** Fame depends on name, not size. Key Takeaway Cultivate reputation over appearance. Themes celebrity reputation influence Mood reflective analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - political campaigns - branding - public relations - media analysis Key Concepts media studies social perception Questions to Reflect On - How does reputation affect power? - Can size ever replace reputation? A Different Perspective A big name can be fragile without substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celebrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrity/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [To spend time with Ed Harris... he's an acting hero of mine, so that's a big deal for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sturgess/to-spend-time-with-ed-harris-he-s-an-acting-hero-of-mine-so-that-s-a/) [Jim Sturgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sturgess/) > [I absolutely love 'Big Brother' and 'Celebrity Big Brother' and have never missed a series - but I would never appear on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ball/i-absolutely-love-big-brother-and-celebrity-big-brother-and-have/) [Michael Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ball/) > [I hoped doing 'Celebrity Big Brother' would reboot my career: if you can't beat them, join them. It's tough because you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dennis/i-hoped-doing-celebrity-big-brother-would-reboot-my-career-if-you-can/) [Les Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dennis/) > [Anyone can be a celebrity now; this is not a big deal anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/anyone-can-be-a-celebrity-now-this-is-not-a-big-deal-anymore/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [To be the leading man it's about the celebrity and the looks, and it's tough to do that. People who do it great are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/to-be-the-leading-man-it-s-about-the-celebrity-and-the-looks-and-it-s/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [When once a man has made celebrity necessary to his happiness, he has put it in the power of the weakest and most timorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-once-a-man-has-made-celebrity-necessary-to-his-happiness-he-has/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [When once a man has made celebrity necessary to his happiness, he has put it in the power of the weakest and most timorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-once-a-man-has-made-celebrity-necessary-to-his-happiness-he-has-2/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [How many times have we seen reality celebrities fall from grace - often through no fault of their own - and then go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/how-many-times-have-we-seen-reality-celebrities-fall-from-grace-often/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [When I was better known than her, she put my name in that tent. I was asked to do Celebrity Big Brother, but why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-childish/when-i-was-better-known-than-her-she-put-my-name-in-that-tent-i-was/) [Billy Childish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-childish/) > [I'm not a 'celebrity'. I'm not a big huge star and so when people see me it's usually to talk about something I've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bateman/i-m-not-a-celebrity-i-m-not-a-big-huge-star-and-so-when-people-see-me/) [Jason Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bateman/) > [I have to say, my celebrity is not a big factor in my life. Once in a while someone takes my picture. But I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt/i-have-to-say-my-celebrity-is-not-a-big-factor-in-my-life-once-in-a/) [Helen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt/) > [I think you can control the effect that fame has on your life by the way you choose to live...Not dating a celebrity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-you-can-control-the-effect-that-fame-has-on-your-life-by-the/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [There have been some bad times, some very low points in my life. Doing 'Celebrity Big Brother' was certainly one of them. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dennis/there-have-been-some-bad-times-some-very-low-points-in-my-life-doing/) [Les Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dennis/) > [I can't imagine having a conversation about 'Celebrity Big Brother' in Cambridge, Massachusetts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/i-can-t-imagine-having-a-conversation-about-celebrity-big-brother-in/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [I am a 'Big Brother' fan, and I watched the first season of 'Celebrity Big Brother' as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-marie/i-am-a-big-brother-fan-and-i-watched-the-first-season-of-celebrity/) [Eva Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-marie/) ## More by Daniel J. Boorstin > [The improved American highway system isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-improved-american-highway-system-isolated-the-american-in-transit/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Modern tourist guides have helped raised tourist expectations. And they have provided the natives- from Kaiser Wilhelm down to the villagers of Chichacestenango -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/modern-tourist-guides-have-helped-raised-tourist-expectations-and/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Each living art object, taken out of its native habitat so we can conveniently gaze at it, is like an animal in a zoo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/each-living-art-object-taken-out-of-its-native-habitat-so-we-can/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Probably no one of us has the True Religion. But all of us together - if we are allowed to be free - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/probably-no-one-of-us-has-the-true-religion-but-all-of-us-together-if/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [An image is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/an-image-is-not-simply-a-trademark-a-design-a-slogan-or-an-easily/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [ \[The Library of Congress\] is a multimedia encyclopedia. These are the tentacles of a nation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-library-of-congress-is-a-multimedia-encyclopedia-these-are-the/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [It is only a short step from exaggerating what we can find in the world to exaggerating our power to remake the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/it-is-only-a-short-step-from-exaggerating-what-we-can-find-in-the/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Not so many years ago there was no simpler or more intelligible notion than that of going on a journey. Travel -movement through space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/not-so-many-years-ago-there-was-no-simpler-or-more-intelligible/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [The computer can help us find what we know is there. But the book remains our symbol and our resource for the unimagined question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-computer-can-help-us-find-what-we-know-is-there-but-the-book/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“The shadow has become the substance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-shadow-has-become-the-substance/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [In fast-moving, progress-conscious America, the consumer expects to be dizzied by progress. If he could completely understand advertising jargon he would be badly disappointed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/in-fast-moving-progress-conscious-america-the-consumer-expects-to-be/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Being known primarily for their well-knownness, celebrities intensify their celebrity images simply by becoming widely known for relations among themselves. By a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/being-known-primarily-for-their-well-knownness-celebrities-intensify/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [While the focus in the landscape of Old World cities was commonly government structures, churches, or the residences of rulers, the landscape and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/while-the-focus-in-the-landscape-of-old-world-cities-was-commonly/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [In the small town each citizen had done something in his own way to build the community. The town booster had a vision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/in-the-small-town-each-citizen-had-done-something-in-his-own-way-to/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Any government which made the welfare of men depend on the character of their governors was an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/any-government-which-made-the-welfare-of-men-depend-on-the-character/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) [Explore all 140 Daniel J. Boorstin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. 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Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel J. 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