A row of wooden clothespin figures queued in front of a small brass bell on a maroon cushion.

Original artwork, not a still

Peter Venkman

I don't have to take this abuse from you, I've got hundreds of people dying to abuse me.

— Ghostbusters ‧ 1984

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

A cocky comeback with a twist. The speaker refuses to put up with mistreatment because plenty of others are supposedly eager to do the same thing. The joke lies in "dying to abuse me", which flips a complaint into bragging about being in demand.

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