--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I…" description: "\"Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I ever end up [as one]? Carsick [Waters's book on hitchhiking] was on the New York Times best-seller list for fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/john-waters-751_best-sellers_insider-can-be-more-ludicrous-how-did-i_2018014.jpg" --- # Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I ever end up \[as… ![“Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I ever end up [as one]? Carsick [Waters's book on hitchhiking] was on the New York Times best-seller list for five weeks. [One of the characters was] a singing asshole that does a duet with Connie Francis! Times have changed. That's mainstream, in a weird way.” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/john-waters-751_best-sellers_insider-can-be-more-ludicrous-how-did-i_2018014.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/john-waters-751_best-sellers_insider-can-be-more-ludicrous-how-did-i_2018014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/john-waters-751_best-sellers_insider-can-be-more-ludicrous-how-did-i_2018014.jpg) > “Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I ever end up \[as one\]? Carsick \[Waters's book on hitchhiking\] was on the New York Times best-seller list for five weeks. \[One of the characters was\] a singing asshole that does a duet with Connie Francis! Times have changed. That's mainstream, in a weird way.” [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. The author claims insider knowledge can be absurd, noting his own bizarre fame and mainstream acceptance of oddities. **In simple terms:** Insider status can feel ridiculous when odd things become popular. Key Takeaway Question the value of insider perspectives on mainstream culture. Themes culture celebrity media absurdity Mood ironic critical Type cultural media When to use this quote - publishing industry - film festivals - social media trends - public perception Key Concepts celebrity culture media influence authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What makes something mainstream? - Does insider status guarantee insight? A Different Perspective Insider claims may be biased or self‑serving. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-sellers/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Hitchhiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-hitchhiking-3639110/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Carsick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carsick-3639109/) [Carsick Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carsick-waters-3639108/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Duets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duets/) [End Carsick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-carsick-3639111/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Hitchhiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitchhiking/) [Insiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insiders/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-times/) [Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sellers/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Times have changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-have-changed/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Waters Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waters-book-3639112/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [In every John Waters book, you're like: 'Wait, how can this guy be so funny in a... book?' It's like you can hear his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-sherman/in-every-john-waters-book-you-re-like-wait-how-can-this-guy-be-so/) [Sarah Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-sherman/) > [Nick gets carsick if he's not driving - plus, he's basically a walking atlas. He can drive around any city without a map, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/nick-gets-carsick-if-he-s-not-driving-plus-he-s-basically-a-walking/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [Principal Skinner, I got carsick in your office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-wiggum/principal-skinner-i-got-carsick-in-your-office/) [Ralph Wiggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-wiggum/) > [Times have changed since a certain author was executed for murdering his publisher. They say that when the author was on the scaffold he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-barrie/times-have-changed-since-a-certain-author-was-executed-for-murdering/) [James M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-barrie/) > [I think comedy is difficult, and I'm amazed so many people want to do it. I'll be buying jeans and somebody will say, "I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-think-comedy-is-difficult-and-i-m-amazed-so-many-people-want-to-do/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [I think times have changed, and there's no dearth of talent in the music industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/i-think-times-have-changed-and-there-s-no-dearth-of-talent-in-the/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [“It would be nice to think that as I've got older times have changed, relationships have become more sophisticated, females less cruel, skins thicker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-would-be-nice-to-think-that-as-i-ve-got-older-times-have-changed/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Times have changed; so must the lenses through which we see the political future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/times-have-changed-so-must-the-lenses-through-which-we-see-the/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [How times have changed. NOw, 10 year old girls crying, because they broke up with their boyfriends . . . . . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishnu/how-times-have-changed-now-10-year-old-girls-crying-because-they/) [ViShNu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishnu/) > [Yoga may have originated in India, where the cow has been revered as sacred for thousands of years, but times have changed since Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yoga-may-have-originated-in-india-where-the-cow-has-been-revered-as/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Women are realizing it more and more knowing that they don't have to settle with a man just to have that child. Times have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/women-are-realizing-it-more-and-more-knowing-that-they-don-t-have-to/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [In the past I would self destruct when it came to love - I was immature, throwing myself into things but now times have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabetta-canalis/in-the-past-i-would-self-destruct-when-it-came-to-love-i-was-immature/) [Elisabetta Canalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabetta-canalis/) > [cross that person off your invitation list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/cross-that-person-off-your-invitation-list/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [Times have changed, but people don't change. That's why ON THE ROAD has never been irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/times-have-changed-but-people-don-t-change-that-s-why-on-the-road-has/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## 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 Best sellers quotes > [If it so happened that I had once written a best-seller, this was a pure accident, due to inattention and naivete, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-it-so-happened-that-i-had-once-written-a-best-seller-this-was-a/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [My father didn't want to go to Manhattan for me, and I came to Manhattan and I have done a great job in Manhattan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-father-didn-t-want-to-go-to-manhattan-for-me-and-i-came-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The measure of a great writer is not how many weeks his books spend on the best-seller lists, but how many years his books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-measure-of-a-great-writer-is-not-how-many-weeks-his-books-spend/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The Apple iPad is not going to be the company's next runaway best seller. Not if the industry can help it... With the iPad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-dvorak/the-apple-ipad-is-not-going-to-be-the-company-s-next-runaway-best/) [John C. Dvorak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-dvorak/) > [It had been fourteen years and I hadn't had anything published. I had 250 rejection slips. I got my first novel published and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/it-had-been-fourteen-years-and-i-hadn-t-had-anything-published-i-had/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [I haven't won any prizes or had any best sellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/i-haven-t-won-any-prizes-or-had-any-best-sellers/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [Ironically, white America will catapult books about race to the top of the best-seller list, even as racism remains a national open wound. Obsession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marita-golden/ironically-white-america-will-catapult-books-about-race-to-the-top-of/) [Marita Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marita-golden/) > [Writing isn't generally a lucrative source of income; only a few, exceptional writers reach the income levels associated with the best-sellers. Rather, most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-scott/writing-isn-t-generally-a-lucrative-source-of-income-only-a-few/) [Melissa Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-scott/) > [My books always make the best-seller lists in Wolf Hole, Arizona, and Hanksville, Utah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/my-books-always-make-the-best-seller-lists-in-wolf-hole-arizona-and/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Young adults that actually read are reading bodice rippers and best-sellers and me. And Horror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/young-adults-that-actually-read-are-reading-bodice-rippers-and-best/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Like many popular best-sellers, he was a very sad and solemn man who took himself too seriously and his art not seriously enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/like-many-popular-best-sellers-he-was-a-very-sad-and-solemn-man-who/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The White Queen in many ways it is representative of the sort of drama that I'm talking about. The books by Philippa Gregory were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-callender/the-white-queen-in-many-ways-it-is-representative-of-the-sort-of/) [Colin Callender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-callender/) > [Some books and authors are best sellers, but most aren't. It may be easier to self-publish than it is to traditionally publish, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/some-books-and-authors-are-best-sellers-but-most-aren-t-it-may-be/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [“The ragged curtains were reaching out across the room and the foot of the bed was soaked with rain. She got up and closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/the-ragged-curtains-were-reaching-out-across-the-room-and-the-foot-of/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [ 10 years ago \[in 2006\], nearly 90 percent of those albums sold enough in that year to reach Gold status. 10 years later, about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-sherman/10-years-ago-in-2006-nearly-90-percent-of-those-albums-sold-enough-in/) [Cary Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-sherman/) [Browse all 63 Best sellers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-sellers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Insider can be more ludicrous. How did I ever end up [as one]? Carsick [Waters's book on hitchhiking] was on the New York Times best-seller list for five weeks. [One of the characters was] a singing asshole that does a duet with Connie Francis! Times have changed. 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