Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[calcaneous]

Hi, guys.
I was watching "Two and a Half Men" the other night, and didn't quite understand some of the lines Alan said. The one that's been bothering me most is "If open mike night in the burn ward is over..." (or something like that)

Possibly he meant open mic. night. That would make more sense. I guess. I included a part of the script in this post so that you would have some understanding of what was going on in that sitcom.

It'd be really appreciated, if someone can explain to me what Alan's metaphor meant.


<Script>
Alan:Morning.
Berta:Great googly-mooglies!
What the hell happened to you?
Alan:I'm not sure.
Berta:Looks like you got bit on the face by one of them ebola monkeys.
Alan:I don't think so Berta.
Berta:I mean, you weren't exactly eye candy going in, but ,now, woof!
you could scare the flies off a manure truck.
Alan:Thank you. Until you said that,I was feeling a little self-conscious.
Berta:Aw, you know I'm razzing you, don't you?
Alan:Yeah.
Berta:I mean, it's really not that...
Oh sweet Lord, I'm gonna lose my eggoes!
Alan:Okay, if open mike night in the burn ward is over,
I am just gonna make myself some breakfast and get out of here
before Charlie's new girlfriend gets up.

[asterix]

An open mike means a microphone that is active, (turned on).
People, especially politicians, sometimes embarrass themselves by making rude remarks, which are picked up by microphones they thought were turned off.

Injuries caused by burns are extremely disfiguring, often horrifyingly so.
The implication is, that Berta's remarks are the sort of thing that might be said in a burn ward by an insensitive person who did not know that her remarks were being recorded.

It is supposed to be funny in a dark way.

[CP]

In comedy clubs, open mic night is the night when amateurs are allowed to try out their acts. Most people who do it are not very good, though. So the remark also implies that Berta was trying hard to be funny, but failing.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[calcaneous]

:D Thanks guys~!!