William Eggleston Quotes

Let me tell you what the truth is... I have learned one thing in life: there is no such thing as bad press. There is not. That's a fundamental truth. The more bad things said about you, the more power they give to you.

It's better to not have a reputation than a bad one.

Once you become famous, you can't become unfamous. You can become a failure.

But, look, Washington is a town that creates myths for its own existence and its own amusement, and I was a subject of myth, sort of like Grendel in Beowulf - you know, not seen very often but often talked about.

Reputations rise and fall almost as regularly as the tides.

I'm now a legend, whether I want to be or not.

Myths are fun, as long as you don't confuse them with the truth.

In the opening stage of most careers any attention is what you want, any attention is good attention, even if it's bad attention.

If opinion hath lighted the lamp of thy name, endeavor to encourage it with thy own oil, lest it go out and stink; the chronical disease of Popularity is shame; if thou be once up, beware; from fame to infamy is a beaten road.

Fame, if not double fac'd, is double mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds; On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight.

Even when the facts are available, most people seem to prefer the legend, and refuse to believe the truth when it in any way dislodges the myth.

An eminent reputation is as dangerous as a bad one.

We endeavor more that men should speak of us, than how and what they speak, and it sufficeth us that our name run in men's mouths, in what manner soever. It stemma that to be known is in some sort to have life and continuance in other men's keeping.

There's no bad publicity except an obituary.

Some men's reputation seems like seed-wheat, which thrives best when brought from a distance.

Whether a man is a legend or not is decided by history, not fortune tellers.

I consider a good reputation is a great part of the human happiness. Some people, if they are very, very rich can permit themselves certain negligence to their reputations.

Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.

We usually say that you cannot become a legend before death. But I am a living legend

It is not so easy to obtain a reputation by a perfect work as to enhance the value of an indifferent one by a reputation already acquired.

Only think of my being alive with a reputation!

Do not confound noise with fame. The man who is remembered, is not always honored.

[On John F. Kennedy:] ... now he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man.

Your take on things is what is either going to make you somebody people talk about or no.

If ancient tales say true, nor wrong these holy men.