"You can be in this business 50 years and still not know anything about it"
About this Quote
The intent is twofold. On the surface, it's a shrugging, streetwise joke - the kind of self-deprecating quip a polished entertainer uses to keep the audience on his side. Underneath, it's a critique of an industry that runs on taste, timing, power, and prejudice more than on skill. Davis spent his career navigating contracts, gatekeepers, and the quiet violence of respectability politics as a Black Jewish performer in mid-century America. The "business" isn't just booking gigs; it's learning which doors open, which ones slam, and how often talent is the least decisive variable.
What makes the line work is its compression. "This business" sounds intimate, like a clubhouse; "still not know anything" punctures that illusion. It suggests that longevity doesn't buy clarity, only new versions of uncertainty: shifting audiences, fickle executives, trends that turn yesterday's brilliance into tomorrow's punchline. It's a veteran's way of telling you the truth without killing the romance: if you want certainty, don't come here.
Quote Details
| Topic | Career |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jr., Sammy Davis,. (2026, January 18). You can be in this business 50 years and still not know anything about it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-can-be-in-this-business-50-years-and-still-12497/
Chicago Style
Jr., Sammy Davis,. "You can be in this business 50 years and still not know anything about it." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-can-be-in-this-business-50-years-and-still-12497/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"You can be in this business 50 years and still not know anything about it." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-can-be-in-this-business-50-years-and-still-12497/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.



