[Ads-l] say the quiet part out loud

Wed Jul 2 04:58:35 UTC 2025

A fan of the Simpsons highlighted the line in September 1996 in a
message sent to the Usenet newsgroup alt.tv.simpsons.
In 1997, 1998, and 1999 the line was noticed in multiple pop-culture
Usenet newsgroups such as:

alt.religion.kibology
alt.fan.cecil-adams
rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc
alt.games.final-fantasy

The scene was mentioned in a Simpsons quiz in 1998, and a short audio
file was created in 1999.
Please double check these citations before using any of them because I
created this quickly.

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: Sep 19, 1996, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: alt.tv.simpsons
From: Andrew Scheer
Subject: Worst Episode
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.tv.simpsons/c/BTaQDq5VhVE/m/9EJwY2_BMlEJ

[Begin excerpt]
There were so many great quotes from that episode! How could you not like it?

Krusty: Let's just say it moved me...TO A BIGGER HOUSE!!! Oh no, I said
the loud part quiet and the quiet part loud.
[End excerpt]

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: Mar 27, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: alt.religion.kibology
From: Jaffo
Subject: ... FOR A GOOD TIME ...

[Begin excerpt]
Uh, bruce?
I think you said the quiet part loud, and the loud part quiet.
[End excerpt]

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: May 29, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: alt.fan.cecil-adams
From: ja... at kensico.com
Subject: afca credit card
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.fan.cecil-adams/c/k-iOLQEPxRg/m/xf4LlKTez9oJ

[Begin excerpt]
Muuhahaha! The Master Plan has commenced! Soon, people will be swearing
allegience to Uncle Cece, INC.

Oops, I said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet. Please
disregard this message, or bodies will disappear into the night.
Dangnabbit, i did it again.
[End excerpt]

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: Apr 14, 1998, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc
From: Joe B
Subject: Lost In Space...You Bastards

[Begin excerpt]
Oops...I said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet.
[End excerpt]

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: May 26, 1998, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: alt.games.final-fantasy
From: Jesse Dorland
Subject: "The Simpsons" Quiz #3 - Answers
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.games.final-fantasy/c/pIPu1KgV-tM/m/Dd1p8FeN0IUJ

[Begin excerpt]
17. (Part 1 of 4) In the Film Festival episode, Mr. Burns tries to win
the festival by bribing two of the judges. Which judges does he bribe?

ANSWER: Krusty and Mayor Quimby
Krusty: "Let's just say Burns' film moved me.... INTO A BIGGER HOUSE!!!
Uh-oh! I said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet!"
[End excerpt]

Usenet discussion message (Google Groups Search)
Timestamp: Jan 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM
Newsgroup: alt.tv.simpsons
From: Wav King
Subject: New wavs here!!
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.tv.simpsons/c/00amC9wf5-0/m/pAZyd0iov84J

[Begin excerpt]
MovedMe 92k Let's just say it moved me - to a bigger house! Uh oh, I
said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet, oh dear
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Tue, Jul 1, 2025 at 11:48 PM John Baker
<0000192d2eeb9639-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Apparently there was a 2006 short film titled “i said the loud part quiet and the quiet part loud.”  It was written, directed and produced by Tara Thorne and featured Jill Barber. That is the earliest reference to the quote that I see (but I did not look very hard). The film did not make much of a splash and is not even on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).
>
> The film, like other relatively early references, used the same wording that was in the TV show.  But “said the quiet part out loud” (with no mention of the loud part) seems to have emerged as the now standard wording.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
> > On Jul 1, 2025, at 4:42 PM, Jonathan Lighter <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > Interesting that it took twenty years for many people to notice.
> >
> > JL
> >
> >> On Tue, Jul 1, 2025 at 2:22 PM Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> This is in fact a Simpsons reference, from the episode "A Star is Burns",
> >> from March 5, 1995.
> >>
> >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMHt481HsFU
> >>
> >> Jesse Sheidlower
> >>
> >>> On Tue, Jul 01, 2025 at 02:15:40PM -0400, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >>> 'To utter openly and unapologetically something that would be expected to
> >>> be hidden or kept quiet'
> >>>
> >>> I've heard this many, many times on cable news for several years -
> >> usually
> >>> in political contexts.
> >>>
> >>> 2017 _South Florida Sun-Sentinel_ (Fort Lauderdale) (Dec. 2) 11A
> >>> [Newspapers.com]:  Sen. Marco Rubio...said the quiet parts out
> >> loud...."We
> >>> have to generate economic growth revenue...while reducing spending. That
> >>> will mean instituting structural changes to Social Security and Medicare
> >>> for the future."
> >>>
> >>> 2020 _Daily Oklahoman_ (Apr. 8) B2 [GenealogyBank]: It's about him
> >>> saying the quiet part out loud regarding how many college coaches view
> >>> their players.
> >>>
> >>> JL
> >>> --
> >>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >> truth."
> >>>
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org