--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [On turning down an invitation to appear…" description: "\"[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.\" — Moms..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg" --- # \[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes… ![“[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.” quote by Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg) > “\[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:\] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.” [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She humorously highlights how mothers need extra time to prepare, emphasizing the challenges of public performance for busy parents. **In simple terms:** Moms need time to get ready for a stage. Key Takeaway Allow extra prep time for busy caregivers. Themes parenting performance time management Mood lighthearted empathetic Type humorous observational When to use this quote - family events - public speaking - stage preparation Key Concepts social expectations gender roles Questions to Reflect On - How can we better support mothers in public roles? - What does this reveal about societal expectations of moms? A Different Perspective The joke may downplay the value of the opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ed sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ed-sullivan/) [Invitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invitations/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [I was told I got 10 measly minutes, but just in case, I brought 13 hours worth of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-was-told-i-got-10-measly-minutes-but-just-in-case-i-brought-13/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Five minutes of planning are worth fifteen minutes of just looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/five-minutes-of-planning-are-worth-fifteen-minutes-of-just-looking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In Europe, I was limited. I didn't have minutes and when I had minutes, it was just, 'Do this. Do this. You gotta listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/in-europe-i-was-limited-i-didn-t-have-minutes-and-when-i-had-minutes/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [“How long could a single night really be expected to last? How far could you stretch such a small collection of minutes? He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/how-long-could-a-single-night-really-be-expected-to-last-how-far/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [Yeah, that's a luxury to be able to go to a two-hour yoga class! Sometimes I'll just get on the floor and do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-rinna/yeah-that-s-a-luxury-to-be-able-to-go-to-a-two-hour-yoga-class/) [Lisa Rinna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-rinna/) > [Some of the most brilliant things that someone might do could happen in three minutes because it's something that just occurs to them. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/some-of-the-most-brilliant-things-that-someone-might-do-could-happen/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [If you have 15 minutes per visit, and you spend the first 9 minutes just collecting information from them, before you do anything else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davis/if-you-have-15-minutes-per-visit-and-you-spend-the-first-9-minutes/) [William Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davis/) > [I've been on hold for 30 minutes. I just got disconnected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-ve-been-on-hold-for-30-minutes-i-just-got-disconnected/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [This is days and days and months and years and all the minutes in between, just you me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/this-is-days-and-days-and-months-and-years-and-all-the-minutes-in/) [Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/) > [I'd love to whip back to the 20s for thirty minutes, just to have a look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-o-porter/i-d-love-to-whip-back-to-the-20s-for-thirty-minutes-just-to-have-a/) [Dawn O'Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-o-porter/) > [If I'm not back in 5 minutes, just wait longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/if-i-m-not-back-in-5-minutes-just-wait-longer/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [“I even set my alarm clock back ten minutes just so that I would have time for my daily existential crisis. Once”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexie-dunne/i-even-set-my-alarm-clock-back-ten-minutes-just-so-that-i-would-have/) Lexie Dunne > [When you care about someone and you spend time with them hours feeel like minutes and you just cant get enough of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/when-you-care-about-someone-and-you-spend-time-with-them-hours-feeel/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [If I'm not back in five minutes ... just wait longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-i-m-not-back-in-five-minutes-just-wait-longer/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Ten minutes are not just one-sixth of your hourly pay; ten minutes is a piece of yourself. Divide yourself into ten units and sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingvar-kamprad/ten-minutes-are-not-just-one-sixth-of-your-hourly-pay-ten-minutes-is/) [Ingvar Kamprad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingvar-kamprad/) ## More by Moms Mabley > [The teenagers aren't all bad. I love 'em if nobody else does. There ain't nothing wrong with young people. Jus' quit lyin' to 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/the-teenagers-aren-t-all-bad-i-love-em-if-nobody-else-does-there-ain/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [ \[On old age:\] You wake up one morning and you got it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/on-old-age-you-wake-up-one-morning-and-you-got-it/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [A woman is a woman until the day she dies, but a man's man only as long as he can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/a-woman-is-a-woman-until-the-day-she-dies-but-a-man-s-man-only-as/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [I don't want nothing old but some old money. Buy me some young ideas. That's what I'm gonna do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/i-don-t-want-nothing-old-but-some-old-money-buy-me-some-young-ideas/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [“The good old days. I was there. Where was they?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/the-good-old-days-i-was-there-where-was-they/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/advice-to-children-crossing-the-street-damn-the-lights-watch-the-cars/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [If you don't want your children to know the truth about life don't send 'em to the theater to see Moms 'cause I'm gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/if-you-don-t-want-your-children-to-know-the-truth-about-life-don-t/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Anytime you see me with my arms around an old man, I'm holding him for the police.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/anytime-you-see-me-with-my-arms-around-an-old-man-i-m-holding-him-for/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [It's no disgrace to be old. But damn if it isn't inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/it-s-no-disgrace-to-be-old-but-damn-if-it-isn-t-inconvenient/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Ain't nothin' an ol' man can do but bring me a message from a young one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/ain-t-nothin-an-ol-man-can-do-but-bring-me-a-message-from-a-young-one/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [You know Moms has been accused of liking young men, and I'm guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/you-know-moms-has-been-accused-of-liking-young-men-and-i-m-guilty/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Honey, that Totie Fields is one well-fed white woman. When that gal sits around the house, she sits around the house!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/honey-that-totie-fields-is-one-well-fed-white-woman-when-that-gal/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Use those brains that God put in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/use-those-brains-that-god-put-in-your-head/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [LOVE is like Playing Checkers. You have to know which Man to MOVE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/love-is-like-playing-checkers-you-have-to-know-which-man-to-move/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) > [Black women, white women- all of them. I'm colorblind. I don't know the difference. I only know you're a human being and you're my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/black-women-white-women-all-of-them-i-m-colorblind-i-don-t-know-the/) [Moms Mabley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) [Explore all 17 Moms Mabley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/) ## More Ed sullivan quotes > [Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/ed-sullivan-will-be-around-as-long-as-someone-else-has-talent/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I was the first to promote The Beatles in the States, and Ed Sullivan called me first about them before he ever booked them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-bernstein/i-was-the-first-to-promote-the-beatles-in-the-states-and-ed-sullivan/) [Sid Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-bernstein/) > [I grew up in the 1950s and '60s, when it was almost a holiday when a black act would go on Ed Sullivan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-grew-up-in-the-1950s-and-60s-when-it-was-almost-a-holiday-when-a/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [Everything that you'd see on The Ed Sullivan Show was at the Tannen's Magic. You'd think that if you could afford a trick like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/everything-that-you-d-see-on-the-ed-sullivan-show-was-at-the-tannen-s/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [The Dave Clark Five had more appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' than The Beatles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-shaffer/the-dave-clark-five-had-more-appearances-on-the-ed-sullivan-show-than/) [Paul Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-shaffer/) > [And I was booked once to go on 'Ed Sullivan' and I got bumped and ran out the back door crying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/and-i-was-booked-once-to-go-on-ed-sullivan-and-i-got-bumped-and-ran/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aretha-franklin/) > [ After the Ed Sullivan Show, Feb. 9, 1964, at approx. 8:04pm \[laughs\], after that moment every album, every guitar, evey set of drums that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/after-the-ed-sullivan-show-feb-9-1964-at-approx-8-04pm-laughs-after/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [I remember tap-dancing and singing in front of the TV when I was a kid, telling my dad to stop watching Ed Sullivan or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-remember-tap-dancing-and-singing-in-front-of-the-tv-when-i-was-a/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [ Most magic is a trick, an illusion. But \[when The Beatles played the Ed Sullivan Show\], this was real. Man oh man, was it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/most-magic-is-a-trick-an-illusion-but-when-the-beatles-played-the-ed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [More than any other drummer, Ringo Starr changed my life. The impact and memory of that band on Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-weinberg/more-than-any-other-drummer-ringo-starr-changed-my-life-the-impact/) [Max Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-weinberg/) > [If you're looking at the array of performers, there's just a lot of people that it's about getting closer to them. That's not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/if-you-re-looking-at-the-array-of-performers-there-s-just-a-lot-of/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I don't think Ed Sullivan had anything to do with Carib Song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/i-don-t-think-ed-sullivan-had-anything-to-do-with-carib-song/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [Ed Sullivan brought me to TV first in 1952, then Garry Moore's program gave me a lot of confidence and freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-king/ed-sullivan-brought-me-to-tv-first-in-1952-then-garry-moore-s-program/) [Alan King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-king/) > [There was one television in the living room, and we all sat around on Sundays and watched Ed Sullivan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/there-was-one-television-in-the-living-room-and-we-all-sat-around-on/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [When the Beatles were on 'Ed Sullivan,' life went from black and white to color like in 'The Wizard of Oz' - and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lukather/when-the-beatles-were-on-ed-sullivan-life-went-from-black-and-white/) [Steve Lukather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lukather/) [Browse all 37 Ed sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ed-sullivan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Moms Mabley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear-for-four-minutes-on-the-ed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ed sullivan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear-for-four-minutes-on-the-ed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/moms-mabley-30088_ed-sullivan_on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear_638329.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms…” — Moms Mabley", "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": "Moms Mabley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moms-mabley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[On turning down an invitation to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear-for-four-minutes-on-the-ed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moms-mabley/on-turning-down-an-invitation-to-appear-for-four-minutes-on-the-ed/#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 } } ] } ```