--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The phone company handles 84 billion…" description: "\"The phone company handles 84 billion calls a year-everything from kings, queens, and presidents to the scum of the earth.\" — Lily Tomlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e7/lily-tomlin-3278_billions_the-phone-company-handles-84-billion-cal_1511198.png" --- # The phone company handles 84 billion calls a… ![“The phone company handles 84 billion calls a year-everything from kings, queens, and presidents to the scum of the earth.” quote by Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e7/lily-tomlin-3278_billions_the-phone-company-handles-84-billion-cal_1511198.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e7/lily-tomlin-3278_billions_the-phone-company-handles-84-billion-cal_1511198.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e7/lily-tomlin-3278_billions_the-phone-company-handles-84-billion-cal_1511198.png) > “The phone company handles 84 billion calls a year-everything from kings, queens, and presidents to the scum of the earth.” [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the most powerful institutions handle mundane tasks, showing that all levels share common communication needs. **In simple terms:** Everyone, even leaders, use phones. Key Takeaway Remember shared humanity across status. Themes communication technology society humor equality Mood lighthearted observational Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - customer service training - public relations - digital etiquette Key Concepts sociology media studies humor theory Questions to Reflect On - How does technology equalize power dynamics? - What does this reveal about societal hierarchy? A Different Perspective Focusing on phone volume may overlook deeper systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [84 Billion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/84-billion-5563901/) [Billion Calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billion-calls-5563900/) [Billions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billions/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Calls Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calls-year-5563902/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Handle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle/) [Handles 84](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handles-84-5563903/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Phone Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-company-403947/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Queens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queens/) [Scum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scum/) [Scum of the earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scum-of-the-earth/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/we-don-t-care-we-don-t-have-to-we-re-the-phone-company/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Communism is like one big phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/communism-is-like-one-big-phone-company/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [We were still able to see the phone records of a potential terrorist cause, we held them, now you have to hope the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-were-still-able-to-see-the-phone-records-of-a-potential-terrorist/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I have heard from the phone company, the water company, the electric company, but havent heard from you. Too bad, its your company I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/admin-darkangel/i-have-heard-from-the-phone-company-the-water-company-the-electric/) [Admin Darkangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/admin-darkangel/) > [I look at what the phone company does and do the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-newmark/i-look-at-what-the-phone-company-does-and-do-the-opposite/) [Craig Newmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-newmark/) > [I did a commercial for a phone company when I was five. But my first big thing was when I was eight. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milana-vayntrub/i-did-a-commercial-for-a-phone-company-when-i-was-five-but-my-first/) [Milana Vayntrub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milana-vayntrub/) > [I sprung you because I've got a message for you" "doesn't your family own a cell phone company?" "only a little one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-sprung-you-because-i-ve-got-a-message-for-you-doesn-t-your-family/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I have heard from the phone company, the water company, the electric company, but haven't heard from you. Too bad, it's your company I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrthrill/i-have-heard-from-the-phone-company-the-water-company-the-electric-2/) [Mrthrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrthrill/) > [“Landlords in New York are generally the scum of the earth. They're beneficiaries of the worst kind of nepotism, eating off the good business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-huang/landlords-in-new-york-are-generally-the-scum-of-the-earth-they-re/) [Eddie Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-huang/) > [“The Jews are the scum of the earth, but they are also great masters in lying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-jews-are-the-scum-of-the-earth-but-they-are-also-great-masters-in/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [The rich are the scum of the earth in every country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-rich-are-the-scum-of-the-earth-in-every-country/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Someone told me once that I'm worse than a dog, I'm the scum of the earth, so for me it was draining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/someone-told-me-once-that-i-m-worse-than-a-dog-i-m-the-scum-of-the/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“In every society, the rich are the scum of the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/in-every-society-the-rich-are-the-scum-of-the-earth/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [Whenever you're on a reality show, you're the scum of the earth. You have no talent, you're a nothing, and you deserve nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/whenever-you-re-on-a-reality-show-you-re-the-scum-of-the-earth-you/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) ## More by Lily Tomlin > [If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in a library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/if-truth-is-beauty-how-come-no-one-has-their-hair-done-in-a-library/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“So if you've had a good time tonight, or if you've had a good time any night, for gosh sake's why not drop a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/so-if-you-ve-had-a-good-time-tonight-or-if-you-ve-had-a-good-time-any/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/forgiveness-means-giving-up-all-hope-for-a-better-past/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [I bought a box of animal crackers, but there was nothing inside. They'd eaten each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-bought-a-box-of-animal-crackers-but-there-was-nothing-inside-they-d/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Wouldn't it be great if we all grew up to be what we wanted to be? The world would be full of nurses, firemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/wouldn-t-it-be-great-if-we-all-grew-up-to-be-what-we-wanted-to-be-the/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [You know being relevant or coming up with something interesting, funny to say about what's current is just as hard as it might ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/you-know-being-relevant-or-coming-up-with-something-interesting-funny/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [I wanted to be a stage actress. I wanted to be a New York actress and have a community with other actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-stage-actress-i-wanted-to-be-a-new-york-actress-and/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [We have reason to believe that man first walked upright to free his hands for masturbation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/we-have-reason-to-believe-that-man-first-walked-upright-to-free-his/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/we-don-t-care-we-don-t-have-to-we-re-the-phone-company/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [No matter how cynical I get, I can't keep up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/no-matter-how-cynical-i-get-i-can-t-keep-up/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [In the depths of the night, fear grips my heart. It paralyzes my mind. But most of all, I feel very, very alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/in-the-depths-of-the-night-fear-grips-my-heart-it-paralyzes-my-mind/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. And then I realized I was somebody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-always-wondered-why-somebody-didn-t-do-something-about-that-and/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/sometimes-i-worry-about-being-a-success-in-a-mediocre-world/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [And yet humanity is so not evolved that how can you expect anything absolutely major to happen? 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They develop all kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/the-whole-idea-of-being-in-captivity-in-such-limited-space-especially/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) [Explore all 135 Lily Tomlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) ## More Billions quotes > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The universe is simmering down, like a giant stew left to cook for four billion years. Sooner or later we won’t be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bloch/the-universe-is-simmering-down-like-a-giant-stew-left-to-cook-for/) [Arthur Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bloch/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [If Jesus is the Son of God in human flesh, He's one of a kind of the 13 billions of people who have ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/if-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-in-human-flesh-he-s-one-of-a-kind-of-the/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of dollars in various programs, and I could see it wasn't billions of dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/here-we-were-talking-about-economic-development-about-investing/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Everyone thinks they've won the Magical Belief Lottery. Everyone thinks they more or less have a handle on things, that they, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/everyone-thinks-they-ve-won-the-magical-belief-lottery-everyone/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. 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