"I wish you well and I hope it will be a huge hit, because that would be very good for me. And if, God forbid, it's a terrible flop, well that would be very good for me"
About this Quote
Jonathan Harris slips a stiletto into a smile here, weaponizing the warmest stock phrase in show business - “I wish you well” - and then immediately admitting the part everyone usually edits out: success and failure are both just different kinds of leverage.
The comic engine is the symmetrical logic. A “huge hit” helps him because association is currency; even a small role in a smash can refresh a career, raise a quote, extend a shelf life. Then comes the pivot - “God forbid” - a mock piety that signals he knows he’s being indecent, while also daring you to enjoy it. If it’s a “terrible flop,” that’s good too, because flops create stories, scapegoats, and openings. Someone gets replaced, a rival gets humbled, a producer overcorrects and hires “safe” talent next time. In Hollywood’s ecosystem, disaster still moves money and attention; it just redistributes it.
As an actor’s line, it reads like a veteran’s survival ethic: don’t pretend the industry runs on merit or morality when it runs on momentum. Harris makes the cynicism palatable by couching it in geniality, turning naked self-interest into a dinner-party joke. The intent isn’t simply to be cruel; it’s to puncture the fake solidarity artists are expected to perform, especially around competitors. Under the laugh is an unromantic truth: in entertainment, you don’t bet on outcomes - you position yourself to profit from any headline.
The comic engine is the symmetrical logic. A “huge hit” helps him because association is currency; even a small role in a smash can refresh a career, raise a quote, extend a shelf life. Then comes the pivot - “God forbid” - a mock piety that signals he knows he’s being indecent, while also daring you to enjoy it. If it’s a “terrible flop,” that’s good too, because flops create stories, scapegoats, and openings. Someone gets replaced, a rival gets humbled, a producer overcorrects and hires “safe” talent next time. In Hollywood’s ecosystem, disaster still moves money and attention; it just redistributes it.
As an actor’s line, it reads like a veteran’s survival ethic: don’t pretend the industry runs on merit or morality when it runs on momentum. Harris makes the cynicism palatable by couching it in geniality, turning naked self-interest into a dinner-party joke. The intent isn’t simply to be cruel; it’s to puncture the fake solidarity artists are expected to perform, especially around competitors. Under the laugh is an unromantic truth: in entertainment, you don’t bet on outcomes - you position yourself to profit from any headline.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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