Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations. 1989.
NUMBER:
1406
AUTHOR:
Jack Joseph Valenti (1921– )
QUOTATION:
I think politicians and movie actors and movie executives are similar in more ways than they’re different. There is an egocentric quality about both; there is a very sensitive awareness of the public attitude, because you live or die on public favor or disfavor. There is the desire for publicity and for acclaim, because, again, that’s part of your life…. And in a strange and bizarre way, when movie actors come to Washington, they’re absolutely fascinated by the politicians. And when the politicians go to Hollywood, they’re absolutely fascinated by the movie stars. It’s a kind of reciprocity of affection by people who both recognize in a sense they’re in the same racket.
ATTRIBUTION:
JACK VALENTI, special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, interview on National Public Radio, December 13, 1974. This excerpt was printed in The Washingtonian, March 1975, p. 162.
