--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actors wait tables, directors work at…" description: "\"Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores.\" — Joss Whedon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png" --- # Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores. ![“Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores.” quote by Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png) > “Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores.” [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The joke contrasts low‑status service jobs with creative film work, highlighting the disparity between artistic aspirations and everyday labor. **In simple terms:** Contrasts creative work with service jobs. Key Takeaway Acknowledge varied career paths. Themes humor social commentary career Mood witty thought‑provoking Type satirical observational When to use this quote - hospitality - film industry - career planning Key Concepts class dynamics artistic ambition Questions to Reflect On - Why do we value creative work over service work? - How can we respect all professions? A Different Perspective Humor may oversimplify complex socioeconomic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-wait-4092173/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Directors Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors-work-372649/) [Stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stores/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Tables Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables-directors-4092174/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/) [Video Stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video-stores-316764/) [Wait Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-tables-279898/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [Actors, you have to wait for people to give you work, or you have to make your own stuff. But standup, I could just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-buress/actors-you-have-to-wait-for-people-to-give-you-work-or-you-have-to/) [Hannibal Buress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-buress/) > [I always worked on holidays when I had to wait tables and stuff like that, so I'm used to it, but now I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-redd/i-always-worked-on-holidays-when-i-had-to-wait-tables-and-stuff-like/) [Chris Redd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-redd/) > [As long as I don't have to go back to the catering hall and wait tables anymore, I'm very happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bellion/as-long-as-i-don-t-have-to-go-back-to-the-catering-hall-and-wait/) [Jon Bellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bellion/) > [I was happy to wait tables so I could do my cabaret act. Did I love waiting tables? No. Did I love being 42…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/i-was-happy-to-wait-tables-so-i-could-do-my-cabaret-act-did-i-love/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [There are a lot of people who wait tables. And especially because you can do it at night and you can do your work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-wait-tables-and-especially-because-you/) [Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/) > [There's nothing definite yet. Of course, any time you have a book, there's going to be book signings and stuff. We'll do bookstores that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-moore/there-s-nothing-definite-yet-of-course-any-time-you-have-a-book-there/) [Scotty Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-moore/) > [Whenever I am abroad, I spend hours and hours at video stores. I look for classics from filmmakers from all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/whenever-i-am-abroad-i-spend-hours-and-hours-at-video-stores-i-look/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [All things take time. A lot of my films still run on cable and are in video stores, and there's a whole generation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robby-benson/all-things-take-time-a-lot-of-my-films-still-run-on-cable-and-are-in/) [Robby Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robby-benson/) > [I'm sad that ma-and-pa video stores are going, I'm not sad that Blockbuster's gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/i-m-sad-that-ma-and-pa-video-stores-are-going-i-m-not-sad-that/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [It's a bloody shame that all the video stores have gone, I'll tell you. Everything's so mechanical now. It's all so if-you-liked-this-then-you'll-like-this. There's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-cassavetes/it-s-a-bloody-shame-that-all-the-video-stores-have-gone-i-ll-tell-you/) [Alexandra Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-cassavetes/) > [All of the directors I work with have their own unique gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/all-of-the-directors-i-work-with-have-their-own-unique-gifts/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [I work with big directors. I work with good actors. I act in female-centric films. And I do all this without ever indulging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jeremiah/i-work-with-big-directors-i-work-with-good-actors-i-act-in-female/) [Andrea Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jeremiah/) > [I think I've always wanted to direct, but I didn't go to film school. I was lucky enough to work in movies, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-i-ve-always-wanted-to-direct-but-i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I had worked for a lot of directors whose work I didn't respect, and as I was editing material, I was thinking about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-unkrich/i-had-worked-for-a-lot-of-directors-whose-work-i-didn-t-respect-and/) [Lee Unkrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-unkrich/) > [I watched a couple of really bad directors work, and I saw how they completely botched it up and missed the visual opportunities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/i-watched-a-couple-of-really-bad-directors-work-and-i-saw-how-they/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) ## More by Joss Whedon > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Every vampire fiction reinvents vampires to its own needs. You take what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-vampire-fiction-reinvents-vampires-to-its-own-needs-you-take/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [When you're making a film, you have an obligation to fill the frame with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-have-an-obligation-to-fill-the-frame/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Why aren’t you asking a hundred other guys why they don’t write strong women characters? I believe that what I’m doing should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/why-aren-t-you-asking-a-hundred-other-guys-why-they-don-t-write/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [People feel removed from sexism. 'I'm not a sexist, but I'm not a feminist.' They think there's this fuzzy middle ground. There's no fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/people-feel-removed-from-sexism-i-m-not-a-sexist-but-i-m-not-a/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Even in the darkness, every color can be found. And every day of rain brings water flowing to things growing in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/even-in-the-darkness-every-color-can-be-found-and-every-day-of-rain/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I never tire of the heroes that I knew growing up. The fun is not that much different from doing a television show: You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-never-tire-of-the-heroes-that-i-knew-growing-up-the-fun-is-not-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Don't just be yourself. Be all of your selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/don-t-just-be-yourself-be-all-of-your-selves/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I always watch what I say. I am what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-always-watch-what-i-say-i-am-what-i-say/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/remember-to-always-be-yourself-unless-you-suck/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I've become less cynical, which is appalling but kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-ve-become-less-cynical-which-is-appalling-but-kind-of-cool/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Xander: It could be witches, some evil witches, which is ridiculous cause witched they were persecuted, women power, love the eatrh, and I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/xander-it-could-be-witches-some-evil-witches-which-is-ridiculous/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There's a lot of anger in the Twitter-verse, as I've discovered. But there's a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/there-s-a-lot-of-anger-in-the-twitter-verse-as-i-ve-discovered-but/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Explore all 529 Joss Whedon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joss Whedon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-video-stores/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-video-stores/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/591/joss-whedon-480_actors_actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-vid_2085034.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Actors wait tables, directors work at video stores.” — Joss Whedon", "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": "Joss Whedon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Actors wait tables, directors work at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-video-stores/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/actors-wait-tables-directors-work-at-video-stores/#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 } } ] } ```