--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'll be honest with you. It's beginning…" description: "\"I'll be honest with you. It's beginning to look like I'm not going to get 'The Tonight Show.'\" — David Letterman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/david-letterman-378_being-honest_i-ll-be-honest-with-you-it-s-beginning-t_623805.jpg" --- # I'll be honest with you. It's beginning to look like I'm… ![“I'll be honest with you. It's beginning to look like I'm not going to get 'The Tonight Show.'” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/david-letterman-378_being-honest_i-ll-be-honest-with-you-it-s-beginning-t_623805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/david-letterman-378_being-honest_i-ll-be-honest-with-you-it-s-beginning-t_623805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/david-letterman-378_being-honest_i-ll-be-honest-with-you-it-s-beginning-t_623805.jpg) > “I'll be honest with you. It's beginning to look like I'm not going to get 'The Tonight Show.'” [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uncertainty about future opportunities can be faced with humor and honesty, acknowledging vulnerability. **In simple terms:** He’s unsure about getting the show, but jokes about it. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty with humor. Themes career uncertainty humor honesty media resilience Mood lighthearted reflective Type entertaining philosophical When to use this quote - talk shows - career pivots - public speaking - media contracts Key Concepts career transitions public image self‑deprecation Questions to Reflect On - What does humor reveal about fear? - How can honesty help navigate career doubt? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Going out tonight... nothing new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lush/going-out-tonight-nothing-new/) [Matthew Lush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lush/) > [I'll be honest, I like everything about my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bingson/i-ll-be-honest-i-like-everything-about-my-body/) Amanda Bingson > [When you're honest from the beginning you don't have to lie to cover up the lie you already told. Honesty is the best policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-honest-from-the-beginning-you-don-t-have-to-lie-to-cover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're honest from the beginning you don't have to lie to cover up the lie you already told. Honesty is always the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-honest-from-the-beginning-you-don-t-have-to-lie-to-cover-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be honest, at the beginning of 2019, I never thought about making my ODI debut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-shankar/to-be-honest-at-the-beginning-of-2019-i-never-thought-about-making-my/) [Vijay Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-shankar/) > [“I never in a million years thought i would ever say this, but I'm not going to take you tonight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/i-never-in-a-million-years-thought-i-would-ever-say-this-but-i-m-not/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [“There's nothing decent about what we're going to do tonight. So, let go and show me who you are." ~Raphael”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-folsom/there-s-nothing-decent-about-what-we-re-going-to-do-tonight-so-let-go/) [Tina Folsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-folsom/) > [You know, something may be going down tonight, but it ain’t going to be jobs, sweetheart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/you-know-something-may-be-going-down-tonight-but-it-ain-t-going-to-be/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [I'm going out tonight, I'm feelin' alright. Gonna let it all hang out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-going-out-tonight-i-m-feelin-alright-gonna-let-it-all-hang-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like exercising; I'll be honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-alves/i-don-t-like-exercising-i-ll-be-honest-with-you/) [Camila Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-alves/) > [I'll be honest: I'm not really the best at dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sorrentino/i-ll-be-honest-i-m-not-really-the-best-at-dancing/) [Michael Sorrentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sorrentino/) > [I don't like to open my mouth a lot because, I'll be honest with you, man, I come from the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cejudo/i-don-t-like-to-open-my-mouth-a-lot-because-i-ll-be-honest-with-you/) [Henry Cejudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cejudo/) > [“Was that on your husband profile right under your ability to burn pasta? Because, I'll be honest, anything after the description of your sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hunter/was-that-on-your-husband-profile-right-under-your-ability-to-burn/) [Elizabeth Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hunter/) > [I'll be honest: I've never wanted to do anything other than perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisling-bea/i-ll-be-honest-i-ve-never-wanted-to-do-anything-other-than-perform/) [Aisling Bea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisling-bea/) > [Okay I'll be honest girl I can't lie I miss you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/okay-i-ll-be-honest-girl-i-can-t-lie-i-miss-you/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) ## More by David Letterman > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [You know Kim Jong Un, the evil dictator of North Korea? Apparently, a guy in his inner circle used his ashtray while smoking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-kim-jong-un-the-evil-dictator-of-north-korea-apparently-a/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [It's the first day of spring. That means this weekend I'll take down my Christmas lights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/it-s-the-first-day-of-spring-that-means-this-weekend-i-ll-take-down/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [There are a lot of New York City Thanksgiving traditions. For example, a lot of New Yorkers don't buy the frozen Thanksgiving turkey. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-are-a-lot-of-new-york-city-thanksgiving-traditions-for-example/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I can hardly wait until Donald Trump announces his celebrity cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-can-hardly-wait-until-donald-trump-announces-his-celebrity-cabinet/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Experts say this global warming is serious, and they are predicting now that by the year 2050, we will be out of party ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/experts-say-this-global-warming-is-serious-and-they-are-predicting/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [We make a lot of fun at President Clinton's expense. But this transition is going to be tough because it's been 25 years since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/we-make-a-lot-of-fun-at-president-clinton-s-expense-but-this/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I'm worried about John Kerry, he's so confident now that he's already planning his White House sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-m-worried-about-john-kerry-he-s-so-confident-now-that-he-s-already/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“There is no off position on the genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-is-no-off-position-on-the-genius/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I vote Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-vote-democrat-because-i-m-way-too-irresponsible-to-own-a-gun-and-i/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Do I think there is a heaven? Uh, yeah I do. Like a really big gymnasium. How do I see myself there? With really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/do-i-think-there-is-a-heaven-uh-yeah-i-do-like-a-really-big-gymnasium/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [If it wasn't for coffee, I'd have no discernible personality at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/if-it-wasn-t-for-coffee-i-d-have-no-discernible-personality-at-all/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Sometimes when you look in his eyes you get the feeling that someone else is driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/sometimes-when-you-look-in-his-eyes-you-get-the-feeling-that-someone/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Prince William and Kate Middleton are in New York City. We have got to do something about immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-are-in-new-york-city-we-have-got-to/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) [Explore all 619 David Letterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## More Being honest quotes > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz'... it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-ferguson/i-m-a-person-of-change-and-i-must-be-honest-to-my-artistry-and-my/) Maynard Ferguson > [I'm going to be honest, I would love for Flava Flav to be president. It would bring a lot of excitement to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-m-going-to-be-honest-i-would-love-for-flava-flav-to-be-president-it/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [The buildings that were in question, they said in the same report, which was - actually, it wasn't even a bad story, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-buildings-that-were-in-question-they-said-in-the-same-report/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [ The opening for solid waste is very small \[in the space ship\]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/the-opening-for-solid-waste-is-very-small-in-the-space-ship-it-s-not/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-had-90-percent-rates-but-nobody-paid-them-and-so-you-had-all-these/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [I think, as a filmmaker, it's important to be honest with yourself at all times in terms of what's working and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-wingard/i-think-as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-be-honest-with-yourself-at/) [Adam Wingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-wingard/) > [We live in a world in which the only utopian visions arrive in commercial breaks: magical visions of an impossibly hospitable world, peopled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-the-only-utopian-visions-arrive-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 1,333 Being honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'll be honest with you. 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