--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I writhe when I see myself on the screen…" description: "\"I writhe when I see myself on the screen. I'm such a dreadfully clumsy hulking image. I say to myself, \"Why doesn't he get off? Why doesn't he get off?..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/peter-sellers-14147_able_i-writhe-when-i-see-myself-on-the-screen_440853.jpg" --- # I writhe when I see myself on the screen. I'm such a… ![“I writhe when I see myself on the screen. I'm such a dreadfully clumsy hulking image. I say to myself, "Why doesn't he get off? Why doesn't he get off?" I mean, I look like such an idiot. Some fat awkward thing dredged up from some third-rate drama company. I must stop thinking about it, otherwise…” quote by Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/peter-sellers-14147_able_i-writhe-when-i-see-myself-on-the-screen_440853.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/peter-sellers-14147_able_i-writhe-when-i-see-myself-on-the-screen_440853.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/peter-sellers-14147_able_i-writhe-when-i-see-myself-on-the-screen_440853.jpg) > “I writhe when I see myself on the screen. I'm such a dreadfully clumsy hulking image. I say to myself, "Why doesn't he get off? Why doesn't he get off?" I mean, I look like such an idiot. Some fat awkward thing dredged up from some third-rate drama company. I must stop thinking about it, otherwise I shan't be able to go on working.” [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels self-conscious and embarrassed by their on‑screen appearance, fearing it undermines their work. **In simple terms:** Self‑consciousness about appearance hampers confidence. Key Takeaway Accept imperfections, focus on performance. Themes self‑consciousness confidence image Mood anxious reflective Type personal psychological When to use this quote - acting auditions - live broadcasts - video calls - public speaking Key Concepts self‑esteem public perception performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How does your self‑image affect your work? - What steps can you take to reduce self‑judgment? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can become paralyzing if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > ['Tis an awkward thing to play with souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/tis-an-awkward-thing-to-play-with-souls/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [In Mississippi, you don’t admit that you’re gay. It’s just an awkward thing down South, which is sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/in-mississippi-you-don-t-admit-that-you-re-gay-it-s-just-an-awkward/) [Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/) > [It's such a weird thing, because you have a whole crew of people standing over there, on the other side. There's a camera pointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/it-s-such-a-weird-thing-because-you-have-a-whole-crew-of-people/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [The awkward thing for me is when the realization happens that I actually might like this girl. Then I become awkward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/the-awkward-thing-for-me-is-when-the-realization-happens-that-i/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [I think if anything, the fact that it's popular right now makes me go: "Well, I guess I'm going to start doing something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-think-if-anything-the-fact-that-it-s-popular-right-now-makes-me-go/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [One of my guilty pleasures is George 'The Animal' Steele. 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It is the most inefficient, the most clumsy, the most unpractical… It reduces wisdom to impotence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-briffault/democracy-is-the-worst-form-of-government-it-is-the-most-inefficient/) [Robert Briffault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-briffault/) > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [At 15 I was very clumsy, big feet and my footwork wasn't great. I was definitely not quick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-de-minaur/at-15-i-was-very-clumsy-big-feet-and-my-footwork-wasn-t-great-i-was/) [Alex de Minaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-de-minaur/) ## More by Peter Sellers > [When I look at myself, I see a person who strangely lacks what I consider the ingredients of a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/when-i-look-at-myself-i-see-a-person-who-strangely-lacks-what-i/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [If you ask me to play myself, I will not know what to do. I do not know who or what I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/if-you-ask-me-to-play-myself-i-will-not-know-what-to-do-i-do-not-know/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Vocal music is an attempt to take the whole human being and project it into space. It is the ultimate gesture of getting out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/vocal-music-is-an-attempt-to-take-the-whole-human-being-and-project/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/gentlemen-you-can-t-fight-in-here-this-is-the-war-room/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Dad was convinced always that I was going to be a road sweeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/dad-was-convinced-always-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-road-sweeper/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Is there anybody hiding there in the dark?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/is-there-anybody-hiding-there-in-the-dark/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [I believe in astrology and the spirits. I'm a Virgo myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/i-believe-in-astrology-and-the-spirits-i-m-a-virgo-myself/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [I'm a classic example of all humorists - only funny when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/i-m-a-classic-example-of-all-humorists-only-funny-when-i-m-working/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Some forms of reality are so horrible we refuse to face them, unless we are trapped into it by comedy. To label any subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/some-forms-of-reality-are-so-horrible-we-refuse-to-face-them-unless/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/there-used-to-be-a-real-me-but-i-had-it-surgically-removed/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Now then, what do we know? One, that Professor Fassbinder and his daughter have been kidnapped. Two, that someone has kidnapped them. Three, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/now-then-what-do-we-know-one-that-professor-fassbinder-and-his/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [I might have got somewhere with 'The Ladykillers,' but forty minutes were cut. A lot of me was cut with that forty minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/i-might-have-got-somewhere-with-the-ladykillers-but-forty-minutes/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Women are more difficult to handle than men. It's their minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/women-are-more-difficult-to-handle-than-men-it-s-their-minds/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [To label any subject unsuitable for comedy is to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/to-label-any-subject-unsuitable-for-comedy-is-to-admit-defeat/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [My mum very much wanted me to go into the theatre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/my-mum-very-much-wanted-me-to-go-into-the-theatre/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) [Explore all 47 Peter Sellers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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