Few things in life are more embarrassing than the necessity of having to inform an old friend that you have just got engaged to his fiancee.
W. C. FieldsRead
Now don't say you can't swear off drinking; it's easy. I've done it a thousand times.
Interpretation
This quote humorously suggests that giving up drinking is a simple task, as the speaker has repeatedly done it without difficulty.
W. C. Fields, known for his comedic persona, uses this quote to highlight the irony of self-control and the struggle many face with drinking. By asserting that he's sworn off alcohol numerous times, he conveys a mix of humor and truth about the challenges of addiction, implying that while it may seem easy to stop, the reality is often quite different.
In practice
In a comedy club setting, as a punchline after discussing personal challenges with alcohol.
Few things in life are more embarrassing than the necessity of having to inform an old friend that you have just got engaged to his fiancee.
Drown in a cold vat of whiskey? Death, where is thy sting?
I was married once--in San Francisco. I haven't seen her for many years. The great earthquake and fire in 1906 destroyed the marriage certificate. There's no legal proof. Which proves that earthquakes aren't all bad.
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.
Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven.
I never vote for anyone. I always vote against.
It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.
A fellow who has a funny bone can learn to hone his skills, but I don't think you can develop a funny bone - you either have it or you don't. And by the way - when you get it, we don't know it.
The loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
If you want to avoid seeing an idiot, break the mirror.
I am remarkably likeable. Few people have ever been as likeable as I am. There is, frankly, no end to my likeability. People gather together in public assemblies to discuss how much they like me. I have several awards, and a small medal from a small country in South America which pays tribute both to how much I am liked and my general all around wonderfulness. I don't have it on me, of course. I keep my medals in my sock drawer.
Percy wouldn't notice a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing one of Dobby's hats.
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