--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the press began asking me for…" description: "\"When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked out. My instinct is to hide.\" — Shonda Rhimes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg" --- # When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked… ![“When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked out. My instinct is to hide.” quote by Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg) > “When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked out. My instinct is to hide.” [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing media attention triggers a fear response, prompting a desire to withdraw. **In simple terms:** Interview anxiety makes one want to hide. Key Takeaway Develop coping strategies for public exposure. Themes media anxiety exposure privacy career Mood anxious determined Type professional personal When to use this quote - talk shows - press conferences - social media interviews - public speaking Key Concepts psychology of fame self‑presentation stress management Questions to Reflect On - What techniques help manage interview nerves? - Can vulnerability be turned into strength? A Different Perspective Not everyone reacts the same; some thrive under scrutiny. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Asking Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-interviews-1912844/) [Began](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began/) [Freaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freaked/) [Freaked Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freaked-instinct-4763640/) [Hide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hide/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instinct Hide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct-hide-4763641/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Interviews Freaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews-freaked-4763639/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) ## Related quotes > [We were in Little Rock. We were assessing a very important issue. In the midst of our discussions, we were receiving urgent inquiries from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-were-in-little-rock-we-were-assessing-a-very-important-issue-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People are always asking me in interviews, 'What do you think of foreign affairs?' I just say, 'I've had a few.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/people-are-always-asking-me-in-interviews-what-do-you-think-of/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I thought I was going to be a lot more freaked out by being naked onstage. I think on film I would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-bracco/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-lot-more-freaked-out-by-being-naked/) [Lorraine Bracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-bracco/) > [Like I said about Freaked, people tend to find these films, and I think that in the end the cool thing about a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-winter/like-i-said-about-freaked-people-tend-to-find-these-films-and-i-think/) [Alex Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-winter/) > [I feel like there's an obsession with pace right now in theater, with things being very fast and very witty and very loud, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-baker/i-feel-like-there-s-an-obsession-with-pace-right-now-in-theater-with/) [Annie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-baker/) > [I have a weird thing - if I can't see where all the walls in my house are, I get a little bit freaked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jackson-harper/i-have-a-weird-thing-if-i-can-t-see-where-all-the-walls-in-my-house/) [William Jackson Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jackson-harper/) > [I never contemplated any kind of existence or identity after my career. I never thought at some point the entertainment industry is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-never-contemplated-any-kind-of-existence-or-identity-after-my/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I've had to learn not be freaked out by big roles... and to take it all one step at a time, quite literally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-hayward/i-ve-had-to-learn-not-be-freaked-out-by-big-roles-and-to-take-it-all/) [Francesca Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-hayward/) > [I'm afraid of open bodies of water. I was in a glass-bottomed boat that broke a long time ago, so I've always been kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madelaine-petsch/i-m-afraid-of-open-bodies-of-water-i-was-in-a-glass-bottomed-boat/) [Madelaine Petsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madelaine-petsch/) > [“…I didn’t even mean to. I was half asleep and just flipping over in bed,” Rachel is saying, poking pensively at the broccoli on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-amakan/i-didn-t-even-mean-to-i-was-half-asleep-and-just-flipping-over-in-bed/) [Nicole Amakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-amakan/) > [I've always been freaked out in my mind performing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-mosley/i-ve-always-been-freaked-out-in-my-mind-performing/) [Chuck Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-mosley/) > [My wife got all freaked out when we started doing the reality show because she said she saw all these reality shows, and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/my-wife-got-all-freaked-out-when-we-started-doing-the-reality-show/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [“Put simply,she freaked me the hell out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/put-simply-she-freaked-me-the-hell-out/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [One night I was sick and I watched the old black and white 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers.' And it freaked me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/one-night-i-was-sick-and-i-watched-the-old-black-and-white-invasion/) [Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/) > [“I am freaked out, Jace. I'm freaked out because for some reason, I can't stop thinking about you. I can't stop thinking about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-barnholdt/i-am-freaked-out-jace-i-m-freaked-out-because-for-some-reason-i-can-t/) [Lauren Barnholdt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-barnholdt/) ## More by Shonda Rhimes > [My philosophy was always try to look like Whitney Houston at all times. That did not work out so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-philosophy-was-always-try-to-look-like-whitney-houston-at-all/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Being numb no longer suits me. It’s ill-fitting and I’m antsy about it. I find myself snapping back at people more. Or writing little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/being-numb-no-longer-suits-me-it-s-ill-fitting-and-i-m-antsy-about-it/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [You don't necessarily have to watch something for 14 seasons. It's not necessarily the way everything's supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/you-don-t-necessarily-have-to-watch-something-for-14-seasons-it-s-not/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [We all think we’re going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren’t met. But sometimes our expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-all-think-we-re-going-to-be-great-and-we-feel-a-little-bit-robbed/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My worst trait is that I'm an introvert. When I've led stuff, the hardest thing for me to overcome has been my natural desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-worst-trait-is-that-i-m-an-introvert-when-i-ve-led-stuff-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There are stories to be told that are still untold and characters to be portrayed that haven't been portrayed correctly. So there's work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-are-stories-to-be-told-that-are-still-untold-and-characters-to/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I say it in the writers' room all the time: My black is not your black. What's terrifying is that, just the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-say-it-in-the-writers-room-all-the-time-my-black-is-not-your-black/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't think of myself as a television producer. Obviously, that's crazy. Because I should. That's what I do. But I don't actually see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-television-producer-obviously-that-s/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My father used to say to me, 'The only limit to your success is your own imagination.' I actually believed that - like, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-father-used-to-say-to-me-the-only-limit-to-your-success-is-your/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't identify with her, but I highly admire Eleanor Roosevelt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-identify-with-her-but-i-highly-admire-eleanor-roosevelt/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about-the-future-planning-for-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [What I found fascinating for me was, I've never gotten so much approval and accolades and warmth and congratulations as when I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/what-i-found-fascinating-for-me-was-i-ve-never-gotten-so-much/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Look. I will not be told what size to be. I do not care about anyone else’s judgment about my body. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/look-i-will-not-be-told-what-size-to-be-i-do-not-care-about-anyone/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My parents created a world in which the only ­barrier to your success is your own imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-parents-created-a-world-in-which-the-only-barrier-to-your-success/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There have to be practical steps. There's no point in holding out for a magic door because there are no magic doors. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-have-to-be-practical-steps-there-s-no-point-in-holding-out-for/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) [Explore all 194 Shonda Rhimes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## More Asking quotes > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked out. My instinct is to hide.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shonda Rhimes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-interviews-i-freaked-out-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-interviews-i-freaked-out-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/shonda-rhimes-1866_asking_when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-inter_579054.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the press began asking me for interviews, I freaked out. My instinct is to hide.” — Shonda Rhimes", "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": "Shonda Rhimes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When the press began asking me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-interviews-i-freaked-out-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/when-the-press-began-asking-me-for-interviews-i-freaked-out-my/#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 } } ] } ```