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Figaro rips the innards out of things people say and reveals the rhetorical tricks and pratfalls. For terms and definitions, click here.
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Monday
03Oct

What’s O.J.'s Next Gig? A Knife Convention?

DateMonday, October 3, 2005 at 09:30AM

horror.3.jpgQuote:  "I'm not doing this for my health." O.J. Simpson, appearing at a horror comic book convention.

Figure of Speech:  litotes (lie TOE tees), the negative understatement

The litotes makes a point by denying its opposite.  The result is an ironic understatement, and an appropriate answer to a stupid question.   "I'm not doing this out of good taste"  would have made a better litotes.  Still, showing up at a horror convention after being acquitted of a double murder certainly isn't healthy.

Snappy Answer:  "Instead of signing my comic book, can you stab it?"

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