--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People on television have trouble with…" description: "\"People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.\" — Ian Mckellen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg" --- # People on television have trouble with fame because… ![“People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg) > “People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.” [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fame creates a false sense of intimacy, making audiences feel they personally know public figures. **In simple terms:** Fans think celebrities are friends. Key Takeaway Recognize the distance between public persona and private life. Themes celebrity media perception Mood reflective critical Type observational social commentary When to use this quote - social media interaction - celebrity interviews - fan conventions Key Concepts social psychology parasocial relationships Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape your view of fame? - Do you treat public figures as friends? A Different Perspective Audiences may overestimate personal connection, leading to unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audiences/) [Audiences Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audiences-think-1378702/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fame Audiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-audiences-5079485/) [Mates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mates/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-television-472026/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Trouble Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-fame-5079486/) ## Related quotes > [Theatre audiences can't be made to think and cry: at best, they can be made to think and laugh, or to feel and cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/theatre-audiences-can-t-be-made-to-think-and-cry-at-best-they-can-be/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [If you try to do a genuine rock musical, rock people will think you're flaccid and Broadway audiences will think you're too loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/if-you-try-to-do-a-genuine-rock-musical-rock-people-will-think-you-re/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [The idea of audiences becoming part of the show is, I think, where theatre is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/the-idea-of-audiences-becoming-part-of-the-show-is-i-think-where/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [Live action movies are someone else's story. With animation, audiences can't think that. Their guards are down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-unkrich/live-action-movies-are-someone-else-s-story-with-animation-audiences/) [Lee Unkrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-unkrich/) > [Part of my style was getting into a muddle. Audiences think that's part of the act. Sometimes it might be - but you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-corbett/part-of-my-style-was-getting-into-a-muddle-audiences-think-that-s/) [Ronnie Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-corbett/) > [Christian audiences, I think, have grown very tired of movies that try to pander to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hancock/christian-audiences-i-think-have-grown-very-tired-of-movies-that-try/) [John Lee Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hancock/) > [We make films that we ourselves would want to see and then hope that other people would want to see it. If you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/we-make-films-that-we-ourselves-would-want-to-see-and-then-hope-that/) [Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/) > [A lot of people in television who've had successful shows claim the 'Roseanne' show as their starting place, and I'm really proud of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/a-lot-of-people-in-television-who-ve-had-successful-shows-claim-the/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [All the people that you see on television defending Donald Trump have not been drafted into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/all-the-people-that-you-see-on-television-defending-donald-trump-have/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [ For tens of millions of people \[television\] has become habit-forming, brain-softening, taste-degrading. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kronenberger/for-tens-of-millions-of-people-television-has-become-habit-forming/) [Louis Kronenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kronenberger/) > [So many people are on television that don't know me, and they're like experts on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/so-many-people-are-on-television-that-don-t-know-me-and-they-re-like/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think in future people will take television in eyedrop form. All media will be in eyedrops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/i-think-in-future-people-will-take-television-in-eyedrop-form-all/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I feel like sometimes people on television shows can start taking things for granted, or they don't want to be here or something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-ritter/i-feel-like-sometimes-people-on-television-shows-can-start-taking/) [Jason Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-ritter/) > [I was one of the first few film people to ever do television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/i-was-one-of-the-first-few-film-people-to-ever-do-television/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [In terms of hardline right-wing people on television, there's some people that make me cringe when I change the channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carmack/in-terms-of-hardline-right-wing-people-on-television-there-s-some/) [Chris Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carmack/) ## More by Ian Mckellen > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/it-s-my-impression-that-i-ve-done-every-job-that-i-ve-been-asked-to-do/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-fortunate-to-be-famous-for-two-rather-imposing-characters-like/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/godot-is-whatever-it-is-in-life-that-you-are-waiting-for-i-m-waiting/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm only an actor. I'm not a writer. I'm not going to leave any legacy. All I've ever done is learn the lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-only-an-actor-i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-going-to-leave-any-legacy/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-d-never-read-lord-of-the-rings-until-i-was-asked-to-play-gandalf-so/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-might-be-surprised-by-how-interested-young-people-are-in-older/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [The strength of British theatre should be that these actors in their middle years know what they're doing and are good at it. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-strength-of-british-theatre-should-be-that-these-actors-in-their/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/until-i-came-out-my-acting-was-all-about-disguise-and-thereafter-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/elijah-looks-angelic-but-his-beauty-of-spirit-is-what-makes-his-frodo/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > ['The Lego Movie?' I've never heard of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-lego-movie-i-ve-never-heard-of-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) [Explore all 247 Ian Mckellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## More Audiences quotes > [Audiences deserve better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-maltin/audiences-deserve-better/) [Leonard Maltin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-maltin/) > [Well, the coffeehouse audiences never know what they're going to get, and all the comics are different, as opposed to when you go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/well-the-coffeehouse-audiences-never-know-what-they-re-going-to-get/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [The States still has the best audiences by far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-trower/the-states-still-has-the-best-audiences-by-far/) [Robin Trower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-trower/) > [Audiences could never relate to me as anything other than Tori Spelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-spelling/audiences-could-never-relate-to-me-as-anything-other-than-tori/) [Tori Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-spelling/) > [I think audiences are quite sophisticated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ramsay/i-think-audiences-are-quite-sophisticated/) [Lynne Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ramsay/) > [Audience members are only concerned about the story, the concept, the bells and whistles and the noise that a popular film starts to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/audience-members-are-only-concerned-about-the-story-the-concept-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have zero interest in performing in films to try to convey any kind of message. My job is to be entertaining. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-have-zero-interest-in-performing-in-films-to-try-to-convey-any-kind/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [Audiences want and need a shared viewing experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-littlefield/audiences-want-and-need-a-shared-viewing-experience/) [Warren Littlefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-littlefield/) > [I want audiences to see me in different avatars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-charan/i-want-audiences-to-see-me-in-different-avatars/) [Ram Charan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-charan/) > [With comedy, the jokes will come out, and people will see them coming. Changes in daily life or current events can change the consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/with-comedy-the-jokes-will-come-out-and-people-will-see-them-coming/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [Audiences want great story telling; it's why white people watch my show 'Black in America.' It's why black people watch 'Latina in America.' All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/audiences-want-great-story-telling-it-s-why-white-people-watch-my/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [I am deeply honored that my team is being recognized by H.S.H. Prince Albert II and the Festival de Television de Monte-Carlo for Disney/ABC's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sweeney/i-am-deeply-honored-that-my-team-is-being-recognized-by-h-s-h-prince/) [Anne Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sweeney/) > [My audience loves seeing me pump large amounts of money into action and sets. And it works. I'm not saying that films made within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-shetty/my-audience-loves-seeing-me-pump-large-amounts-of-money-into-action/) [Rohit Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-shetty/) > [We're making a commercial Hindi film catering to all types of audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-dutt/we-re-making-a-commercial-hindi-film-catering-to-all-types-of/) [Sanjay Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-dutt/) > [Sometimes audiences want to see what we're doing to their world. It's our obligation sometimes to reflect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/sometimes-audiences-want-to-see-what-we-re-doing-to-their-world-it-s/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) [Browse all 551 Audiences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audiences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Mckellen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/people-on-television-have-trouble-with-fame-because-audiences-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audiences" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/people-on-television-have-trouble-with-fame-because-audiences-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ian-mckellen-1396_audiences_people-on-television-have-trouble-with-f_2240964.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People on television have trouble with fame because audiences think they're their mates.” — Ian Mckellen", "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": "Ian Mckellen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People on television have trouble with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/people-on-television-have-trouble-with-fame-because-audiences-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/people-on-television-have-trouble-with-fame-because-audiences-think/#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 } } ] } ```