Are You A Smart@$$?

By Staff Writer
March 14, 2002

Sarcasm. I believe it all began many years ago when Sherlock was digging in a yard with Watson. Watson, ever the lazy one, concluded that there was no s-t in the yard. However Sherlock, the determined one, told Watson to “keep digging.” And so sarcasm, and its sister, the comeback, was born.

Since then, sarcasm (defined as a “cutting remark”) has had an irresistible effect on pop-culture. For the quick-witted, it can be a bruising remark to a foe, designed to insult their intelligence. To the slow-witted, it most likely meant that high school was really, really bad.

Television shows have adopted such a technique, with characters like Chandler Bing on “Friends,” who feels the need to add his own drum shots to his witty remarks. There is also the character of George Costanza on “Seinfeld,” who was the recipient of many sarcastic remarks.

Many people will remember the classic exchange between George and his coworkers, when he is eating all the shrimp at the table. “George, the ocean called, and they’re running out of shrimp.” To which George replied, “Well, the jerk store called, and they’re running out of you!” Never to be outdone, George added the ever crippling, “Well, I slept with your wife last night!”

Sarcasm is not just something used on television or in movies, but something that can be heard in almost any social situation. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared one comeback that his baseball coach gave him. “I was saying something really obnoxious to my coach, so he just looked at me and said, ‘If I wanted to hear from an a- -hole I would have farted.'”

Others, like sophomore English/communications major Brian Fry, likes to make things personal. “When I was in eighth grade I used to like to say, ‘Your Mom!’ to people.”

So, no matter what the topic of conversation is, chances are there is a comeback or some sarcastic remark to be made. That’s all Captain Obvious, now try not to get a paper cut from turning the page.

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