--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great are not famous, and the famous…" description: "\"The great are not famous, and the famous are not great\" — Dennis Prager" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg" --- # The great are not famous, and the famous are not great ![“The great are not famous, and the famous are not great” quote by Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg) > “The great are not famous, and the famous are not great” [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness and fame are distinct; true greatness often lacks public recognition, while fame does not guarantee merit. **In simple terms:** Great people aren’t always famous, and famous people aren’t always great. Key Takeaway Value substance over popularity. Themes greatness fame humility recognition Mood critical reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - media analysis - personal branding Key Concepts social status achievement public perception Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should define true greatness? - How can we honor unsung contributors? A Different Perspective Society often rewards visibility over merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous/) [Famous Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-famous-241231/) [Famous Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-great-680581/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-famous-3569770/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [It's something to be Great, It's nothing to be Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/it-s-something-to-be-great-it-s-nothing-to-be-famous/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [I absolutely loved being famous. It was all great, up until the point when it wasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-absolutely-loved-being-famous-it-was-all-great-up-until-the-point/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [When you become famous, being famous becomes your profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-you-become-famous-being-famous-becomes-your-profession/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [I can't see any value in being a celebrity, famous for being famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noomi-rapace/i-can-t-see-any-value-in-being-a-celebrity-famous-for-being-famous/) [Noomi Rapace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noomi-rapace/) > [I'm not even famous. Famous is when you're iconic and a legend, I'm just known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/i-m-not-even-famous-famous-is-when-you-re-iconic-and-a-legend-i-m/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [We all can't be famous but we can all be great and we become great when we serve others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-all-can-t-be-famous-but-we-can-all-be-great-and-we-become-great/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Know the difference between famous and great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/know-the-difference-between-famous-and-great/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [You don't have to be famous to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/you-don-t-have-to-be-famous-to-be-great/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Being famous is great, it's not like bad or horrible or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/being-famous-is-great-it-s-not-like-bad-or-horrible-or-anything/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [You can be very famous without being a great actress, and that's not good for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/you-can-be-very-famous-without-being-a-great-actress-and-that-s-not/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [Somehow or other I'll be famous, and if not famous, I'll be notorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/somehow-or-other-i-ll-be-famous-and-if-not-famous-i-ll-be-notorious/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [When you're famous, you're always famous. It doesn't go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/when-you-re-famous-you-re-always-famous-it-doesn-t-go-away/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [My mother was loved by so many people, famous and not so famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ferrer/my-mother-was-loved-by-so-many-people-famous-and-not-so-famous/) [Miguel Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ferrer/) > [I get recognized, but I'm not really a famous famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-attell/i-get-recognized-but-i-m-not-really-a-famous-famous/) [Dave Attell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-attell/) ## More by Dennis Prager > [It is extremely difficult to do anything constructive, let alone deep, on daily commercial television, especially on a talk show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/it-is-extremely-difficult-to-do-anything-constructive-let-alone-deep/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. In the liberal welfare state, one develops an entitlement mentality. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/nothing-more-guarantees-the-erosion-of-character-than-getting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The biggest battle in life is with yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-biggest-battle-in-life-is-with-yourself/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [The Left will destroy what is good to try to make what is perfect. That is the motto of the Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-left-will-destroy-what-is-good-to-try-to-make-what-is-perfect/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“The poor who commit murder, rape and robbery are not only not starving, they have far more material things than the word ‘poverty’ suggests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-poor-who-commit-murder-rape-and-robbery-are-not-only-not-starving/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“When it comes to fighting evil, the left is almost pacifist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/when-it-comes-to-fighting-evil-the-left-is-almost-pacifist/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [When you are guaranteed you will win, you can take very inflammatory, very extreme positions. If you have to run in a district where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/when-you-are-guaranteed-you-will-win-you-can-take-very-inflammatory/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [America, not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/america-not-keith-ellison-decides-what-book-a-congressman-takes-his/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [ If they \[liberals\] didn't believe we were mean spirited they couldn't stay liberal. They have to believe they mean better than us, but we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/if-they-liberals-didn-t-believe-we-were-mean-spirited-they-couldn-t/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“From Marx until today, victim groups have played an indispensable role in Leftist success. Without victim groups, the Left cannot succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/from-marx-until-today-victim-groups-have-played-an-indispensable-role/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Good and happy people who believe in God are the greatest living arguments for God's existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/good-and-happy-people-who-believe-in-god-are-the-greatest-living/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Leftism and narcissism are almost synonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/leftism-and-narcissism-are-almost-synonymous/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Humility is a fantastic trait and is one of the most important things we can have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/humility-is-a-fantastic-trait-and-is-one-of-the-most-important-things/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [There is no limit to suffering human beings have been willing to inflict on others, no matter how innocent, no matter how young, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/there-is-no-limit-to-suffering-human-beings-have-been-willing-to/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) [Explore all 437 Dennis Prager quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) ## More Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The great are not famous, and the famous are not great", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Prager" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous-are-not-great/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous-are-not-great/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/dennis-prager-631_fame_the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous_515982.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great are not famous, and the famous are not great” — Dennis Prager", "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": "Dennis Prager", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The great are not famous, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous-are-not-great/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-great-are-not-famous-and-the-famous-are-not-great/#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 } } ] } ```