34 Years Later, the Best-Ever ‘Far Side’ Quote Will Still Leave You Speechless
The article argues that Gary Larson’s best “Far Side” quote works because it delivers a joke without relying on the cartoon’s visual. After considering more philosophical or inspirational lines, the writer concludes that Larson’s strength was sharp, often dark humour rather than lofty reflection.
The chosen caption, from a 1992 comic, asks: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around, and it hits a mime, does anyone care?” The writer says it captures Larson’s mix of silliness and macabre humour, while making the punchline clear on its own. An earlier contender, “Welcome to hell… here’s your accordion,” was set aside because its joke depends more heavily on the image.
- The article picks a 1992 Far Side caption as Larson’s best quote.
- Its joke combines dark humour with a familiar philosophical question.
- The writer says the line works without needing the cartoon’s image.
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The Far Side is a comic strip created by American cartoonist Gary Larson. It became known for single-panel jokes about animals, people and everyday situations, often with absurd or dark twists.
A cartoon caption has to work with its image, but some lines can also make sense on their own. Larson’s humour often turned familiar ideas into unexpected jokes, which is why readers and writers continue to debate which of his captions best represents the strip.
The 1992 caption mentioned here plays on the thought experiment of whether a falling tree makes a sound if nobody is there to hear it. It adds a darkly comic twist involving a mime, a performer who communicates without speaking.