The New Yorker runs a regular humor feature called “Shouts & Murmurs.” It specializes in irony, which makes it right up my alley. The latest installment is titled “The Devil Critiques Expressions That Mention Him,” and it is exactly as advertised. But I have a few critiques of the critique. Here they are.
Right off the bat, they get the first expression all wrong. It’s not “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” It should be “Idle hands are the devil’s plaything.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for poetic license, especially when it comes to the Lord of Darkness. But don’t these folks know the difference between work and play? I mean, clearly the devil’s a player, but he’s no worker bee – and definitely not a drone.
Then, there are the ones they missed altogether. Where’s “The devil you say?” How about “I had a devil of a good time!” “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t” – that’s gotta be in there somewhere, right? Is “Devil’s Island” not even worthy of a casual mention? Or, “The devil wears Prada.” What, you think Satan’s not extremely fashion conscious? Well think again!
Then of course, there’s “devil’s food cake,” and the related “devilishly delicious.” I won’t even mention “deviled eggs” because I’m not crazy about them, but you get the picture. I just think they didn’t think this all the way through. Then again, maybe I’m playing “devil’s advocate?”
Beside’s the fact that I love deviled eggs, don’t forget the Motown classic: “Devil in a Blue Dress” (with “Good Golly Miss Molly”) which Bruce Springsteen did so well.