--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not stupid enough to think that I can…" description: "\"I'm not stupid enough to think that I can deal with another 10 or 15 years of major exposure. I think that is the ultimate tragedy of fame... People wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/george-michael-1332_control_i-m-not-stupid-enough-to-think-that-i-ca_1985142.jpg" --- # I'm not stupid enough to think that I can deal with… ![“I'm not stupid enough to think that I can deal with another 10 or 15 years of major exposure. I think that is the ultimate tragedy of fame... People who are simply out of control, who are lost. I've seen so many of them, and I don't want to be another cliche.” quote by George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/george-michael-1332_control_i-m-not-stupid-enough-to-think-that-i-ca_1985142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/george-michael-1332_control_i-m-not-stupid-enough-to-think-that-i-ca_1985142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edc/george-michael-1332_control_i-m-not-stupid-enough-to-think-that-i-ca_1985142.jpg) > “I'm not stupid enough to think that I can deal with another 10 or 15 years of major exposure. I think that is the ultimate tragedy of fame... People who are simply out of control, who are lost. I've seen so many of them, and I don't want to be another cliche.” [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He laments that fame leads to loss of control and personal tragedy, fearing becoming a cliché. **In simple terms:** Fame can trap and destroy personal identity. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity beyond fame. Themes fame identity tragedy control Mood melancholic cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - entertainment industry - personal relationships - mental health counseling Key Concepts psychology celebrity culture self-destruction Questions to Reflect On - Do you think fame always leads to loss of control? - How can one maintain authenticity while famous? A Different Perspective The statement generalizes all famous people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [The red carpet stuff is brilliant because it's so fun. In terms of exposure, I think it's something that you can never get used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sampson/the-red-carpet-stuff-is-brilliant-because-it-s-so-fun-in-terms-of/) [George Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sampson/) > [“As a writer, I need more exposure. I think I’ll take off my pants. Would you mind if I kept my penis warm in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/as-a-writer-i-need-more-exposure-i-think-i-ll-take-off-my-pants-would/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I had been coming to America very frequently for many, many years, so I had plenty of exposure - and maybe the best kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/i-had-been-coming-to-america-very-frequently-for-many-many-years-so-i/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“You can’t make love to your fame. Even though some people try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/you-can-t-make-love-to-your-fame-even-though-some-people-try/) [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/) > [Canadians know me so well - I am part of Canada's collective memory - and my fame would get people through the door who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-trudeau/canadians-know-me-so-well-i-am-part-of-canada-s-collective-memory-and/) [Margaret Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-trudeau/) > [We as humans, we're not solitary people, we're like dogs, we like to live in packs and know about one another. And, if anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fogle/we-as-humans-we-re-not-solitary-people-we-re-like-dogs-we-like-to/) [Ben Fogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fogle/) > [I don't need fame any more. People are less interested in me in terms of celebrity. I'm happy to see a new generation being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-aykroyd/i-don-t-need-fame-any-more-people-are-less-interested-in-me-in-terms/) [Dan Aykroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-aykroyd/) > [Becoming famous was never what I wanted to do. There's a lot of things that come with fame - it's what people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-mars/becoming-famous-was-never-what-i-wanted-to-do-there-s-a-lot-of-things/) [Bruno Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-mars/) > [You cannot fight against it. There's a price you have to pay for fame, and people who don't want to pay that price can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/you-cannot-fight-against-it-there-s-a-price-you-have-to-pay-for-fame/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [I have a following, but it's small. I have this level of fame where people spot me in the airport, consistently, but they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-have-a-following-but-it-s-small-i-have-this-level-of-fame-where/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I equate fame towards people who know your work, people who will see your work. But all that stuff, like with the Genies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-oh/i-equate-fame-towards-people-who-know-your-work-people-who-will-see/) [Sandra Oh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-oh/) > [High school at LaGuardia really was like 'Fame.' People would sing in the halls and look for ways to show off their talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-cephas-jones/high-school-at-laguardia-really-was-like-fame-people-would-sing-in/) [Jasmine Cephas Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-cephas-jones/) > [I feel like fame can get into people's head, and you always hear that child actors are doing this, or parents are making their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-feel-like-fame-can-get-into-people-s-head-and-you-always-hear-that/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [There's no downside to fame and people who whine about it make me sick. It's the greatest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/there-s-no-downside-to-fame-and-people-who-whine-about-it-make-me/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I have always been the first on the dance floor. Before fame, people thought it made me a good laugh; now, people point and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/i-have-always-been-the-first-on-the-dance-floor-before-fame-people/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) ## More by George Michael > [ When Andrew \[Ridgeley\] first met my family, he heard my mom calling me "Yorgos." He just abbreviated it to Yog, and unfortunately it stuck.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/when-andrew-ridgeley-first-met-my-family-he-heard-my-mom-calling-me/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [ \[My family\] is one of the strongest families you're ever likely to see. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/my-family-is-one-of-the-strongest-families-you-re-ever-likely-to-see/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [The first sign of real obsession with music was with an old wind-up gramophone that mum had thrown out into the garage. My parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/the-first-sign-of-real-obsession-with-music-was-with-an-old-wind-up/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I'm a perfectionist. It's a big pain in the ass and it takes a lot of my time, but it really is going well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-m-a-perfectionist-it-s-a-big-pain-in-the-ass-and-it-takes-a-lot-of/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I find it difficult enough as it is to keep some kind of normality in my life. I enjoy this experience, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-find-it-difficult-enough-as-it-is-to-keep-some-kind-of-normality-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I want to make a pop album - something more upbeat than my stuff was in the '90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-want-to-make-a-pop-album-something-more-upbeat-than-my-stuff-was-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [If I can just live further from the spotlight I think that'll be better for all really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/if-i-can-just-live-further-from-the-spotlight-i-think-that-ll-be/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [Because of the media, the way the world is perceived is as a place where resources and time are running out. We're taught that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/because-of-the-media-the-way-the-world-is-perceived-is-as-a-place/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [ Obviously, \[Wham!\] made me a lot more comfortable as a musician. I was very confident that I would become a successful musician, but I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/obviously-wham-made-me-a-lot-more-comfortable-as-a-musician-i-was/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [“I should have known better than to cheat a friend / And waste the chance that I'd been given / So I'm never gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-should-have-known-better-than-to-cheat-a-friend-and-waste-the/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I don't really feel I deserve something if I haven't had to fight for it. It's not a conscious attitude, and it's stupid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-don-t-really-feel-i-deserve-something-if-i-haven-t-had-to-fight-for/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I had been obsessed with insects and creepy-crawlies: I used to get up at five o'clock in the morning and go out into this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-had-been-obsessed-with-insects-and-creepy-crawlies-i-used-to-get-up/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I think part of it has got to be compensation, yes, for the fact that when I was a kid, I wasn't particularly attractive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-think-part-of-it-has-got-to-be-compensation-yes-for-the-fact-that/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I find it too terrifying to go out in L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-find-it-too-terrifying-to-go-out-in-l-a/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [In terms of my work, I've never been reticent in terms of defining my sexuality. I write about my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/in-terms-of-my-work-i-ve-never-been-reticent-in-terms-of-defining-my/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) [Explore all 255 George Michael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not stupid enough to think that I can deal with another 10 or 15 years of major exposure. I think that is the ultimate tragedy of fame... People who are simply out of control, who are lost. 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