"I learned denial from my mother. I just never confronted things and if anybody did, I just would go crazy"
About this Quote
The second sentence is where the subtext sharpens. "I just never confronted things" reads like a confession, but "and if anybody did, I just would go crazy" turns it into a warning label. Confrontation isn't debate; it's threat. He's describing a psyche built to keep the set standing: don't bump the walls, don't ask what's behind the door, don't break the illusion. Coming from a 1950s matinee idol - a studio-era product whose image was meticulously managed - this is also a quiet indictment of an industry that professionalized denial. For closeted stars especially, "not confronting things" wasn't just coping; it was job security.
What makes the quote work is its plainspoken rhythm: "just" repeated like a shrug, the language of minimizing what was likely enormous. The emotional punch comes from the gap between the casual phrasing and the stakes underneath. Hunter doesn't dramatize; he exposes how drama gets avoided.
Quote Details
| Topic | Mother |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Hunter, Tab. (2026, January 16). I learned denial from my mother. I just never confronted things and if anybody did, I just would go crazy. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-learned-denial-from-my-mother-i-just-never-99223/
Chicago Style
Hunter, Tab. "I learned denial from my mother. I just never confronted things and if anybody did, I just would go crazy." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-learned-denial-from-my-mother-i-just-never-99223/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I learned denial from my mother. I just never confronted things and if anybody did, I just would go crazy." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-learned-denial-from-my-mother-i-just-never-99223/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.






