In response to a heckler at his concert at Toronto's Massey Hall in the late 1980's who complained that he could not hear Waits, he replied: 'I haven't screamed as much since the pigs ate my baby brother!'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author uses dark humor to express frustration with audience complaints about volume.
- In plain terms
- He jokes about screaming loudly by referencing a violent family story.
- What can you take from it?
- Humor can defuse criticism by escalating the absurdity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you respond to unfair criticism?
- When is dark humor appropriate?
Another view
The joke relies on shock value which might offend some.
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