--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Television is god-damned amusement park…" description: "\"Television is god-damned amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg" --- # Television is god-damned amusement park. Television is a… ![“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 and football players. We're in the boredom killing business.” quote by Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg) > “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 and football players. We're in the boredom killing business.” [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. Television is a chaotic spectacle that distracts and dulls audiences, turning them into passive consumers. **In simple terms:** TV is noisy, shallow entertainment. Key Takeaway Seek deeper, less sensational media. Themes media criticism culture entertainment Mood critical contemplative Type media analysis social commentary When to use this quote - family viewing - advertising - news broadcasting Key Concepts spectacle mindless consumption Questions to Reflect On - Why do we gravitate to sensational media? - How can TV be more meaningful? A Different Perspective May overlook educational or artistic TV content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amusement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) [Amusement Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement-park/) [Amusement parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement-parks/) [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Carnivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnivals/) [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) [Football players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-players/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Sideshows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sideshows/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storyteller/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Troupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troupe/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“The man standing in the booth placing the tickets into her hands for the fun-house loomed largely in front of her with arms comprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-allison-parker/the-man-standing-in-the-booth-placing-the-tickets-into-her-hands-for/) [Jaime Allison Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-allison-parker/) > [That makes entertaining television. That is the circus of American Idol . We go for the very, very best and the very, very worst.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/that-makes-entertaining-television-that-is-the-circus-of-american/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [Television is not the truth. Television is a goddamned amusement park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-not-the-truth-television-is-a-goddamned-amusement-park-2/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [Emotional intelligence is what humans are good at and that's not a sideshow. That's the cutting edge of human intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/emotional-intelligence-is-what-humans-are-good-at-and-that-s-not-a/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [Note the individual and subjective nature of each case. No two are alike and there is no reason to expect them to be. Each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/note-the-individual-and-subjective-nature-of-each-case-no-two-are/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If the euro zone doesn't come up with a comprehensive vision of its own future, you'll have a whole range of nationalist, xenophobic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/if-the-euro-zone-doesn-t-come-up-with-a-comprehensive-vision-of-its/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [The literary man? An indiscreet man, who devaluates his miseries, divulges them, tells them like so many beads: immodesty-the sideshow of second thoughts-is his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/the-literary-man-an-indiscreet-man-who-devaluates-his-miseries/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [Ideas aren't a sideshow that make our factory a little more valuable. Our factory is a sideshow that makes our ideas a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/ideas-aren-t-a-sideshow-that-make-our-factory-a-little-more-valuable/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I am alone in possessing a key to this barbarous sideshow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-alone-in-possessing-a-key-to-this-barbarous-sideshow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Energies expended on sideshows, never on the main event. Where the hell was the main event? Was there a main event?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/energies-expended-on-sideshows-never-on-the-main-event-where-the-hell/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [But if you're coming off ACL surgery, you don't need to be having a press conference at OTAs. Every week? Really? It becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mcnabb/but-if-you-re-coming-off-acl-surgery-you-don-t-need-to-be-having-a/) [Donovan McNabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mcnabb/) > [So far as the colleges go, the sideshows are swallowing up the circus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/so-far-as-the-colleges-go-the-sideshows-are-swallowing-up-the-circus/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“Circuses are about entertainment and juggling and animals and all that shit. Sideshows are about freaks, about people and the limits of acceptability. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/circuses-are-about-entertainment-and-juggling-and-animals-and-all/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/i-am-an-invisible-man-no-i-am-not-a-spook-like-those-who-haunted/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) ## 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 would like at this moment to announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks' time because of poor ratings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-would-like-at-this-moment-to-announce-that-i-will-be-retiring-from/) [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/) > [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 Amusement quotes > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every producer in Hollywood had set me down as a type. I was both amused and disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/every-producer-in-hollywood-had-set-me-down-as-a-type-i-was-both/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [By amusing myself with all these games, all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, I became famous... I am only a public entertainer who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/by-amusing-myself-with-all-these-games-all-this-nonsense-all-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I just started writing for my own amusement and occasionally singing in little clubs around Los Angeles. Then I wrote 'The Rose,' and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-mcbroom/i-just-started-writing-for-my-own-amusement-and-occasionally-singing/) [Amanda McBroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-mcbroom/) > [Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-does-not-consist-in-pastimes-and-amusements-but-in-virtuous/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [My first job was at an amusement park in Virginia. It was the worst. I loved the park but once I'd worked there all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/my-first-job-was-at-an-amusement-park-in-virginia-it-was-the-worst-i/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I realized, "Gee, you're making the same film over and over here." I just kept making them for my own amusement, but also with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-realized-gee-you-re-making-the-same-film-over-and-over-here-i-just/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [I like these boots," I told Vayl. "Do you think they'd sell them to me cheap? I keep ruining mine." "Since when do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/i-like-these-boots-i-told-vayl-do-you-think-they-d-sell-them-to-me/) [Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/) > [It has to be now,” he insisted, a flick of amusement in his voice. He nudged his burgeoning loins against her. “After all, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/it-has-to-be-now-he-insisted-a-flick-of-amusement-in-his-voice-he/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/act-as-if-the-universe-is-a-prodigious-miracle-created-for-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 567 Amusement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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 and football players. We're in the boredom killing business.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paddy Chayefsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amusement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/paddy-chayefsky-17963_amusement_television-is-god-damned-amusement-park_1254148.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Television is god-damned amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats…” — 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": "Television is god-damned amusement park. Television...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/#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 } } ] } ```