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In my limited experience, shows are like children. You can teach them manners and dress them in little sailor suits, but in the end, they're going to be who they're going to be.
Tina Fey
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that while we can guide and influence our creations, they will ultimately develop their own identity.

Tina Fey uses the metaphor of children to express that creative works, such as shows, are influenced by guidance and nurturing, yet they will manifest their own unique characteristics regardless of the input provided. This reflects the unpredictable nature of artistry, emphasizing that the end result, like a child's personality, will reveal itself despite the efforts of the creator.

Themes

CreativityArtIdentityChildrenShows

In practice

Example use cases

A director might use this quote when discussing the challenges of bringing a show to life with a team.

More from Tina Fey

An interim government was set up in Afghanistan. It included two women, one of whom was Minister of Women's Affairs. Man, who'd she have to show here ankles to to get that job?
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I didn't get on TV until I was 30, which is really fortunate because you are who you are at that point.
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there was an assumption that I was personally attacking Sarah Palin by impersonating her on TV. No one ever said it was 'mean' when Chevy Chase played Gerald Ford falling down all the time. No one ever accused Dana Carvey or Darrell Hammond or Dan Aykroyd of 'going too far' in their political impressions. You see what I'm getting at here. I am not mean and Mrs. Palin is not fragile. To imply otherwise is a disservice to us both.
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‘How do you juggle it all?’ people constantly ask me, with an accusatory look in their eyes. ‘You’re screwing it all up, aren’t you?’ their eyes say. My standard answer is that I have the same struggle as any working parent but with the good fortune to be working at my dream job. Or sometimes I just hand them a juicy red apple I’ve poisoned in my working-mother witch cauldron and fly away.
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