Recently became aware of "Bless your heart" I was considering how DL may be a font of such phrases. Wondering if others have a favorite go to stinger.
Favorite backhanded compliments
by Anonymous | reply 42 | July 11, 2025 2:22 AM |
If someone shows off an item and says how inexpensive it was - just say "Ah - cheap clothes suit you!" or cheap jewelry / other.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | July 10, 2025 6:44 PM |
When shown a new article of clothing, haircut, etc.: "I love that you're not afraid to just be yourself!"
by Anonymous | reply 2 | July 10, 2025 6:54 PM |
I hope you have the day that you deserve!
by Anonymous | reply 3 | July 10, 2025 6:56 PM |
John Gielgud was a master of this in the dressing room, after a performance:
"You've done it again!"
"You've never been better."
Always accompanied by a vigorous hand clasp or embrace.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 10, 2025 7:00 PM |
Sez you
by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 10, 2025 7:08 PM |
LOL R4. Tony Randall said once that when he saw a friend in a play that wasn't very good, he would go backstage and say: "Well - that was really SOMETHING!"
He said he stopped when someone said it to him after a show.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 10, 2025 7:09 PM |
How interesting
by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 10, 2025 7:13 PM |
I was told the appropriate response to a theatre performance went you went backstage was Fabulous, darling, fabulous!
by Anonymous | reply 8 | July 10, 2025 7:18 PM |
Just now heard of “bless your heart”? Well, bless your heart.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | July 10, 2025 7:19 PM |
What a darling maternity dress... oh, sorry.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | July 10, 2025 7:21 PM |
The classic backstage comment came from Estelle Winwood: "Oh, darling, if only you could have been out there in the audience with me!"
by Anonymous | reply 11 | July 10, 2025 7:34 PM |
“ This is a nice car .. for you. “
by Anonymous | reply 12 | July 10, 2025 7:36 PM |
R4 in the same vein I use "that was really something!" Never said it was something [italic]good.[/italic] I'm definitely adding "you've never been better!" to my repertoire.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | July 10, 2025 7:41 PM |
Oops I just read R6, sorry!
by Anonymous | reply 14 | July 10, 2025 7:42 PM |
You're a wonder!
by Anonymous | reply 15 | July 10, 2025 7:43 PM |
God love you, OP!
by Anonymous | reply 16 | July 10, 2025 7:45 PM |
In her book (No Bed of Roses), Joan Fontaine says her sister Olivia de Havilland said to her after a performance, "Well, that was really something!"
Joan then asks the reader: "Something is what?"
by Anonymous | reply 17 | July 10, 2025 7:47 PM |
"If that's the kind of (dress, shirt, car, etc.) you wanted, you certainly got a good one!"
by Anonymous | reply 18 | July 10, 2025 7:49 PM |
visiting someone’s tacky home: “somebody’s been busy in here!”
by Anonymous | reply 19 | July 10, 2025 7:50 PM |
"Bless your heart" *can* be meant sincerely. "How nice..." almost never is, as the "...for you, you hateful cunt" is silent.
And Judy Garland's backstage comment apparently was, "How DO you do it?!"
by Anonymous | reply 20 | July 10, 2025 7:55 PM |
"Well, look at you!"
by Anonymous | reply 21 | July 10, 2025 7:56 PM |
"You're likable enough, Hillary." *smiles*
by Anonymous | reply 22 | July 10, 2025 7:59 PM |
Once, when asked what i thought of a terrible show, i replied,.what did u think ..to a performer, who was in ithe show...i knew this. He replied, its My show...and i replied, it Sure is. It was Bad...my friends hubby kept giving out throughout the show and sayjng he was Never coming to a show again it was Bad.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | July 10, 2025 9:02 PM |
"You're very brave. "
"I could never do that!"
by Anonymous | reply 24 | July 10, 2025 9:21 PM |
Never knew that Bless your heart was a backhanded compliment
by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 10, 2025 9:26 PM |
I’m in the South and I’ve never heard “Bless your heart” used in a backhanded manner. I’ve only heard it from one person and sh would be 82 if she were still alive. I feel like this is a phrase that has gotten popular on the internet but not used in actual real life.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | July 10, 2025 9:30 PM |
This is R7 - for a moment I thought R8 was giving me shade. LOL
by Anonymous | reply 27 | July 10, 2025 9:35 PM |
I'm R6 so switch that around.....I thought R7 was giving me shade.
Maybe DL should have a 15 drinks a day limit like Carnival.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | July 10, 2025 9:37 PM |
My dementia-riddled mom would say if you gained weight,
“Wow, you really filled out nice!”
She would say it it with a wide-eyed, sincere and disarming tone that had the whole family howling with laughter.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | July 10, 2025 10:05 PM |
After meeting my skinny mother years before, on meeting Dad's younger brother's new fiancé said, "At least this one is well-fed"
by Anonymous | reply 30 | July 10, 2025 10:09 PM |
I get the shade in R30, but my mind cannot figure out the relationship: "Dad's younger brother's new fiancé"!
by Anonymous | reply 31 | July 10, 2025 11:03 PM |
r31, soon to be aunt in law
by Anonymous | reply 32 | July 10, 2025 11:04 PM |
Have YOU ever been into space?
by Anonymous | reply 33 | July 10, 2025 11:12 PM |
Have YOU ever had an intelligent thought?
by Anonymous | reply 34 | July 10, 2025 11:16 PM |
Along the lines of some of the foregoing, "You're looking prosperous!" (said cheerfully to a man) really meant, "You've put on a bit of weight, bub" a century ago. I've made use of the expression a few times (to people who had no idea what I was getting at).
by Anonymous | reply 35 | July 11, 2025 12:53 AM |
"You have such a pretty face" (said to a fat girl)
by Anonymous | reply 36 | July 11, 2025 1:18 AM |
That joke gets funnier every time you tell it…
by Anonymous | reply 37 | July 11, 2025 1:25 AM |
"Oh, Lucy, that dress looks divine on you!"
"Oh, you really like it?"
"You know I always have."
by Anonymous | reply 38 | July 11, 2025 1:45 AM |
That pattern is flawless, it just works on ANYONE.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | July 11, 2025 1:56 AM |
Whenever people say bad things about you, I rush to yours defense.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | July 11, 2025 2:01 AM |
[quote]After meeting my skinny mother years before,
WHO met your skinny mother?
[quote] on meeting Dad's younger brother's new fiancé
So.... your uncle's fiance. Took a little bit to wrap my head around that clunky phrase but that I got.
[quote]said, "At least this one is well-fed"
WHO said?
Who met your mom, and who said your future aunt was fat?
Learn to write and how to tell a story because you're terrible at both.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | July 11, 2025 2:12 AM |
"Interesting."
by Anonymous | reply 42 | July 11, 2025 2:22 AM |