--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the audience is right. They're…" description: "\"But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising was lousy, the distribution is no good, the d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg" --- # But the audience is right. They're always, always right… ![“But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising was lousy, the distribution is no good, the date was wrong to open the film. I don't believe that. The audience is never wrong. Never.” quote by William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg) > “But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising was lousy, the distribution is no good, the date was wrong to open the film. I don't believe that. The audience is never wrong. Never.” [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote asserts that audience reaction is the ultimate judge of a film's success, dismissing excuses about production flaws. **In simple terms:** Audience decides if a film works. Key Takeaway Trust audience feedback over internal blame. Themes film audience accountability marketing distribution Mood reflective critical Type observational industry commentary When to use this quote - film release planning - marketing strategy - creative decision making - post‑mortem analysis Key Concepts perception consumer behavior creative responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance audience data with artistic vision? - When should creators ignore negative audience feedback? A Different Perspective Audience tastes can be fickle and driven by trends, not just quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ## Related quotes > [It is not by the consolidation or concentration of powers but by their distribution that good government is effected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-not-by-the-consolidation-or-concentration-of-powers-but-by/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We learned that a product doesn't sell just because you're trying to do good in the world. You still have to have a healthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-cohen/we-learned-that-a-product-doesn-t-sell-just-because-you-re-trying-to/) [Ben Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-cohen/) > [The fact that we're at a point today where anybody, anywhere can put a comic book together and get it in front of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darwyn-cooke/the-fact-that-we-re-at-a-point-today-where-anybody-anywhere-can-put-a/) Darwyn Cooke > [Comedy can always be taken the wrong way. If I do a bit that is meant to diffuse racism or sexism, Im not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/comedy-can-always-be-taken-the-wrong-way-if-i-do-a-bit-that-is-meant/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [As an actor, early on, you learn that the audience is never wrong. And if you think they are wrong, you need to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/as-an-actor-early-on-you-learn-that-the-audience-is-never-wrong-and/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [A good stand-up, you lead the audience. You don't kowtow to the audience. Sometimes the audience is wrong. I always think the audience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/a-good-stand-up-you-lead-the-audience-you-don-t-kowtow-to-the/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [The audience is never wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/the-audience-is-never-wrong/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [An audience is never wrong. An individual member of it may be an imbecile, but a thousand imbeciles together in the dark - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/an-audience-is-never-wrong-an-individual-member-of-it-may-be-an/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [You listen to the audience. The audience is wrong individually and always right collectively. If they don't laugh, it isn't funny. If they cough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stone/you-listen-to-the-audience-the-audience-is-wrong-individually-and/) [Peter Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stone/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I believe that for the audience the best way to give the commentating is to avoid going into the deep, deep details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judit-polgar/i-believe-that-for-the-audience-the-best-way-to-give-the-commentating/) [Judit Polgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judit-polgar/) > [I like to change characters and then, slowly I believe the audience treat me as, like an actor who can fight. It's not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-like-to-change-characters-and-then-slowly-i-believe-the-audience/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I believe in providing an alternative for fans, and I really believe that the audience has wanted an alternative for quite some time. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-spears/i-believe-in-providing-an-alternative-for-fans-and-i-really-believe/) [Shawn Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-spears/) > [I can't dumb down for the audience because I believe my audience is at least as smart as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranvir-shorey/i-can-t-dumb-down-for-the-audience-because-i-believe-my-audience-is/) [Ranvir Shorey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranvir-shorey/) > [I believe that I have an audience and the challenge is to meet their expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balachandra-menon/i-believe-that-i-have-an-audience-and-the-challenge-is-to-meet-their/) [Balachandra Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balachandra-menon/) ## More by William Friedkin > [I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [All of the films I have made, that I have chosen to make, are all about the thin line between good and evil. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/all-of-the-films-i-have-made-that-i-have-chosen-to-make-are-all-about/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [None of the chase scenes that I did had any opticals. We had to do all of that physically. The first thing you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/none-of-the-chase-scenes-that-i-did-had-any-opticals-we-had-to-do-all/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I'm not a fan of Star Wars. That is not for me. That is for my nephews and nieces. I don't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-m-not-a-fan-of-star-wars-that-is-not-for-me-that-is-for-my-nephews/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The studios are making fewer films. They are making more expensive films. Profits are tougher to come by. Not only because of the expense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-studios-are-making-fewer-films-they-are-making-more-expensive/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I'm not a fan of 3D. But I am a huge fan of digital imagery. Because it allows a filmmaker much more latitude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-m-not-a-fan-of-3d-but-i-am-a-huge-fan-of-digital-imagery-because-it/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [There are films that I've made that I like a little bit more than the others. But the films that I mostly watch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/there-are-films-that-i-ve-made-that-i-like-a-little-bit-more-than-the/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [If Star Wars had failed, you wouldn't have 90 percent of what's out there today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/if-star-wars-had-failed-you-wouldn-t-have-90-percent-of-what-s-out/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I have seen lampoons of my work. And I have really enjoyed them. But I would never do another version of The Exorcist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-have-seen-lampoons-of-my-work-and-i-have-really-enjoyed-them-but-i/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [Technique is of less interest than character and story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/technique-is-of-less-interest-than-character-and-story/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I don't like 3D. I don't believe there is any film that I have seen and loved that would have been improved by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-don-t-like-3d-i-don-t-believe-there-is-any-film-that-i-have-seen/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [God knows, as a minority, gay people have taken serious lumps for their sexual preferences. As has every minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/god-knows-as-a-minority-gay-people-have-taken-serious-lumps-for-their/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [I don't believe that Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind, or any damn picture that you can name, would be better off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-don-t-believe-that-citizen-kane-or-gone-with-the-wind-or-any-damn/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The Blu-ray is the real cinematech of world cinema. That's how it's being preserved. All of these guys that are trying to preserve 35mm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-blu-ray-is-the-real-cinematech-of-world-cinema-that-s-how-it-s/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [The informing idea of what you want to say and do, that's what will take you from film school to professional - the idea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/the-informing-idea-of-what-you-want-to-say-and-do-that-s-what-will/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) [Explore all 68 William Friedkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising was lousy, the distribution is no good, the date was wrong to open the film. I don't believe that. The audience is never wrong. Never.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Friedkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always-always-right-you-hear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always-always-right-you-hear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/william-friedkin-10094_advertising_but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always_538965.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the audience is right. They're always, always right. You hear directors complain that the advertising…” — William Friedkin", "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": "William Friedkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But the audience is right. They're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always-always-right-you-hear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/but-the-audience-is-right-they-re-always-always-right-you-hear/#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 } } ] } ```