--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a long time, my shows were about…" description: "\"For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or about getting my gigs canceled or having the presenter not wanting to pay me.\" — Eric Bogosian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg" --- # For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or… ![“For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or about getting my gigs canceled or having the presenter not wanting to pay me.” quote by Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg) > “For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or about getting my gigs canceled or having the presenter not wanting to pay me.” [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) ## 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 describes repeated setbacks in his shows, including cancellations and unpaid work, highlighting ongoing professional struggles. **In simple terms:** He faces frequent obstacles in his performances. Key Takeaway Persist despite setbacks and seek new opportunities. Themes career resilience artistic integrity industry challenges Mood frustrated determined hopeful Type motivational realistic When to use this quote - theatre - stand‑up comedy - film festivals - freelance negotiations Key Concepts performance art gig economy contract disputes Questions to Reflect On - What strategies can you use to secure reliable gigs? - How do you maintain motivation after cancellations? A Different Perspective Repeated setbacks can erode confidence; may need strategic changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I probably wouldn't be doing comedy, if it wasn't for the fact that I was doing stand-up and getting a few gigs, while I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-stirling/i-probably-wouldn-t-be-doing-comedy-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-fact-that-i/) [Iain Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-stirling/) > [So much interviewing these days is about the presenter - I?m a clever boy, I?m going to be smart with people; or it?s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parkinson/so-much-interviewing-these-days-is-about-the-presenter-i-m-a-clever/) [Michael Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parkinson/) > [I think when you're a TV presenter, you have to have a reason for doing it ,and a lot of them have been around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-murs/i-think-when-you-re-a-tv-presenter-you-have-to-have-a-reason-for/) [Olly Murs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-murs/) > [It is more than likely that the brain itself is, in origin and development, only a sort of great clot of genital fluid held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/it-is-more-than-likely-that-the-brain-itself-is-in-origin-and/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Being a 'Blue Peter' presenter is not well paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/being-a-blue-peter-presenter-is-not-well-paid/) [Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/) > [The problem is that television executives have got it into their heads that if one presenter on a show is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/the-problem-is-that-television-executives-have-got-it-into-their/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [I don't think it's necessary to do stand-up to be a presenter, but I like it, because it keeps me sharp, especially when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-do-stand-up-to-be-a-presenter-but-i/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-daniels-booher/if-you-can-t-write-your-message-in-a-sentence-you-can-t-say-it-in-an/) Dianna Daniels Booher > [I always wanted to be a 'Blue Peter' presenter when I grew up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-aldred/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-blue-peter-presenter-when-i-grew-up/) [Sophie Aldred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-aldred/) > [I'm only a freelance TV presenter and, in many ways, it's all just been a massive fluke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/i-m-only-a-freelance-tv-presenter-and-in-many-ways-it-s-all-just-been/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters. I don't mean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a-2/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I would never be a television presenter. It's not something I could ever do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/i-would-never-be-a-television-presenter-it-s-not-something-i-could/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [We have a society where every hit maker and TV presenter is gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/we-have-a-society-where-every-hit-maker-and-tv-presenter-is-gay/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [It doesn't annoy me but I think of myself as a presenter who is gay, rather than a gay presenter. It's a subtle distinction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/it-doesn-t-annoy-me-but-i-think-of-myself-as-a-presenter-who-is-gay/) [Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/) > [I'd happily describe myself as a TV presenter now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/i-d-happily-describe-myself-as-a-tv-presenter-now/) [Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/) ## More by Eric Bogosian > [I'm not hip, I'm not cool, I'm not glib.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-m-not-hip-i-m-not-cool-i-m-not-glib/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [It's my duty as a human being to be pissed off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/it-s-my-duty-as-a-human-being-to-be-pissed-off/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I'm always surprised by things that happen to my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-m-always-surprised-by-things-that-happen-to-my-work/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [“I mean, what kind of literature do you think ants would make if they could read? Not F. Scott Fuckin’ Fitzgerald, not Joyce or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-mean-what-kind-of-literature-do-you-think-ants-would-make-if-they/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I do write about people who are complex and are striving with something and can't quite get past their own stuff, which would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-do-write-about-people-who-are-complex-and-are-striving-with/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I started acting when I was in high school, started writing when I got to New York in 1975.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-started-acting-when-i-was-in-high-school-started-writing-when-i-got/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I write for an audience that likes what I like, reads what I read, thinks about the things I think about. In many ways,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-write-for-an-audience-that-likes-what-i-like-reads-what-i-read/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [“There is a larger lesson here, because the book encompasses not just the lives of prisoners in a Soviet prison camp, but every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/there-is-a-larger-lesson-here-because-the-book-encompasses-not-just/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [If you say city to people, people have no problem thinking of the city as rife with problematic, screwed-up people, but if you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/if-you-say-city-to-people-people-have-no-problem-thinking-of-the-city/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [If we all knew we were going to live to be 150 years old, we'd all approach our lives very differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/if-we-all-knew-we-were-going-to-live-to-be-150-years-old-we-d-all/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [From my perspective of a guy in his late forties, its becoming more and more clear to me that the right thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/from-my-perspective-of-a-guy-in-his-late-forties-its-becoming-more/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I know that I'm inadequate, but I never thought that at seventeen. I thought I was doing the best I could. I thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-know-that-i-m-inadequate-but-i-never-thought-that-at-seventeen-i/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [I was definitely surprised when Talk Radio took off as a play. As a film it has become somewhere between a popular thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/i-was-definitely-surprised-when-talk-radio-took-off-as-a-play-as-a/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [There is nothing more boring than people who love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/there-is-nothing-more-boring-than-people-who-love-you/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) > [If all I ever wrote about was inner city freaks, I think it would be dishonest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/if-all-i-ever-wrote-about-was-inner-city-freaks-i-think-it-would-be/) [Eric Bogosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) [Explore all 29 Eric Bogosian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/) ## More Gigs quotes > [I ended up an actor, did my first professional union gig in 1974, and I've been doing it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ironside/i-ended-up-an-actor-did-my-first-professional-union-gig-in-1974-and-i/) [Michael Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ironside/) > [When the Strokes first started playing gigs, instead of getting into a costume for the shows, we talked about how we should dress every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/when-the-strokes-first-started-playing-gigs-instead-of-getting-into-a/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [I learned so much about playing and touring being on the road and in the studio with Jeff, but I'd always played a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/i-learned-so-much-about-playing-and-touring-being-on-the-road-and-in/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [I didn't get paid for my first gig supporting Usher Raymond in the Temple in Tottenham when I was 17 or 18. I bugged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemar/i-didn-t-get-paid-for-my-first-gig-supporting-usher-raymond-in-the/) [Lemar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemar/) > [Athens, much like Austin, is a difficult music scene. There are so many musicians there that it is hard to get gigs and hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-smith/athens-much-like-austin-is-a-difficult-music-scene-there-are-so-many/) [Corey Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-smith/) > [I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like 'Dexter' come along too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-so-attracted-to-television-but-i-don/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [What are your favorite jazz clubs? Planning gigs to play for later this year & want to get your feedback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-morgan/what-are-your-favorite-jazz-clubs-planning-gigs-to-play-for-later/) [Melissa Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-morgan/) > [If you've got craft, you got game. If you got game, you can write your way in and out of anything. Writing is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mark-kamen/if-you-ve-got-craft-you-got-game-if-you-got-game-you-can-write-your/) Robert Mark Kamen > [Now when I say Sophie Ellis-Bextor I feel that's not really me because that's become this entity from doing the gigs and the shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-when-i-say-sophie-ellis-bextor-i-feel-that-s-not-really-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I did a standup show called 'Show Me the Funny,' so from that I got some TV stuff and people would book me for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-taylor/i-did-a-standup-show-called-show-me-the-funny-so-from-that-i-got-some/) [Ellie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-taylor/) > [I remember early on, for instance, having to play wedding gigs, that I hated playing the music. Now I don't have to play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-remember-early-on-for-instance-having-to-play-wedding-gigs-that-i/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [I always perform live. I've even received a cortisone injection when I was losing my voice before a big gig so I could fulfill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/i-always-perform-live-i-ve-even-received-a-cortisone-injection-when-i/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [I've been a writer and a parent since adolescence, it feels like, and I'm still making both gigs up as I go along. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/i-ve-been-a-writer-and-a-parent-since-adolescence-it-feels-like-and-i/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [My first gig, I was about 17 or 18. But I'd been singing a long time. I got a guitar when I was 8,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/my-first-gig-i-was-about-17-or-18-but-i-d-been-singing-a-long-time-i/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [At college, I felt frustrated thinking three years was a long time and I just wanted a job but afterwards I was in employment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/at-college-i-felt-frustrated-thinking-three-years-was-a-long-time-and/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) Browse all 491 Gigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or about getting my gigs canceled or having the presenter not wanting to pay me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Bogosian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-people-walking-out-or-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-people-walking-out-or-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/eric-bogosian-21631_gigs_for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-peop_2552809.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For a long time, my shows were about people walking out or about getting my gigs canceled or having the…” — Eric Bogosian", "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": "Eric Bogosian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bogosian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For a long time, my shows...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-people-walking-out-or-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bogosian/for-a-long-time-my-shows-were-about-people-walking-out-or-about/#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 } } ] } ```