--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Commercial television has underestimated…" description: "\"Commercial television has underestimated the intelligence of the public.\" — Jerry Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/jerry-lewis-3118_intelligence_commercial-television-has-underestimated_1793986.jpg" --- # Commercial television has underestimated the intelligence… ![“Commercial television has underestimated the intelligence of the public.” quote by Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/jerry-lewis-3118_intelligence_commercial-television-has-underestimated_1793986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/jerry-lewis-3118_intelligence_commercial-television-has-underestimated_1793986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/jerry-lewis-3118_intelligence_commercial-television-has-underestimated_1793986.jpg) > “Commercial television has underestimated the intelligence of the public.” [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Commercial TV underestimates viewers' intelligence, assuming they need simplified content. **In simple terms:** TV thinks audiences are less smart than they are. Key Takeaway Demand higher‑quality, thoughtful programming. Themes media intelligence culture Mood critical hopeful Type media social commentary When to use this quote - content creation - media literacy - advertising strategy - viewer feedback Key Concepts media criticism audience perception Questions to Reflect On - What evidence shows audiences crave depth? - How can creators balance profit and intelligence? A Different Perspective Economic pressures often favor low‑brow content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [You see, the power of television cannot be underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/you-see-the-power-of-television-cannot-be-underestimated/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [I think network TV to a large extent has underestimated the intelligence of the American public for so many years now. It's tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-pasdar/i-think-network-tv-to-a-large-extent-has-underestimated-the/) [Adrian Pasdar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-pasdar/) > [In the modern world the intelligence of public opinion is the one indispensable condition for social progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-william-eliot/in-the-modern-world-the-intelligence-of-public-opinion-is-the-one/) [Charles William Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-william-eliot/) > [Nothing is more important, certainly during these times of artificial intelligence, than our public education. And as it continues to grow and evolve, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/nothing-is-more-important-certainly-during-these-times-of-artificial/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) > [I never overcame my conviction that writing for commercial television was a kind of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-hanff/i-never-overcame-my-conviction-that-writing-for-commercial-television/) [Helene Hanff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-hanff/) > [There is an insistent tendency among serious social scientists to think of any institution which features rhymed and singing commercials, intense and lachrymose voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/there-is-an-insistent-tendency-among-serious-social-scientists-to/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I think the challenge in hour television or half-hour television is that the more it's around, certainly on commercial television, the less time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/i-think-the-challenge-in-hour-television-or-half-hour-television-is/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [Commercial television has lowered the general standard of TV in an endeavour to get millions and masses of people to watch the advertising. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-robens-baron-robens-of-woldingham/commercial-television-has-lowered-the-general-standard-of-tv-in-an/) Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham > [When I came to England at the very beginning of commercial television it was easy for me because I was only doing one or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lester/when-i-came-to-england-at-the-very-beginning-of-commercial-television/) [Richard Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lester/) > [I underestimated the difference of fighting in a cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-underestimated-the-difference-of-fighting-in-a-cage/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [It's always good to be underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-always-good-to-be-underestimated/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Mysticism, poor mysticism! When it is underestimated and oversimplified, it comes down from its original sphere and stands beside religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/mysticism-poor-mysticism-when-it-is-underestimated-and-oversimplified/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I think I've explained earlier on in the year that I kind of underestimated how important experience was in this series, especially when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wheldon/i-think-i-ve-explained-earlier-on-in-the-year-that-i-kind-of/) [Dan Wheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wheldon/) > [I didn't know what I was in for when I joined 'The X Factor' - I underestimated it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-cole/i-didn-t-know-what-i-was-in-for-when-i-joined-the-x-factor-i/) [Cheryl Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-cole/) > [I don't think I should be underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-davenport/i-don-t-think-i-should-be-underestimated/) [Lindsay Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-davenport/) ## More by Jerry Lewis > [Marriage is the result of the longing for the deep, deep peace of the double bed after the hurly-burly of the chaise-longue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/marriage-is-the-result-of-the-longing-for-the-deep-deep-peace-of-the/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [Every mans dream is to be able to sink into the arms of a woman without also falling into her hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/every-mans-dream-is-to-be-able-to-sink-into-the-arms-of-a-woman/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [When I hit around 65, 66, I started to feel tremendous worth and incredible personal esteem. I was becoming very cognisant of my contribution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/when-i-hit-around-65-66-i-started-to-feel-tremendous-worth-and/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [People say, "How would you like to be remembered?" I don't want to be remembered. Gimme a break. What I want is to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/people-say-how-would-you-like-to-be-remembered-i-don-t-want-to-be/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I think it has helped that I am so curious about what has been happening to me and that I have enjoyed watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-think-it-has-helped-that-i-am-so-curious-about-what-has-been/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I'm really, basically, nine, and I've always been that. I've never, ever allowed the child within me to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-m-really-basically-nine-and-i-ve-always-been-that-i-ve-never-ever/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I would not want to do one-episode television - that's just a brief encounter with your audience. The arc takes the actor into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-would-not-want-to-do-one-episode-television-that-s-just-a-brief/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I don't talk about anything negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-don-t-talk-about-anything-negative/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [This is the pain pacemaker. I've got a battery under my skin. From that battery are two electrodes that go into the spine where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/this-is-the-pain-pacemaker-i-ve-got-a-battery-under-my-skin-from-that/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [When you are debilitated, and you're very depressed, and you believe there's no hope, you cannot get a better potpourri of down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/when-you-are-debilitated-and-you-re-very-depressed-and-you-believe/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I'm always thinking about future projects and at the same time trying to finish the project you're in the middle off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-m-always-thinking-about-future-projects-and-at-the-same-time-trying/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [A lot of people resent that I've been in someone's life for 50 years. Why shouldn't people have an affection for me and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/a-lot-of-people-resent-that-i-ve-been-in-someone-s-life-for-50-years/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [It'll keep you alive for another 10 years if you get yourself a laugh once a day: either provoke it, or look around in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/it-ll-keep-you-alive-for-another-10-years-if-you-get-yourself-a-laugh/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [We're leaving the House to people who either were born with a silver spoon in their mouth... or couldn't get better jobs in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/we-re-leaving-the-house-to-people-who-either-were-born-with-a-silver/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I don't want to be remembered. I want the nice words when I can hear them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/i-don-t-want-to-be-remembered-i-want-the-nice-words-when-i-can-hear/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) [Explore all 139 Jerry Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) ## More Intelligence quotes > [If you can do anything for love there's no reason you can't do everything to someone you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayjay-guillermo/if-you-can-do-anything-for-love-there-s-no-reason-you-can-t-do/) [Jayjay Guillermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayjay-guillermo/) > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. 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What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“A smart person learns from his mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-schramm/a-smart-person-learns-from-his-mistakes-but-a-truly-wise-person/) Ken Schramm > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. 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