--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up, I thought it would be great…" description: "\"Growing up, I thought it would be great if I could do big theaters. Now we're doing arenas.\" — Jeff Dunham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/jeff-dunham-6937_arenas_growing-up-i-thought-it-would-be-great-i_1424313.jpg" --- # Growing up, I thought it would be great if I could do big… ![“Growing up, I thought it would be great if I could do big theaters. Now we're doing arenas.” quote by Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/jeff-dunham-6937_arenas_growing-up-i-thought-it-would-be-great-i_1424313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/jeff-dunham-6937_arenas_growing-up-i-thought-it-would-be-great-i_1424313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/jeff-dunham-6937_arenas_growing-up-i-thought-it-would-be-great-i_1424313.jpg) > “Growing up, I thought it would be great if I could do big theaters. Now we're doing arenas.” [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes his ambitions shifted from intimate theater to large arenas, reflecting changing goals and scale. **In simple terms:** Ambitions grew from theaters to arenas. Key Takeaway Adapt goals as your platform expands. Themes ambition growth scale Mood humorous insightful Type entertainment motivational When to use this quote - tour planning - venue selection - audience engagement Key Concepts career evolution public performance Questions to Reflect On - What does success look like at a larger scale? - How do you stay authentic when growing? A Different Perspective Larger venues may dilute personal connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arenas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arenas/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Big Theaters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-theaters-4120026/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Arenas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-arenas-2683153/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [If i could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/if-i-could/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Theaters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theaters/) [Theaters Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theaters-doing-5053546/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [The feature film has changed a lot. Art houses are gone and people show a certain type of cinema in the big theaters now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-feature-film-has-changed-a-lot-art-houses-are-gone-and-people/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [As much as we love playing the small clubs, we'd really like to get ourselves in front of a larger audience. I'm not talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-frantz/as-much-as-we-love-playing-the-small-clubs-we-d-really-like-to-get/) [Chris Frantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-frantz/) > [When I started doing arenas, because of the screens, I was back to getting the reaction of a very small room. If I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/when-i-started-doing-arenas-because-of-the-screens-i-was-back-to/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I don't really know how to do anything else except music. But I do. I've never felt more comfortable doing it. When I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-jones/i-don-t-really-know-how-to-do-anything-else-except-music-but-i-do-i/) [Kelly Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-jones/) > [When you go to watch a baseball game, when you go to watch an NBA game, when you watch an NFL game, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-go-to-watch-a-baseball-game-when-you-go-to-watch-an-nba-game/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Madison Square Garden is one of the greatest arenas in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuta-watanabe/madison-square-garden-is-one-of-the-greatest-arenas-in-the-world/) [Yuta Watanabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuta-watanabe/) > [As soon as we started playing sports arenas, we thought how great it would be if we could instead play to 25,000 people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dwane/as-soon-as-we-started-playing-sports-arenas-we-thought-how-great-it/) [Ted Dwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dwane/) > [Sometimes legends find themselves remembered more for what they have not done than for their accomplishments. But those resume gaps can also help drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/sometimes-legends-find-themselves-remembered-more-for-what-they-have/) [Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/) > [I want to know that I am putting 30,000 individuals in seats in arenas. That's my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-want-to-know-that-i-am-putting-30-000-individuals-in-seats-in/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [What I think happened to the new arenas is that you need some memories. I remember going when the Staples Center first opened and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/what-i-think-happened-to-the-new-arenas-is-that-you-need-some/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) > [I want to sell out arenas and sell millions of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-want-to-sell-out-arenas-and-sell-millions-of-records/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [They didn't have a problem with me being wild and crazy when it came time to fill the arenas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/they-didn-t-have-a-problem-with-me-being-wild-and-crazy-when-it-came/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [Music has done a lot to enhance the emotions of sports. It's played in arenas. Whenever there is footage cut together they're always using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/music-has-done-a-lot-to-enhance-the-emotions-of-sports-it-s-played-in/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [Doing stand-up in front of arenas or clubs is something else; it's not a talent I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/doing-stand-up-in-front-of-arenas-or-clubs-is-something-else-it-s-not/) [Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) ## More by Jeff Dunham > [As humans we like to laugh at our fears, we like to whistle in the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/as-humans-we-like-to-laugh-at-our-fears-we-like-to-whistle-in-the-dark/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [“Jeff: Are you married? Bubba J.: Yep. Jeff: Your wife pretty? Bubba J.: Ye... no! Jeff: What's the difference? Bubba J.: The light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/jeff-are-you-married-bubba-j-yep-jeff-your-wife-pretty-bubba-j-ye-no/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [“That afternoon I ordered an information packet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/that-afternoon-i-ordered-an-information-packet/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [When I was eight years old, I got a dummy for Christmas and started teaching myself. I got books and records and sat in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/when-i-was-eight-years-old-i-got-a-dummy-for-christmas-and-started/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [“Look, I know I didn't finish school but that frickin' says 'Sa ntah ah nah!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/look-i-know-i-didn-t-finish-school-but-that-frickin-says-sa-ntah-ah/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [I used to pick Priuses out of the grill of my Hummer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/i-used-to-pick-priuses-out-of-the-grill-of-my-hummer/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [“jose jaliopinio on a stick" do you like bmw's (big mexican weman)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/jose-jaliopinio-on-a-stick-do-you-like-bmw-s-big-mexican-weman/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [My goal in any show is to make people laugh. That's the No. 1 thing. Everything else pales in comparison to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/my-goal-in-any-show-is-to-make-people-laugh-that-s-the-no-1-thing/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [The magic in performing as an entertaining ventriloquist happens when the characters come to life and the interaction between the separate personalities on stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/the-magic-in-performing-as-an-entertaining-ventriloquist-happens-when/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [ \[In my bio\] is no drunk driving, there's no DUI's, there's no possession of cocaine, none of that stuff so you know, I don't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/in-my-bio-is-no-drunk-driving-there-s-no-dui-s-there-s-no-possession/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [A lot of my best stuff is just ad libs on stage, and that's one thing that I've gotten back to at the live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/a-lot-of-my-best-stuff-is-just-ad-libs-on-stage-and-that-s-one-thing/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [Even going to college, getting my degree in Radio TV and Film, as I was approaching the time when you have to decide on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/even-going-to-college-getting-my-degree-in-radio-tv-and-film-as-i-was/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [In 1980, when I graduated from high school, my goal was to be on 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson at least once before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/in-1980-when-i-graduated-from-high-school-my-goal-was-to-be-on-the/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [I'll come up with an idea for a character, and I'll write some jokes and make sure that that character is going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/i-ll-come-up-with-an-idea-for-a-character-and-i-ll-write-some-jokes/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [I'm guilty of being fascinated by gadgets and toys and technology, but any penny that I spend, I try to make it be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/i-m-guilty-of-being-fascinated-by-gadgets-and-toys-and-technology-but/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) [Explore all 96 Jeff Dunham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) ## More Arenas quotes > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [Doing stand-up in front of arenas or clubs is something else; it's not a talent I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/doing-stand-up-in-front-of-arenas-or-clubs-is-something-else-it-s-not/) [Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/) > [Music has done a lot to enhance the emotions of sports. It's played in arenas. Whenever there is footage cut together they're always using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/music-has-done-a-lot-to-enhance-the-emotions-of-sports-it-s-played-in/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [They didn't have a problem with me being wild and crazy when it came time to fill the arenas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/they-didn-t-have-a-problem-with-me-being-wild-and-crazy-when-it-came/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [I want to sell out arenas and sell millions of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-want-to-sell-out-arenas-and-sell-millions-of-records/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [What I think happened to the new arenas is that you need some memories. I remember going when the Staples Center first opened and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-connolly/what-i-think-happened-to-the-new-arenas-is-that-you-need-some/) [Kevin Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-connolly/) > [I want to know that I am putting 30,000 individuals in seats in arenas. That's my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-want-to-know-that-i-am-putting-30-000-individuals-in-seats-in/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [Sometimes legends find themselves remembered more for what they have not done than for their accomplishments. But those resume gaps can also help drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/sometimes-legends-find-themselves-remembered-more-for-what-they-have/) [Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/) > [As soon as we started playing sports arenas, we thought how great it would be if we could instead play to 25,000 people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dwane/as-soon-as-we-started-playing-sports-arenas-we-thought-how-great-it/) [Ted Dwane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dwane/) > [Madison Square Garden is one of the greatest arenas in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuta-watanabe/madison-square-garden-is-one-of-the-greatest-arenas-in-the-world/) [Yuta Watanabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuta-watanabe/) > [When you go to watch a baseball game, when you go to watch an NBA game, when you watch an NFL game, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-go-to-watch-a-baseball-game-when-you-go-to-watch-an-nba-game/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sell out arenas now. I'm a stadium guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boosie/i-sell-out-arenas-now-i-m-a-stadium-guy/) [Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boosie/) > [I've done arenas, and sometimes it feels like you're the only one in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blackbear/i-ve-done-arenas-and-sometimes-it-feels-like-you-re-the-only-one-in/) [Blackbear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blackbear/) > [Somehow, Rush can still sell out arenas. If I was sitting in row one, I would take my chair, unbolt it from the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaki-king/somehow-rush-can-still-sell-out-arenas-if-i-was-sitting-in-row-one-i/) [Kaki King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaki-king/) > [Wrestling moves are made for arenas, not the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/wrestling-moves-are-made-for-arenas-not-the-screen/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) [Browse all 47 Arenas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arenas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Growing up, I thought it would be great if I could do big theaters. 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