Another Old Comedian Teaches Us a Lesson

Apparently, the famous comedian, Jack Benny, was generous in real life, but he played a cheapskate miser on many black and white television sketches. In one he was being held at gunpoint by a mugger who growled and said, “Your money or your life.” It was quiet for a bit and the mugger repeated it more aggressively to which Jack Benny replied, “I’m thinking, I’m thinking.”

There is an anecdote about him that illustrates the power of perceptions and how difficult they are to change. Before leaving a hotel, he stopped in the restroom, put a dime in the slot, used the toilet and left. In the cab to his next destination he realized he didn’t have his wallet and figured he must have dropped it in the toilet cubicle. He went back, looked under the door and sure enough saw his wallet.  

He was flat on the floor reaching for it when another patron entered. When Jack Benny got up the patron recognized him and, of course, believed that the skinflint, penny-pincher was just too cheap to pay the dime. Apparently, there was nothing Jack Benny could say to convince him otherwise. 

The lesson is pretty obvious, once you’ve established a persona, or a reputation, it is awfully difficult to change it. But you can. It’s not easy. You have to want a different perception, but it is only a small step; you must take the necessary steps.