Red Herring Quotes

If people in power are artfully pulling a red herring to cover up the cataclysm of their commitments, keeping people on a short leash and driving them playfully into an alley of false promises, we would do well to rely on attentive and considerate observers who send out alarm signals in time to prevent social corrosion. (" High noon. ") ~ Erik Pevernagie

Any great movie in the old days has a red herring. Hitchcock was so good at that. ~ Robert Knepper

I think the whole human-induced greenhouse gas thing is a red herring ... I see climate change as due to the ocean circulation pattern. I see this as a major cause of climate change ... These are natural processes. We shouldn't blame them on humans and CO2. ~ William M. Gray

The spectacular incident of the stones serves as a kind of red herring in this respect. Many researchers have adopted the erroneous belief that where there has been one incident, there must be others. To offer another analogy, this is like dispatching a crew of meteor watchers to Crater National Park because a huge asteroid struck there two million years ago. ~ Stephen King

I knew with The West Wing that that wasn't going to be for very long, that I was just the red herring. ~ William Devane

Voluntary communism, together with laissez-faire capitalism, has nothing to be ashamed of on moral and economic grounds. They can each hold up their heads, high. Far from enemies, they are merely opposite sides of the same voluntaristic coin. Together, they must battle state coercion, whether called State Capitalism or State Socialism. The point is, "left" vs. "right" is a red herring. The reddest and perhaps most misleading red herring in all political-economic theory. ~ Walter Block

Depression is a red herring," said Nariman. "I think a lot about the past, it's true. But at my age, the past is more present than the here and now. and there is not much percentage in the future. ~ Rohinton Mistry

Damn'd neuters, in their middle way of steering, Are neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring. ~ John Dryden

When you think of a great twist or a red herring or a way of misdirecting the reader, it is good, but you know that they are just tricks at the end of the day, and the way to keep interest is to write characters that people care about. ~ Mark Billingham

I think I'm falling for a red herring here, ~ Liane Moriarty

Forget about the 10,000-hour rule you've heard so much about. It's a red herring. What's important is not the hours you've practiced, but the kind of practice in your hours. Focus on the tree, not the forest. ~ Jonathan Harnum

Potential was a red herring to plot a life of wandering curiosity. ~ Nicholas Dawidoff

Gay marriage is a complete red herring to distract everyone from the economy and the war and health care and education. ~ David O. Russell

Foreshadow, plot buster or red herring ... only time will tell: P69
Cassie waited; in the evening light through the window her eyes looked huge, opaque and watchful. I knew she was giving me a chance to say, Fuck the hair clip, let's forget we ever found it. Even now the temptation, tired and profitless though it may be, is to wonder what would have happened if I had. ~ Tana French

Yes sir, the fish was left in place of the crystal ball. It's been bagged and tagged for analysis.
Great. Now we have another red herring on our hands. ~ A.F. Stewart

We are trying to get marijuana reclassified medically. If we do that, we'll be using the issue as a red herring to give marijuana a good name. ~ Keith Stroup

The Arabs could have peace tomorrow if sufficient numbers of Palestinians were not content to be used as cannon fodder in fruitless assaults on Israel, even as the surrounding Arab powers distract the Arab masses with the red herring of Israel while retarding their countries with their repression and corruption. ~ Conrad Black

Six million Jews died in the Holocaust. Yet many people simply cannot accept this. They keep bringing up red herring after red herring to avoid finally admitting "YES, it happened exactly as the history books say, end of story." Which, of course, is the only correct response to the question anti-Semites raise about whether or not this historically and forensically-proven Nazi genocide even happened. ~ James Morcan

You can never really tell, it's kind of a red herring until you see the project I think. You just know if you like working with someone or not, and he does have a real sweetness about him, I think. ~ Mary-Louise Parker

Writing and directing might be a red herring, and really I'm just re-examining what it is to act, to do it well and do it properly. ~ Damian Lewis

When I was nine years old, I wrote a short story called 'How to Build a Snowman,' from which no practical snowperson-crafting techniques could be gleaned. The story was an assignment for class and it featured a series of careful but meaningless instructions. Of course, the building of the snowman was a red herring. ~ Sloane Crosley

The argument that gay marriage doesn't affect straight marriages is a ridiculous red herring: Gay marriage affects society and law in dramatic ways. Religious groups will come under direct assault as federal and state governments move to strip them of their non-profit statuses if they refuse to perform gay marriages. ~ Ben Shapiro

As soon as politicians start climbing up the ladder, they suddenly become kings. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that republics came to the world to make sure that no one is more than anyone else. The pomp of office is like something left over from a feudal past: "You need a palace, red carpet, a lot of people behind you saying, 'Yes, sir.' I think all of that is awful." ~ Jose Mujica

You can't be a Red if you're married to a civil servant. ~ Doris Lessing

May is green and pink and red ~ Richard L. Ratliff

If I hear 'Karma Chameleon' one more time, I swear I'm going to find Boy George and make him eat Jesse's record. What does red, gold, and green have to do with anything anyway? (Gloria) ~ Sherrilyn Kenyon

The final word on nutrition and health has been revealed. Compared to Americans, Brits, and Canadians, people of various nationalities suffer fewer heart attacks: the Japanese eat very little fat; Mexicans eat a lot of fat; the Chinese drink very little red wine; Italians drink a lot of red wine; Germans consume a lot of beer, sausages, and fats; Ukrainians consume a lot of vodka, pierogis, and cabbage rolls. And all suffer fewer heart attacks. Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you. ~ Bill Brohaugh

I once died my hair blonde, and it looked like an orangey-red carrot top. It was the '80s, and I was trying to look like George Michael. At the time, the ladies loved it, and I loved it too! ~ Nigel Barker

When I was fourteen, I thought a lot about killing myself - it's a hobby today, but at age fourteen it was a vocation. On a September morning, just after school started, I'd gotten Diane's .44 Magnum and held it, babylike, in my lap for hours. What an indulgence it would be, to just blow off my head, all my mean spirits disappearing with a gun blast, like blowing a seedy dandelion apart. But I thought about Diane, and her coming home to my small torso and a red wall, and I couldn't do it. It's probably why I was so hateful to her, she kept me from what I wanted the most. ~ Gillian Flynn

I flush at the waywardness of my subconscious - she's doing her happy dance in a bright red hula skirt ~ E.L. James

Sending them was like sending a probe to Mars - he thought of its insect legs folding up into a squat, its motorized head casting this way and that. You could program it to do what you wanted, but it was no replacement for going there yourself and flinging your fingers into the red sand. ~ Jennifer DuBois

At a time when 20% of people in the US go to bed hungry each night and almost 50% of the world's population is malnourished, choosing to eat more plant-based foods and less red meat is better for all of us-ourselves, our loved ones, and our planet. ~ Dean Ornish

Surely it wasn't possible that Vin diPietro was the first assignment.
"Hello?" DiPietro waved. "You in there?"
Nah, Jim thought. Can't be. That would be above and beyond any call of duty.
Over the guy's shoulder, the commercial that was on the TV suddenly showed a price of $49.99-no, $29.99, with a little red arrow that ... considering where Vin was standing, poined right at his head.
"Sh*t, no" Jim muttered. This was the guy?
On the Tv screen, some woman in a pink bathrobe smiled up at the camera and mouthed, Yes, it is! ~ J.R. Ward

A toilet flushes, and everyone turns to see Jax emerge from the downstairs bathroom holding a Victoria's Secret catalogue and chewing on a Red Vine. "Yo, what up," he says, oblivious. As he looks from one face to the next he stops chewing. He swallows hard. "Everything okay?" "No," I say. ~ Rachel A. Marks

They won't tell you about how Red Riding was the wolf
and Snow White went back to kill the queen.
Or that Cinderella's step family mysteriously
disappeared after she became queen.

They are afraid to let you know that Aurora woke up screaming
because a strange man was kissing her without her consent.
Or how Ariel had no problem killing the two timing prince
and restoring herself to the sea.

The fairy tales we should tell
our daughter should be about strong women with real flaws
and incredible qualities.

Let's raise girls who don't just wait to be rescued,
but take destiny in their own hands
and charge to battle dragons and their enemies. ~ Nikita Gill

The defeats which many small Red areas have suffered have been due either to the absence of the requisite objective conditions or to subjective mistakes in tactics. ~ Mao Zedong

When I realised I had a facility for humour, I latched on to it, and it gave me confidence and I built my personality around it. So I subconsciously made myself become the funny one so that would be my label rather than the ginger one or the red-faced one. ~ Catherine Tate

I am putting out the brown suit, sir.'
'No, I think I'll wear the blue with the faint red stripe.'
'Not the blue with the faint red stripe, sir.'
'But I rather fancy myself in it.'
'Not the blue with the faint red stripe, sir.'
'Oh, all right, have it your own way.'
'Very good, sir. Thank you, sir. ~ P.G. Wodehouse

Joseph, you're out of clean towels." Lucia poked her head into the living room, the rest of her hidden behind the wall. Her red hair dripped water onto my wooden floors.
"She's in the buff." Jenna guffawed. Gabriella rolled her eyes, beaming.
I rose. "Go back to the bathroom. I'll bring you a towel," I ordered Lucia. She disappeared down the hall.
"You have naked angels running around your house," Jenna continued through her laughter. Gabby laughed louder. ~ Laura Kreitzer

He gives me a despondent look, his eyes red, hopeless. The man I came to love is broken, lost, but I've fallen for him so deeply, I know exactly where to find him in his darkness. It's where I was before. ~ Alexandra Iff

Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken,swords shall be splintered! A sword day ... a red day ... ere the sun rises! Ride now! ... Ride now! ... Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending! Death! "Death!" Death! "Death!" DEATH! "Death!" Forth, Eorlingas!! ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

I look at Gloria with her red hair and glass of champagne and expression of utter disdain and wonder how many expletives she'd manage to fit into a sentence if I asked her to teach me to knit or bake me a cake. ~ Clare Furniss

Now you're going to get it," I said, guessing Al was coming when the ones in the back scattered. "You should have been nice."
With a weird cry, the closest surface demon fell back, but it was too late. A flash of red light exploded overhead, smashing the buildings away as if I were at the center of an atomic explosion. The surface demons scattered like brown leaves, the remnants of their clothes and auras fluttering. It was Al, and he burst into existence in a grand mood, an old-fashioned lantern in his hand and a walking cane at his side.
"Rachel Mariana Morgan!" he shouted enthusiastically, raising the lantern high, and I painfully rose from my crouch, breaking my bubble with a small thought. "I've come to save you, love! ~ Kim Harrison

Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family
Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family

The naughty fried dango, the kind red bean dango
The Mid-Autumn Festival dango tends to dream a little
The prim sesame dango, the four dango on a skewer
Everyone, everyone comes together and it's a family of 100s

The baby dango is always within happiness
The aged dango has its eyes narrowed

The chummy dango hold their hands together and make a big, round ring
They build a town on the dango planet and everyone laughs together
The rabbit is trying to wave in the sky; the huge moon
Is rounding up everything, happy things and sad things, too

The chummy dango hold their hands together and make a big, round ring
They build a town on the dango planet and everyone laughs together
The rabbit is trying to wave in the sky; the huge moon
Is rounding up everything, happy things and sad things, too

Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family
Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family

Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family
Dango, dango, dango, dango, a big dango family ~ Chata

Behind the candle, Dax's face turned red and he sputtered as if suppressing a cough. A flash seared my eyes as the wick ignited.
"That's rude." His outraged expression was comical.
"You wanted it lit."
"Yeah, but I didn't want to do it for you!" He glanced around the room as if seeking the patience to deal with an unruly child. "Zaltanas and their weird powers, forcing me to light the candle. Pah! To think I wanted to live vicariously through your adventures. ~ Maria V. Snyder

The whole street took part in the serenade to Flor, Flor leaning against her high window, all ruffles and lace, drenched in moonlight. Down below Vadinho, her gallant knight, with the red rose in his hand, so red it was almost black, the rose of her love. ~ Jorge Amado

If only Ed Fleming had a mother who gave such sound advice. The manager of Wazoo's, a downtown Denver restaurant, Fleming is a CSU alum who has been darned giddy about the Rams' recent success. So giddy that he donned a necklace made of Pez candies, a red blazer - and nothing else. A few people gaped (some actually set aside their beers), but most ignored Fleming as he strutted like a red-blazered rooster, demanding that all hail the Mighty Naked Beer King. ~ J.R. Moehringer

Did you ever notice, when you are sitting at a red light, that when the person in front of you pulls up a couple of inches, you are compelled to move up too? Do we really think we are making progress toward our destination? "Whew, I thought we would be late, but now that I am nine inches closer, I can stop for coffee and a danish!" ~ Jerry Seinfeld

I love a good steak with a great glass of red wine. But for the TV watching, laying around doing nothing kinds of days, nothing beats a pepperoni pizza and chocolate Haagen Daas. ~ Erin Daniels

Why do you keep staring at me?" I muttered under my breath.
He glanced around to make sure no one was listening and then leaned towards me. His voice was hushed. "You have pen on your face. Here," he said, touching the space by his nose.
"Oh." I felt my face go red as I wiped my cheek with my hand.
"That and you remind me of someone I know. Or once knew. But I can't place who it is."
"I thought you didn't have any friends," I challenged.
Dante smiled. "I don't. Only enemies. Which doesn't bode well for you, considering the fact that you must resemble one of them. ~ Yvonne Woon

After lunch, he rose and gave me the tips of his fingers, saying he would like to show me over his flat; but I snatched away my hand and gave a cry. What I had touched was cold and, at the same time, bony; and I remembered that his hands smelt of death. 'Oh, forgive me!' he moaned. And he opened a door before me. 'This is my bedroom, if you care to see it. It is rather curious.' His manners, his words, his attitude gave me confidence and I went in without hesitation. I felt as if I were entering the room of a dead person. The walls were all hung with black, but, instead of the white trimmings that usually set off that funereal upholstery, there was an enormous stave of music with the notes of the DIES IRAE, many times repeated. In the middle of the room was a canopy, from which hung curtains of red brocaded stuff, and, under the canopy, an open coffin. 'That is where I sleep,' said Erik. 'One has to get used to everything in life, even to eternity.' The sight upset me so much that I turned away my head"

- Chapter 12: Apollo's Lyre ~ Gaston Leroux

It is not a liberty of circumstance, conceded to us alone, that we wish; it is the adoption absolute of the principle that no man, born red, black or white, can be the property of his fellow man. ~ Toussaint Louverture

Now the question becomes finding the right Red, saying the right thing, finding the right place, and doing it all without anyone noticing the prince and his future princess communicating with a wanted terrorist. ~ Victoria Aveyard

I lay my body down in another city, another hotel room. Once Louis Armstrong and his band stayed here. Later the hotel fell to trash. New money resurrected it. Under the red moon of justice, I dream with the king of jazz. ~ Joy Harjo

How does Sting know she doesn't have to turn on the red light? I bet under different circumstances she'd love not to put on the red light, but she's got bills to pay. If he's telling her she doesn't have to turn on the red light, he needs to offer an alternative. I'd appreciate Sting's suggestion more if he followed, "You don't have to sell your body to the night," with "because I found you a stable nine-to-five that comes with benefits, a dental plan, and a matching 401K. ~ Steven Barker

Blood is blood and it's all red. Show me what's in your heart and in your eyes. ~ James Frey

We can get rid of red tape. ~ Charlie Daniels