witticism

“Could an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”

“How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?”

The president appeared briefly baffled, and witticisms flowed for the next day or so on both sides of the Atlantic.

The saying — believed to be a witticism about Parker’s own romantic foibles — has been used on the show in some form at least a dozen times since 1985, according to the fan-operated J! archive.

Incidentally, it’s not the first time the adage — believed to be a witticism about Parker’s own romantic foibles — has been used on the show.