"As soon as you get a certain amount of attention, then everybody kinda wants to start taking pot shots at you. All your old friends that supported you don't support you any more"

Fame and recognition often come with a subtle shift in personal dynamics. When someone like John Zorn reflects on how attention invites "pot shots" and erodes old friendships, he reveals an often unspoken reality about success: public acknowledgment not only elevates creativity or talent, but it may simultaneously trigger envy, resentment, or skepticism in previously supportive peers. The phenomenon is rooted in the fact that increased visibility changes the context in which others perceive a person’s actions and achievements.

When someone is less well-known, their friends and colleagues often rally around them, eager to see one of their own succeed. Achievements are celebrated because they feel communal, something shared in an intimate circle. However, as that person’s success blossoms and attracts broader admiration, it can produce discomfort or insecurity among those who once cheered them on. The success that was once a source of group pride now becomes a benchmark, inadvertently framing others’ ambitions or perceived stagnation in harsh relief. For some, it can mutate into a reason for criticism or distancing, as they grapple with their own sense of accomplishment or relevance.

Moreover, the arrival of fame can invite judgment from strangers as well as an elevated scrutiny, “pot shots”, that seldom occurred before. Every action, statement, or creative decision becomes exposed to the court of public opinion, where the motivations behind criticism can be ambiguous and not always rooted in genuine engagement. The phrase “pot shots” specifically conjures the sense of random or petty attacks, often motivated more by jealousy or the safety of anonymity than substantive disagreement.

This shift in interpersonal relationships and external scrutiny often leaves the successful individual feeling isolated. Old loyalties wane; the emotional support system that once existed weakens, replaced by a more transactional or competitive environment. Ultimately, Zorn’s observation reveals an emotional tax intrinsic to recognition: as the world’s gaze intensifies, so too does the unpredictability and volatility of the social bonds that once felt unbreakable.