I never learned anything while I was talking.

Larry King (1933–2021), famed for his long-running interview programs in radio and on CNN, often framed his success as rooted in curiosity and listening rather than performance. The line “I never learned anything while I was talking” is widely circulated as one of his interview maxims, reflecting the ethos behind his conversational style: ask direct questions, then get out of the way. It is typically quoted in discussions of broadcasting, leadership, and communication training as a reminder that an interviewer’s job is to draw others out. However, the quote is frequently repeated without a consistent, verifiable first publication or single definitive occasion.

The remark distills a practical philosophy of learning: speaking can assert what you already think you know, but listening exposes you to new information, perspectives, and corrections. In King’s professional context, it also functions as advice about power dynamics in conversation—especially interviews—where the person asking questions can be tempted to dominate airtime. The line implies humility (you are not the main source of insight) and discipline (silence as a tool). More broadly, it serves as a critique of performative talk: when conversation becomes self-display, it stops being inquiry, and learning stalls.

["I never learned anything when I was talking.", "I’ve never learned anything while I was talking.", "I never learned anything while I was speaking."]