--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm…" description: "\"The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on being one just as long as I can.\" — Peter Lorre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg" --- # The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on… ![“The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on being one just as long as I can.” quote by Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg) > “The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on being one just as long as I can.” [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He embraces the villain role as long as it remains viable. **In simple terms:** He will stay a bad guy while profitable. Key Takeaway Know when to leverage a reputation for benefit. Themes identity reputation survival Mood cynical strategic Type dramatic reflective When to use this quote - politics - entertainment - business negotiations - social media presence Key Concepts villain archetype public perception self‑branding Questions to Reflect On - When is it strategic to maintain a negative image? - How can you transition to a positive role later? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating allies or limiting future options. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-guy/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) ## Related quotes > [I think that everybody likes the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-think-that-everybody-likes-the-bad-guy/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [If the public likes you, you're good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-spillane/if-the-public-likes-you-you-re-good/) [Mickey Spillane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-spillane/) > [If more than ten percent of the public likes a painting, it should be burned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-more-than-ten-percent-of-the-public-likes-a-painting-it-should-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [There's no correlation between what the public likes and what I'm after. I'm in a different world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-s-no-correlation-between-what-the-public-likes-and-what-i-m/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Nobody likes a bad sport, no matter what the circumstances are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/nobody-likes-a-bad-sport-no-matter-what-the-circumstances-are/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [I am a guy who likes to put the bad things and difficult times behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-de-gea/i-am-a-guy-who-likes-to-put-the-bad-things-and-difficult-times-behind/) [David de Gea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-de-gea/) > [“I think it's because he likes you.' 'Well, that's too bad. I've given up that kind of thing.' 'What kind of thing?' 'Love, dating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-salter/i-think-it-s-because-he-likes-you-well-that-s-too-bad-i-ve-given-up/) [Sydney Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-salter/) > [The fact that the theatregoing public likes my music is no credit to me. There are many other composers who write better music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kern/the-fact-that-the-theatregoing-public-likes-my-music-is-no-credit-to/) [Jerome Kern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kern/) > [I don't want anyone's endorsement. If the public likes my work, they will support me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-sadh/i-don-t-want-anyone-s-endorsement-if-the-public-likes-my-work-they/) [Amit Sadh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-sadh/) > [What most people do is try to find a comfortable persona that they're in alignment with and the public likes and appreciates them for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/what-most-people-do-is-try-to-find-a-comfortable-persona-that-they-re/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [I can't put much weight into whether the public likes me because the more important thing is that, as an actor, I can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-can-t-put-much-weight-into-whether-the-public-likes-me-because-the/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [The spirit of the age is not synonymous with what the public likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mieczyslaw-jastrun/the-spirit-of-the-age-is-not-synonymous-with-what-the-public-likes/) [Mieczyslaw Jastrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mieczyslaw-jastrun/) > [I really just do what I like. I don't understand what the general public likes sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-really-just-do-what-i-like-i-don-t-understand-what-the-general/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [I'm not a great actress, and I never thought I was. But I happen to have something the public likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-harlow/i-m-not-a-great-actress-and-i-never-thought-i-was-but-i-happen-to/) [Jean Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-harlow/) > [If the public likes you, you're good. Shakespeare was a common, down-to-earth writer in his day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-spillane/if-the-public-likes-you-you-re-good-shakespeare-was-a-common-down-to/) [Mickey Spillane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-spillane/) ## More by Peter Lorre > [For a lazy man I work awfully hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/for-a-lazy-man-i-work-awfully-hard/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I don't like the word 'villain' or 'heavy.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-don-t-like-the-word-villain-or-heavy/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I don't want to brag, but I can make people laugh and then be terrified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-don-t-want-to-brag-but-i-can-make-people-laugh-and-then-be-terrified/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [It got so that I couldn't play anything but a Peter Lorre character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/it-got-so-that-i-couldn-t-play-anything-but-a-peter-lorre-character/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I didn't speak English very well, but I studied day and night so I'd be ready for my first break. When Hitchcock interviewed me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-didn-t-speak-english-very-well-but-i-studied-day-and-night-so-i-d/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [There is really no such thing as terrifying people. It's the situation and the scene that count. Not the actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/there-is-really-no-such-thing-as-terrifying-people-it-s-the-situation/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [Actually, Hollywood is the reverse of what most outsiders think it is. It is not a crazy, nervous place. An actor is less bothered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/actually-hollywood-is-the-reverse-of-what-most-outsiders-think-it-is/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [Interviews are horrible. All your life you are trained not to talk about yourself. Then you are expected to do nothing else, to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/interviews-are-horrible-all-your-life-you-are-trained-not-to-talk/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [The audience loves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/the-audience-loves-me/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [Despite the fact Hollywood classes me as a 'type,' I find the roles broad enough to handle all the acting technique I can summon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/despite-the-fact-hollywood-classes-me-as-a-type-i-find-the-roles/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I've been billed as the world's most imitated actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-ve-been-billed-as-the-world-s-most-imitated-actor/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [Actually I made only one out-and-out horror picture, 'The Beast with Five Fingers,' though I have done a lot of suspense and mystery films,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/actually-i-made-only-one-out-and-out-horror-picture-the-beast-with/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I don't want to be typed as a villain or a comedian. One would be as bad as the other. I had to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-don-t-want-to-be-typed-as-a-villain-or-a-comedian-one-would-be-as/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [For money, I can be a nice guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/for-money-i-can-be-a-nice-guy/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [I'm a shy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-m-a-shy-man/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) [Explore all 42 Peter Lorre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on being one just as long as I can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Lorre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m-going-to-go-on-being-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m-going-to-go-on-being-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d88/peter-lorre-15691_bad_the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m_3105535.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The public likes me as a bad guy and I'm going to go on being one just as long as I can.” — Peter Lorre", "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": "Peter Lorre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The public likes me as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m-going-to-go-on-being-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/the-public-likes-me-as-a-bad-guy-and-i-m-going-to-go-on-being-one/#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 } } ] } ```