--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have this rule. It's called 'Top…" description: "\"I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog gets to make fun of Top Dog, but Top Dog can't make fun of Underdog. But you know what? You ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aea/larry-wilmore-3223_different-ways_i-have-this-rule-it-s-called-top-dog-und_1925575.png" --- # I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog… ![“I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog gets to make fun of Top Dog, but Top Dog can't make fun of Underdog. But you know what? You get Top Dog, you get to be Top Dog. Congratulations! And that dynamic happens not just in race but in many different ways. It's like the…” quote by Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aea/larry-wilmore-3223_different-ways_i-have-this-rule-it-s-called-top-dog-und_1925575.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aea/larry-wilmore-3223_different-ways_i-have-this-rule-it-s-called-top-dog-und_1925575.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aea/larry-wilmore-3223_different-ways_i-have-this-rule-it-s-called-top-dog-und_1925575.png) > “I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog gets to make fun of Top Dog, but Top Dog can't make fun of Underdog. But you know what? You get Top Dog, you get to be Top Dog. Congratulations! And that dynamic happens not just in race but in many different ways. It's like the male-female dynamic.” [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A social rule lets the underdog mock the top dog, but not vice versa, highlighting power dynamics and fairness in hierarchies. **In simple terms:** Underdogs can tease top dogs, but not the reverse, reflecting power balance. Key Takeaway Respect reciprocal respect. Themes hierarchy fairness power dynamics social rules Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - team leadership - competitive environments - social interactions Key Concepts reciprocity status gender dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is this rule always fair? - How do power shifts affect relationships? A Different Perspective The rule may oversimplify complex power relations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog/) ## Related quotes > [The Jews, I find, are very, very selfish. They care not how many Estonians, Latvians, Finns, Poles, Yugoslavs or Greeks get murdered or mistreated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/the-jews-i-find-are-very-very-selfish-they-care-not-how-many/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [To be honest, it's more fun being the underdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/to-be-honest-it-s-more-fun-being-the-underdog/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) > [“I don’t know if I’m partisan to the underdog or whether I’m the underdog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-partisan-to-the-underdog-or-whether-i-m-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [America champions the underdog. We champion the underdog until he's not the underdog anymore, and he annoys us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/america-champions-the-underdog-we-champion-the-underdog-until-he-s/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I'm the most underdog underdog there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/i-m-the-most-underdog-underdog-there-is/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Everybody loves the underdog, and then they take an underdog and make him a hero and they hate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/everybody-loves-the-underdog-and-then-they-take-an-underdog-and-make-2/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [Everybody loves the underdog, and then they take an underdog and make him a hero and they hate him. But as long as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/everybody-loves-the-underdog-and-then-they-take-an-underdog-and-make/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [I'm always an underdog. I was an underdog on 'Bachelor,' too. People underestimate me, but there's a lot going on upstairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-windey/i-m-always-an-underdog-i-was-an-underdog-on-bachelor-too-people/) [Gabby Windey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-windey/) > [Life is never more fun than when you're the underdog competing against the giants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-perot/life-is-never-more-fun-than-when-you-re-the-underdog-competing/) [Ross Perot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-perot/) > [I'm a champion of the underdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demond-wilson/i-m-a-champion-of-the-underdog/) [Demond Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demond-wilson/) > [I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each level - never the tallest or strongest or even fastest. But one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-ve-always-felt-like-a-little-bit-of-an-underdog-at-each-level-never/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [Spiderman is the underdog, and I love underdogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-shroff/spiderman-is-the-underdog-and-i-love-underdogs/) [Tiger Shroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-shroff/) > [Mourinho is almost at his best when he is the underdog like you saw initially when he was at Porto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/mourinho-is-almost-at-his-best-when-he-is-the-underdog-like-you-saw/) [Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [The lunatic fringe wags the underdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-lunatic-fringe-wags-the-underdog/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## More by Larry Wilmore > [As a culture, we've all agreed with the opinion that the world should be seen in a certain way, so at 'The Nightly Show,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/as-a-culture-we-ve-all-agreed-with-the-opinion-that-the-world-should/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Catholic and Jew - it's very closely related, a lot of holidays, a lot of guilt, a lot of the same things going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/catholic-and-jew-it-s-very-closely-related-a-lot-of-holidays-a-lot-of/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Even though you're in charge you're not completely in ownership. You know, the audience takes a huge ownership of your show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/even-though-you-re-in-charge-you-re-not-completely-in-ownership-you/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you work in television you're in the writer's room all the time. You can't take 10 days or a week to go watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-work-in-television-you-re-in-the-writer-s-room-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was taught from a very early age that I had to work twice as hard to get half as much. That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-taught-from-a-very-early-age-that-i-had-to-work-twice-as-hard/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes I'm not, but I don't mind going down trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-m-successful-and-sometimes-i-m-not-but-i-don-t-mind-going/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [You never want to defend a joke. People get to choose whether or not to laugh and whether or not they think something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-never-want-to-defend-a-joke-people-get-to-choose-whether-or-not/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really don't have a need to be on TV all that much, to be honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-don-t-have-a-need-to-be-on-tv-all-that-much-to-be-honest/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [There's a lot of magic in science, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/there-s-a-lot-of-magic-in-science-so-to-speak/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you're taking chances, you know it's not going to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-re-taking-chances-you-know-it-s-not-going-to-please-everybody/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I didn't get into comedy to talk about violent death all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-didn-t-get-into-comedy-to-talk-about-violent-death-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was an athlete, so I hung out with the jocks. I was smart, so I hung out with the nerdy kids. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-an-athlete-so-i-hung-out-with-the-jocks-i-was-smart-so-i-hung/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [My parents are from the Midwest. They're from Evanston, Illinois. They moved out to Los Angeles right before I was born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/my-parents-are-from-the-midwest-they-re-from-evanston-illinois-they/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really love having conversations and deconstructing things. I don't mind not having a laugh every second. Sometimes things deserve a little more discussion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-love-having-conversations-and-deconstructing-things-i-don-t/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'd say what's bad for the country is good for my business, unfortunately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-d-say-what-s-bad-for-the-country-is-good-for-my-business/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) [Explore all 136 Larry Wilmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## More Different ways quotes > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [There are many different ways the public can respond to actors - they can see you on TV and feel they know you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/there-are-many-different-ways-the-public-can-respond-to-actors-they/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [“The first phase of modernism, which so far as the English language goes we associate with Pound and Yeats, Wyndham Lewis and Eliot and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-kermode/the-first-phase-of-modernism-which-so-far-as-the-english-language/) [Frank Kermode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-kermode/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [It is great to see Bollywood celebrities contributing to so many different trends in so many different ways. I think this is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/it-is-great-to-see-bollywood-celebrities-contributing-to-so-many/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [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/) > [Skating is a sport that I found a lot of interest in from a very, very young age. Ultimately, I think that being on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/skating-is-a-sport-that-i-found-a-lot-of-interest-in-from-a-very-very/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [I was going to say 'my friend Stuart', but I suppose he's not a friend any more. I seem to have lost a number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/i-was-going-to-say-my-friend-stuart-but-i-suppose-he-s-not-a-friend/) [Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/) > [I'll reshoot a corridor 13 different ways, and you'll never recognise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-ll-reshoot-a-corridor-13-different-ways-and-you-ll-never-recognise/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [She waited for you in a thousand different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/she-waited-for-you-in-a-thousand-different-ways/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [“5 Tips for Mirroring Others 1. Body language. When they smile, you smile. When they lean back in their chair, you lean back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/5-tips-for-mirroring-others-1-body-language-when-they-smile-you-smile/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Movies have been doing so much of the same thing - in slightly different ways - for so long that few of the possibilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/movies-have-been-doing-so-much-of-the-same-thing-in-slightly/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [With acting, it's like you form chemistry with different people in different ways, so it's really added even more fun to work, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-blackburn/with-acting-it-s-like-you-form-chemistry-with-different-people-in/) [Tyler Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-blackburn/) Browse all 2,175 Different ways quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have this rule. It's called 'Top Dog-Underdog:' Underdog gets to make fun of Top Dog, but Top Dog can't make fun of Underdog. But you know what? You get Top Dog, you get to be Top Dog. 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