---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the 'Guardian' is commissioning…"
description: "\"When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write obituary pieces about you and your career... it doesn't get much nastier than that. And you've ju..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg"
---

#  When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write…

![“When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write obituary pieces about you and your career... it doesn't get much nastier than that. And you've just got to go, 'It doesn't actually matter.'” quote by James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg)

> “When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write obituary pieces about you and your career... it doesn't get much nastier than that. And you've just got to go, 'It doesn't actually matter.'”

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Facing a harsh, public critique of one's life work can feel humiliating, yet acknowledging its insignificance can preserve dignity.

**In simple terms:** Public criticism feels humili, but letting it go protects self‑worth.

Key Takeaway

Accept criticism, then move on.

Themes

humiliation career self‑esteem public scrutiny

Mood

defensive reflective

Type

personal media

When to use this quote

- celebrity interviews
- career retrospectives
- personal setbacks
- media backlash

Key Concepts

ego resilience media criticism

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you stay grounded when faced with harsh public judgment?
- What strategies help you detach self‑worth from external opinions?

A Different Perspective

The quote may downplay genuine emotional impact of public critique.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Commissioning Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commissioning-writers-709931/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guardian/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary/) [Obituary Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary-pieces-709930/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-obituary-507016/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writers Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers-write-254639/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/)

## Related quotes

> [“When they write my obituary. Tomorrow. Or the next day. It will say, Leo Gursky is survived by an apartment full of shit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/when-they-write-my-obituary-tomorrow-or-the-next-day-it-will-say-leo/)

[Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/)

> [If you could have a famous writer, dead or alive, write an obituary for you and really puff you up to have been something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padgett-powell/if-you-could-have-a-famous-writer-dead-or-alive-write-an-obituary-for/)

[Padgett Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padgett-powell/)

> [Anyone who has to write an obituary for me one day will probably say, 'She did absolute depths of agony really well.' I'm not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-manville/anyone-who-has-to-write-an-obituary-for-me-one-day-will-probably-say/)

[Lesley Manville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-manville/)

> [“Stay fit and live long and prosper, but write your own obituary now, while you can, just in case.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/stay-fit-and-live-long-and-prosper-but-write-your-own-obituary-now/)

[Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/)

> [“Bunch of people go out to the Valley, create something new. Us out here in the world go hmm, that's interesting, and start using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yudhanjaya-wijeratne/bunch-of-people-go-out-to-the-valley-create-something-new-us-out-here/)

[Yudhanjaya Wijeratne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yudhanjaya-wijeratne/)

> [“There's the obituary to look for the next week, six column inches about nothing that really mattered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-the-obituary-to-look-for-the-next-week-six-column-inches/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“I'd been making desicions for days. I picked out the dress Bailey would wear forever- a black slinky one- innapropriate- that she loved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/i-d-been-making-desicions-for-days-i-picked-out-the-dress-bailey/)

[Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/)

> [“Do something you would be proud to have in your obituary, but not something that will haunt you until that day. Live for now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-regan/do-something-you-would-be-proud-to-have-in-your-obituary-but-not/)

[Audrey Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-regan/)

> [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/)

[Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/)

> [A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-life-spent-in-constant-labor-is-a-life-wasted-save-a-man-be-such-a/)

[George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/)

> [I was studying the impacts of fishing on ocean life, while the places that I loved so much continued to decline: less and smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enric-sala/i-was-studying-the-impacts-of-fishing-on-ocean-life-while-the-places/)

[Enric Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enric-sala/)

> [“Eight Bells: Robert J. Kane ‘55D died June 3, 2017, in Palm Harbor, Florida. He came to MMA by way of Boston College. Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/eight-bells-robert-j-kane-55d-died-june-3-2017-in-palm-harbor-florida/)

[Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/)

> [“The clear awareness of having been born into a losing struggle need not lead one into despair. I do not especially like the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-clear-awareness-of-having-been-born-into-a-losing-struggle-need/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/)

[Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/)

> [Hang onto your sense of humor. I picture my obituary : The sexiest man alive is now dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/hang-onto-your-sense-of-humor-i-picture-my-obituary-the-sexiest-man/)

[Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/)

## More by James Corden

> [First concert I saw was a British boy band called Take That when I was 14 or 15. I went with nine girls from school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/first-concert-i-saw-was-a-british-boy-band-called-take-that-when-i/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [Fondue is not a good date food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/fondue-is-not-a-good-date-food/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [Rap and dance is pretty much what I want to be known for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/rap-and-dance-is-pretty-much-what-i-want-to-be-known-for/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [My major ambition is just to stay relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/my-major-ambition-is-just-to-stay-relevant/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [It's a strange thing, this idea that for some reason, if a lot of people like what you're doing, it's therefore not very good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/it-s-a-strange-thing-this-idea-that-for-some-reason-if-a-lot-of/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [It doesn't help anyone to judge their happiness or career by looking at where others may or may not be. Dad said it best:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/it-doesn-t-help-anyone-to-judge-their-happiness-or-career-by-looking/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [I love 'Jerry Maguire.' I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/i-love-jerry-maguire-i-absolutely-love-it/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [What's important is the work that you're doing, not the country that you're in. I would much rather be in a play at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/what-s-important-is-the-work-that-you-re-doing-not-the-country-that/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [It's a tough one for me, politics. I grew up in a house where my father is a Christian book salesman and a Tory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/it-s-a-tough-one-for-me-politics-i-grew-up-in-a-house-where-my-father/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [There is really no one who hasn't made mistakes in their career. I'm always shocked that people would be so surprised that I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/there-is-really-no-one-who-hasn-t-made-mistakes-in-their-career-i-m/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [I mean, you can't make anything without making mistakes, is the truth, and I'm very grateful for those misses that I've had in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/i-mean-you-can-t-make-anything-without-making-mistakes-is-the-truth/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [Going to America is the best prize, so fingers crossed it will work out on Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/going-to-america-is-the-best-prize-so-fingers-crossed-it-will-work/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [BBC3 even started their biggest shows, like Jack Whitehall's 'Bad Education,' they premiered on the iPlayer a week before it went on TV. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/bbc3-even-started-their-biggest-shows-like-jack-whitehall-s-bad/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [There's nothing nicer than getting a round of applause for turning up for work. It's amazing! You start work, and people clap. Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/there-s-nothing-nicer-than-getting-a-round-of-applause-for-turning-up/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

> [It would be really arrogant of us to not have any of the fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/it-would-be-really-arrogant-of-us-to-not-have-any-of-the-fears/)

[James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

[Explore all 95 James Corden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write obituary pieces about you and your career... it doesn't get much nastier than that. And you've just got to go, 'It doesn't actually matter.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Corden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-writers-to-write-obituary-pieces/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-writers-to-write-obituary-pieces/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/james-corden-7028_about_when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-write_2465952.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers to write obituary pieces about you and your career... it…” — James Corden",
                "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": "James Corden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When the 'Guardian' is commissioning writers...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-writers-to-write-obituary-pieces/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/when-the-guardian-is-commissioning-writers-to-write-obituary-pieces/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
