--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that's why I've lasted this long…" description: "\"I think that's why I've lasted this long because I love everything I make fun of! I make fun of myself first! I mean, I started my career by calling my..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-waters-751_beats_i-think-that-s-why-i-ve-lasted-this-long_1579258.jpg" --- # I think that's why I've lasted this long because I love… ![“I think that's why I've lasted this long because I love everything I make fun of! I make fun of myself first! I mean, I started my career by calling my films "trash" - the local critics used to complain that I beat the critic to the typewriter.” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-waters-751_beats_i-think-that-s-why-i-ve-lasted-this-long_1579258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-waters-751_beats_i-think-that-s-why-i-ve-lasted-this-long_1579258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-waters-751_beats_i-think-that-s-why-i-ve-lasted-this-long_1579258.jpg) > “I think that's why I've lasted this long because I love everything I make fun of! I make fun of myself first! I mean, I started my career by calling my films "trash" - the local critics used to complain that I beat the critic to the typewriter.” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He credits his longevity to self‑deprecating humor, mocking himself before others. **In simple terms:** Self‑mockery fuels resilience. Key Takeaway Use humor to deflect criticism. Themes creativity humor resilience Mood wry defiant Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - stand‑up comedy - film making - social media - personal branding Key Concepts self‑deprecation artistic identity Questions to Reflect On - Do you use humor to protect yourself? - When does self‑critique hinder growth? A Different Perspective Self‑mockery can become self‑defeating if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) [Critic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critic/) [Critic Typewriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critic-typewriter-5962508/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films Trash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-trash-5962507/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Locals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locals/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Started Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-career/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash/) [Typewriters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typewriters/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [I started my career without fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-started-my-career-without-fans/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Most of the actresses I have worked with have started their career in South and then shifted to Bollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhas/most-of-the-actresses-i-have-worked-with-have-started-their-career-in/) [Prabhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhas/) > [Having started my career at EPA, having worked on the Hill for two different members who didn't agree on every issue, and then working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/having-started-my-career-at-epa-having-worked-on-the-hill-for-two/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) > [When I think that I started this career so early, my case is not the case of an artist who becomes popular overnight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/when-i-think-that-i-started-this-career-so-early-my-case-is-not-the/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Election' made zero money at the box office, but it started my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-klein/election-made-zero-money-at-the-box-office-but-it-started-my-career/) [Chris Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-klein/) > [I started my career with 'Refugee' in Bhuj. Now, it has become a full-fledged city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareena-kapoor-khan/i-started-my-career-with-refugee-in-bhuj-now-it-has-become-a-full/) [Kareena Kapoor Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareena-kapoor-khan/) > [I started my career as a No 9. I know how to play as a No 9.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richarlison/i-started-my-career-as-a-no-9-i-know-how-to-play-as-a-no-9/) [Richarlison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richarlison/) > [I worked 10 years as a toy designer before I started my career as a fashion designer. It's something I just fell into and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-worked-10-years-as-a-toy-designer-before-i-started-my-career-as-a/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [I started my career in Naval Intelligence when I entered as a Russian language interpreter sent to DLI, the Defense Language Institute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-nance/i-started-my-career-in-naval-intelligence-when-i-entered-as-a-russian/) [Malcolm Nance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-nance/) > [I went to the London Academy Of Music and Dramatic Art and returned to New York where I started my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-naughton/i-went-to-the-london-academy-of-music-and-dramatic-art-and-returned/) [David Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-naughton/) > [When I started my career in the early 2000s you didn't have to be seen everywhere, every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/when-i-started-my-career-in-the-early-2000s-you-didn-t-have-to-be/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [I did a lot of musicals when I first started my career, so I can carry a tune well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-dallas/i-did-a-lot-of-musicals-when-i-first-started-my-career-so-i-can-carry/) [Josh Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-dallas/) > [I have started my career with roles where all I needed to mouth was 1 line. That's how I began on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurmeet-choudhary/i-have-started-my-career-with-roles-where-all-i-needed-to-mouth-was-1/) [Gurmeet Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurmeet-choudhary/) > [I started my career in 1994-95. Before that, I was with my family, traveling all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirron-kher/i-started-my-career-in-1994-95-before-that-i-was-with-my-family/) [Kirron Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirron-kher/) > [I got a divorce, and I felt like I finally started my career. I started making movies and projects that I just really believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/i-got-a-divorce-and-i-felt-like-i-finally-started-my-career-i-started/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Around '62 in Baltimore, all the girls had those big hairdos. And then suddenly, a few of the really hip ones started doing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/around-62-in-baltimore-all-the-girls-had-those-big-hairdos-and-then/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“John!?” I ask in shock. This woman recognizes me? It can’t be! “How do you know my name?” I wonder out loud. Suddenly she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/john-i-ask-in-shock-this-woman-recognizes-me-it-can-t-be-how-do-you/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > ['Serial Mom' tested really well when we finally got with the right audience. But they would go to some shopping mall in a deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/serial-mom-tested-really-well-when-we-finally-got-with-the-right/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [One Christmas, Dennis Dermody, the movie critic of 'Paper,' gave me 'Rock Hudson: A Gathering of Friends,' the master invitation list from Rock Hudson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/one-christmas-dennis-dermody-the-movie-critic-of-paper-gave-me-rock/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Many hundred-million-dollar Hollywood comedies aren't any good. They're trying to shock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/many-hundred-million-dollar-hollywood-comedies-aren-t-any-good-they/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [The Easter Bunny is a major reason for heroin addiction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-easter-bunny-is-a-major-reason-for-heroin-addiction-in-america/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [To use bad taste, you have to know the rules of good taste. I've always thanked my mother for that. She taught how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/to-use-bad-taste-you-have-to-know-the-rules-of-good-taste-i-ve-always/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm an old person because I still buy DVDs. I have every one of my albums and 45s - I even have a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-an-old-person-because-i-still-buy-dvds-i-have-every-one-of-my/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I do like Christmas. I do understand that there are people who hate it, and there are other religions that resent it. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-do-like-christmas-i-do-understand-that-there-are-people-who-hate-it/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I love to read about anger. A "feel bad" book always makes me feel good. And no other novel in the history of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-love-to-read-about-anger-a-feel-bad-book-always-makes-me-feel-good/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [ Maybe I'll just write books. I'd like to make another movie, but I don't want to go back and \[do\] what they want you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/maybe-i-ll-just-write-books-i-d-like-to-make-another-movie-but-i-don/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) [Explore all 381 John Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More Beats quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [If you don't like club beats take a HIT OF E and you will love the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/if-you-don-t-like-club-beats-take-a-hit-of-e-and-you-will-love-the/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Every pitcher can beat you, it doesn't matter how good you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/every-pitcher-can-beat-you-it-doesn-t-matter-how-good-you-are/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) [Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,311 Beats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that's why I've lasted this long because I love everything I make fun of! I make fun of myself first! 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