You know the difference between a tornado and divorce in the south? Nothing! Someone is losing a trailer.
Interpretation
This quote humorously compares the devastation of a tornado to the emotional fallout of a divorce in the southern United States.
Robin Williams uses this quote to highlight the intense and often destructive nature of divorce, particularly in the southern US, where it is humorously likened to the chaos caused by a tornado. The joke hinges on the loss related to both events—losing a home in a tornado and losing a trailer (often associated with lower-income housing) in a divorce—pointing to the shared experience of loss, but through a comedic lens that emphasizes the absurdity of the situation.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a comedy show discussing relationships.
It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so quick that even I was like, 'Wow.' Because you have that initial warm feeling going, 'Oh, I remember this'. And your body does, too. And your body goes, 'Yeah, so do I'. Then the demon voice comes, 'Yeah, so do I. You know what would be great? You know we bought a little bottle before? A full bottle would be wonderful'.
I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go, 'Why did you do that?' But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people. There was always something that was worth it.
I've never been asked to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,' so I guess I mustn't be on the professional skids just yet.
The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'
I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.
Male authors always take care to make their heroes at least one inch taller than they are, and considerably more muscular. Just as female authors give their heroines better hair and slimmer thighs.
All my humor is based on destruction and despair. If the whole world were tranquil, without disease and violence, I'd be standing in the bread line - right in back of J. Edgar Hoover.
As a comedian, I found this thing, this profession, that suits my mind and life force. To drop it to do something else? I just don't get that.
Let a smile be your umbrella, and you'll end up with a face full of rain.
I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain't that the truth."
The greatest comedian I've ever seen is Jack Benny. He wasn't afraid of the silences.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.