---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would like at this moment to announce…"
description: "\"“I would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because of poor ratings. Since this show is the o..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg"
---

#  I would like at this moment to announce that I will be…

![“I would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because of poor ratings. Since this show is the only thing I had going for me in my life, I've decided to kill myself. I'm going to blow my brains out right on this program a week from today. So…” quote by Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg)

> ““I would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because of poor ratings. Since this show is the only thing I had going for me in my life, I've decided to kill myself. I'm going to blow my brains out right on this program a week from today. So tune in next Tuesday. That should give the public relations people a week to promote the show. You ought to get a hell of a rating out of that. 50 share, easy.””

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character threatens suicide on live TV to boost ratings, exposing media exploitation.

**In simple terms:** A TV host plans suicide for ratings, showing media greed.

Key Takeaway

Critically examine media ethics.

Themes

media ethics suicide ratings

Mood

critical somber

Type

cautionary dramatic

When to use this quote

- broadcast journalism
- mental health advocacy
- regulatory policy

Key Concepts

exploitation public spectacle

Questions to Reflect On

- What responsibilities do broadcasters have to vulnerable audiences?
- How can we protect individuals from media pressure?

A Different Perspective

Risk of sensationalizing tragedy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Announce Retiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/announce-retiring-4532862/) [Apathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apathy/) [Cynical-humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-humor/) [Kill Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-myself/) [Poor Ratings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-ratings-4532864/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Public relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-relations/) [Rating 50](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rating-50-4532865/) [Ratings Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ratings-thing-650732/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Week Promote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week-promote-4532863/)

## Related quotes

> [Companies need to weed out drivers who dont drive well or have got poor ratings from the customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavish-aggarwal/companies-need-to-weed-out-drivers-who-dont-drive-well-or-have-got/)

[Bhavish Aggarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavish-aggarwal/)

> [The ratings thing is the real issue. It really hurts movies. For example, in Redbelt, I smoked. The whole plot of my character was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-ratings-thing-is-the-real-issue-it-really-hurts-movies-for/)

[Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/)

> [“I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-don-t-have-to-tell-you-things-are-bad-everybody-knows-things-are/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [“Didn't Chains tell you about the Golden Theological Principle?" "The what?" "The single congruent aspect of every known religion. The one shared, universal assumption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/didn-t-chains-tell-you-about-the-golden-theological-principle-the/)

[Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/)

> [“It seemed perverse to some, but for all their apparent militarism the Gzilt had remained peaceful over many millenia; it was the avowedly peaceful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/it-seemed-perverse-to-some-but-for-all-their-apparent-militarism-the/)

[Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/)

> [“I’ve been waiting my whole life to fuck up like this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/i-ve-been-waiting-my-whole-life-to-fuck-up-like-this/)

[Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/)

> [“The law enforcement in this town is terrific. All through prohibition Eddie Mars' place was a night club and they had two uniformed men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-law-enforcement-in-this-town-is-terrific-all-through-prohibition/)

[Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/)

> [“Breslin gives me his wise-teacher smile, which is kind and crinkly and would make me feel warm all over if I was dumber than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/breslin-gives-me-his-wise-teacher-smile-which-is-kind-and-crinkly-and/)

[Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/)

> [“Yay! I want to attend a Pampered Chef party about as much as I want to go to a used auto parts party where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-maloney-scott/yay-i-want-to-attend-a-pampered-chef-party-about-as-much-as-i-want-to/)

[Carol Maloney Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-maloney-scott/)

> [“The only relatives who remain friends with you throughout life, are most probably but acquaintances, and not your relatives from any side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/the-only-relatives-who-remain-friends-with-you-throughout-life-are/)

[Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/)

> [“Our town was known for two things--no, three: salted fish, expertly dyed fabrics, and corruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-elwell-hunt/our-town-was-known-for-two-things-no-three-salted-fish-expertly-dyed/)

[Angela Elwell Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-elwell-hunt/)

> [“This is some sort of joke, isn't it?" asks Hunt, staring at the flawless blue sky and distant fields. I cough as lightly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/this-is-some-sort-of-joke-isn-t-it-asks-hunt-staring-at-the-flawless/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [“Just like you silly bums, I have a personal sky god. I bow to him, as you do to your airy-fairy sod. He prefers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/just-like-you-silly-bums-i-have-a-personal-sky-god-i-bow-to-him-as/)

[Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/)

> [“Anyway, that's what life is, just one learning experience after another, and when you're through with all the learning experiences you graduate and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederik-pohl/anyway-that-s-what-life-is-just-one-learning-experience-after-another/)

[Frederik Pohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederik-pohl/)

> [“If by ‘foe’ you mean a brutal killer, then I suppose I’d fall into the ‘friend’ category,” I replied cynically. “Although in your case,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-a-george/if-by-foe-you-mean-a-brutal-killer-then-i-suppose-i-d-fall-into-the/)

[M.A. George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-a-george/)

## More by Paddy Chayefsky

> [We've established the most enormous medical entity ever conceived... and people are sicker than ever. We cure nothing! We heal nothing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/we-ve-established-the-most-enormous-medical-entity-ever-conceived-and/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [The best thing that can happen is for the theme to be nice and clear from the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/the-best-thing-that-can-happen-is-for-the-theme-to-be-nice-and-clear/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [Don't think of it as art, think of it as work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/don-t-think-of-it-as-art-think-of-it-as-work/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [It's not greed and ambition that makes wars--it's goodness. Wars are always fought for the best of reasons, for liberation or manifest destiny, always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/it-s-not-greed-and-ambition-that-makes-wars-it-s-goodness-wars-are/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That is the natural order of things today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/it-is-the-international-system-of-currency-which-determines-the/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [I don't know what's good, or bad, or true. I let God worry about truth. I just want to know the momentary fact of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-don-t-know-what-s-good-or-bad-or-true-i-let-god-worry-about-truth-i/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [“I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-don-t-have-to-tell-you-things-are-bad-everybody-knows-things-are/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [Television is not the truth! Television is a goddamned amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a travelling troupe of acrobats and story-tellers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-not-the-truth-television-is-a-goddamned-amusement-park/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [Stop thinking about writing as art. Think of it as work. If you’re an artist, whatever you do is going to be art. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/stop-thinking-about-writing-as-art-think-of-it-as-work-if-you-re-an/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [Television is Democracy at it's ugliest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-democracy-at-it-s-ugliest/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [Television is god-damned amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, sideshow freaks, lion tamers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [I'm afraid to look in the mirror. I'm afraid I'm going to see an old lady with white hair, just like the old ladies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-m-afraid-to-look-in-the-mirror-i-m-afraid-i-m-going-to-see-an-old/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [I'm a human being, god-dammit. My life has value!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-m-a-human-being-god-dammit-my-life-has-value/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [This was the story of Howard Beale: The first known instance of a man who was killed because he had lousy ratings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/this-was-the-story-of-howard-beale-the-first-known-instance-of-a-man/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

> [I'm not sentimental about war. I see nothing noble in widows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-m-not-sentimental-about-war-i-see-nothing-noble-in-widows/)

[Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

[Explore all 36 Paddy Chayefsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/)

## More Apathy quotes

> [If possible, I want to hear POLITICS defined without either sympathy or apathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-possible-i-want-to-hear-politics-defined-without-either-sympathy/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

> [One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [Try to greet troubles with apathy. Hello's are never what they used to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-swellers/try-to-greet-troubles-with-apathy-hello-s-are-never-what-they-used-to/)

[The Swellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-swellers/)

> [Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-j-toynbee/apathy-can-be-overcome-by-enthusiasm/)

[Arnold J. Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-j-toynbee/)

> [Indifference must be a crime in us, to be ranked but one degree below treachery; for deserting the commonwealth is next to betraying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/indifference-must-be-a-crime-in-us-to-be-ranked-but-one-degree-below/)

[Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-st-john-1st-viscount-bolingbroke/)

> [Insect politics, indifferent universe. Bang your head against the wall, but apathy is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/insect-politics-indifferent-universe-bang-your-head-against-the-wall/)

[Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/)

> [“And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/and-there-s-a-freedom-in-apathy-a-wild-dizzying-liberation-on-which/)

[Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/)

> [For he who is not deaf, half a silence is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-he-who-is-not-deaf-half-a-silence-is-enough/)

[Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/)

> [“Just because a person is silent doesn’t mean there’s no message.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/just-because-a-person-is-silent-doesn-t-mean-there-s-no-message/)

[Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/)

> [“If someone with a high level of authority were to ask me, "Suzy, how can we make people so incredibly stupid and apathetic, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/if-someone-with-a-high-level-of-authority-were-to-ask-me-suzy-how-can/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [“It takes more than one kick in the pants to reverse a lifetime of unplanned apathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/it-takes-more-than-one-kick-in-the-pants-to-reverse-a-lifetime-of/)

[Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/)

> [“Use the apathy of your logic to solve your problems and then the passion of your soul to enjoy life after that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-michalopoulos/use-the-apathy-of-your-logic-to-solve-your-problems-and-then-the/)

[Angelos Michalopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-michalopoulos/)

> [“The fundamental basis by which the court’s decision might be made is, in itself, imperfect and subject to contradictions. There is very little consideration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/the-fundamental-basis-by-which-the-court-s-decision-might-be-made-is/)

[Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/)

> [“The young woman had read a good many novels, and she had seen a good many films; this education by newspaper, serial and film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-renard/the-young-woman-had-read-a-good-many-novels-and-she-had-seen-a-good/)

[Maurice Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-renard/)

> [Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie... But rather mourn the apathetic throng - The cowed and the meek - Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-chaplin/mourn-not-the-dead-that-in-the-cool-earth-lie-but-rather-mourn-the/)

[Ralph Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-chaplin/)

[Browse all 619 Apathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apathy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because of poor ratings. Since this show is the only thing I had going for me in my life, I've decided to kill myself. I'm going to blow my brains out right on this program a week from today. So tune in next Tuesday. That should give the public relations people a week to promote the show. You ought to get a hell of a rating out of that. 50 share, easy.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paddy Chayefsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce-that-i-will-be-retiring-from/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apathy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce-that-i-will-be-retiring-from/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/paddy-chayefsky-17963_apathy_i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce_542606.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because…” — Paddy Chayefsky",
                "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": "Paddy Chayefsky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I would like at this moment...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce-that-i-will-be-retiring-from/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce-that-i-will-be-retiring-from/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
