Beethoven was so hard of hearing, he thought he was a painter.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Carlin jokes that Beethoven's hearing loss led him to think he was a painter.
- In plain terms
- A joke about Beethoven confusing his profession due to deafness.
- What can you take from it?
- Disability can lead to absurd misunderstandings about one's identity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we joke about historical figures?
- Is this funny or offensive?
Another view
It mocks a historical figure's disability.
More from George Carlin
[T]he difference between left and right of center : originated in the French parliament. The people left of center were liberals; the people right of center we…
Permalink to quote #74 George Washington's brother, Lawrence, was the Uncle of Our Country.
Permalink to quote #76 When fascism comes to America, it will not be in brown and black shirts. It will not be with jack-boots. It will be Nike sneakers and Smiley shirts : Germany l…
Permalink to quote #73
Related quotes
I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself h…
Jascha HeifetzJascha Heifetz quote #1 Of Beethoven - 'Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man'
Thomas BeechamThomas Beecham quote #16 On Beethoven's Seventh Symphony: 'What can you do with it? It's like a lot of yaks jumping about.'
Thomas BeechamThomas Beecham quote #17