Dorothy Parker, as quoted in Irving Hoffman "Tales of Hoffman", The Hollywood Reporter (January 14, 1942), p. 3. This appears to be simply a variation—which Parker herself may well have never actually uttered—on the following exchange, as reported almost two years earlier by Walter Winchell:(March 8, 1940), On Broadway work: The Binghamton Press, page: 27
Colleague: I don't believe in any of the isms.
Dorothy Parker: Except plagiarism.
Colleague: I don't believe in any of the isms.
Dorothy Parker: Except plagiarism.
“
The only -ism Hollywood believes in is plagiarism.
— Dorothy Parker on Hollywood
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The only -ism Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." in the context of "Dorothy Parker, as quoted in Irving Hoffman "Tales of Hoffman", The Hollywood Reporter (January 14, 1942), p. 3. This appears to be simply a variation—which Parker herself may well have never actually uttered—on the following exchange, as reported almost two years earlier by Walter Winchell:(March 8, 1940), On Broadway work: The Binghamton Press, page: 27
Colleague: I don't believe in any of the isms.
Dorothy Parker: Except plagiarism." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Hollywood" (Quotes, N–W)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American writer, poet, and critic. A fixture of 1920s literary society known for her acerbic wit and low opinion of romantic relationships, she became a member of the Algonquin Round Table.
About Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American writer, poet, and critic. A fixture of 1920s literary society known for her acerbic wit and low opinion of romantic relationships, she became a member of the Algonquin Round Table.
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