--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here's a guy [Richard Nixon] who had no…" description: "\"Here's a guy [Richard Nixon] who had no gift for small talk, never liked to be around strangers, was physically awkward, and he goes into the one busin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/harry-shearer-7595_awkward_here-s-a-guy-richard-nixon-who-had-no-gi_1255474.jpg" --- # Here's a guy \[Richard Nixon\] who had no gift for small… ![“Here's a guy [Richard Nixon] who had no gift for small talk, never liked to be around strangers, was physically awkward, and he goes into the one business that calls for ease with strangers and a gift for small talk.” quote by Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/harry-shearer-7595_awkward_here-s-a-guy-richard-nixon-who-had-no-gi_1255474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/harry-shearer-7595_awkward_here-s-a-guy-richard-nixon-who-had-no-gi_1255474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/harry-shearer-7595_awkward_here-s-a-guy-richard-nixon-who-had-no-gi_1255474.jpg) > “Here's a guy \[Richard Nixon\] who had no gift for small talk, never liked to be around strangers, was physically awkward, and he goes into the one business that calls for ease with strangers and a gift for small talk.” [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He highlights the irony of a socially awkward person thriving in a profession that demands social ease. **In simple terms:** Awkward people can succeed in people‑focused jobs. Key Takeaway Embrace your strengths despite perceived flaws. Themes irony social dynamics career confidence self‑acceptance Mood reflective ironic Type observational humorous When to use this quote - politics - customer service - networking - leadership Key Concepts social anxiety public speaking career fit Questions to Reflect On - Can you leverage a weakness into a unique advantage? - How do you handle social discomfort in professional settings? A Different Perspective Success may still require deliberate skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Small talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-talk/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) ## Related quotes > [ There were really funny characteristics about this guy \[Richard Nixon\], chief of which would be that he seemed to devote about 85 percent of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/there-were-really-funny-characteristics-about-this-guy-richard-nixon/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Richard Nixon was the best thing that ever happened to journalism. I mean this guy was wonderful. Just when you thought he could get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/richard-nixon-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-journalism-i/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [George Washington was the president who could never tell a lie, and Richard Nixon was the president who could never tell the truth. Donald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/george-washington-was-the-president-who-could-never-tell-a-lie-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [John Kennedy won the first televised presidential debate among those watching it, while Richard Nixon won among those listening on the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/john-kennedy-won-the-first-televised-presidential-debate-among-those/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [We forced Richard Nixon and the Congress who established, and thanks to your leadership, we supported you and we got the Environmental Protection Act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-forced-richard-nixon-and-the-congress-who-established-and-thanks/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ Mr. \[Richard M.\] Nixon never has anything but hindsight. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/mr-richard-m-nixon-never-has-anything-but-hindsight/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [ \[democrats\] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-wonder-it-was-nixon-who-sent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The essence of Richard Nixon is loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-essence-of-richard-nixon-is-loneliness/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [For Obama to save himself, he should be thinking about the example of an unlikely Republican predecessor: Richard Nixon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/for-obama-to-save-himself-he-should-be-thinking-about-the-example-of/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Only a cheap politician, greedy for political gain, would try to single out one individual for blame. The fault lies not with the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/only-a-cheap-politician-greedy-for-political-gain-would-try-to-single/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [ I'd almost prefer \[Richard\] Nixon. I'd say \[Bill\] Clinton is every bit as corrupt as Nixon, but a lot smoother. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/i-d-almost-prefer-richard-nixon-i-d-say-bill-clinton-is-every-bit-as/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [ \[On Richard M. Nixon:\] Americans began with a president who couldn't tell a lie and now they have one who can't tell the truth. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/on-richard-m-nixon-americans-began-with-a-president-who-couldn-t-tell/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Experience helped Richard Nixon, but it didn't save him, and it certainly wasn't a blanket endorsement. He blundered terribly in dealing with Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/experience-helped-richard-nixon-but-it-didn-t-save-him-and-it/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [More than half the combat deaths in Vietnam occurred after Richard Nixon was elected on a promise to bring the war to an end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-grijalva/more-than-half-the-combat-deaths-in-vietnam-occurred-after-richard/) [Raul Grijalva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-grijalva/) ## More by Harry Shearer > [Music often happens even faster than comedy in terms of the creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/music-often-happens-even-faster-than-comedy-in-terms-of-the-creation/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [ There were really funny characteristics about this guy \[Richard Nixon\], chief of which would be that he seemed to devote about 85 percent of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/there-were-really-funny-characteristics-about-this-guy-richard-nixon/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [We're very pleased to be on a show which is known and loved around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/we-re-very-pleased-to-be-on-a-show-which-is-known-and-loved-around/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [The theater business is very much about "Hey, if you want our big blockbuster at Christmas time, you'll play our piece of crap in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/the-theater-business-is-very-much-about-hey-if-you-want-our-big/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [Sometimes, songs spill out of you very fast, and sometimes you have to wrangle them to the floor. But the same thing is true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/sometimes-songs-spill-out-of-you-very-fast-and-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I would come back to public school for usually about half the year. It was actually better for me to be out of school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-would-come-back-to-public-school-for-usually-about-half-the-year-it/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I always thought, as a kid, if you - and the reason that I sort of stayed away from doing one character on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-always-thought-as-a-kid-if-you-and-the-reason-that-i-sort-of-stayed/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I am one of those people who thrive on deadlines. Nothing brings on inspiration more readily than desperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-am-one-of-those-people-who-thrive-on-deadlines-nothing-brings-on/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I couldn't help but be struck that this guy I had thought was the embodiment of everything wrong with American politics, a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-couldn-t-help-but-be-struck-that-this-guy-i-had-thought-was-the/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [You have to do real acting, not just do a voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/you-have-to-do-real-acting-not-just-do-a-voice/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I never wanted to do a regular sitcom, because I'd be incredibly bored doing the same character week in, week out. But the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-never-wanted-to-do-a-regular-sitcom-because-i-d-be-incredibly-bored/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I was never into candy and games and clowns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-was-never-into-candy-and-games-and-clowns/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I went to graduate school at Harvard for one year I worked in the state legislature in Sacramento for one year. I taught school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-went-to-graduate-school-at-harvard-for-one-year-i-worked-in-the/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [I'm at a little loss in terms of my Leave It To Beaver expertise, since I never watched an episode of the show -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-m-at-a-little-loss-in-terms-of-my-leave-it-to-beaver-expertise/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [My job is to take what I think is funny and to make other people think it's funny, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/my-job-is-to-take-what-i-think-is-funny-and-to-make-other-people/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) [Explore all 89 Harry Shearer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) ## More Awkward quotes > [“I needed to stop staring at his bicep...and chest...and tattoo. Never thought the sun could be so...sexy. Wow. 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If I acted squirmy or didn't make eye contact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/having-to-talk-to-people-was-the-one-thing-but-soliciting/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [That awkward moment when you stop at a red light and look over to someone staring at you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-you-stop-at-a-red-light-and-look-over-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That awkward moment when you get your period and others know before you...Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smile-so-pretty/that-awkward-moment-when-you-get-your-period-and-others-know-before/) [Smile So Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smile-so-pretty/) > [I was beautiful the day we met, But now I'm not so sure. Awkward and alone, you don't make me feel sexy anymore. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-beautiful-the-day-we-met-but-now-i-m-not-so-sure-awkward-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [“That’s some awkward prose right there. Awkward like a Redditor talking to women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-some-awkward-prose-right-there-awkward-like-a-redditor-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [It's such a weird thing, because you have a whole crew of people standing over there, on the other side. There's a camera pointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/it-s-such-a-weird-thing-because-you-have-a-whole-crew-of-people/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [A new constitution should be more amendable. A needlessly confusing system of courts should be altered to produce an arrangement that would be simple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edison/a-new-constitution-should-be-more-amendable-a-needlessly-confusing/) [Charles Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edison/) > [I don't really have loads of friends - three or four who are close. 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