--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you cut it up, put the pieces in…" description: "\"When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and swallowed them, the British hamburger shaped itself to the bottom on your stomach like ballast, wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/clive-james-2750_airships_when-you-cut-it-up-put-the-pieces-in-you_2639081.jpg" --- # When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and… ![“When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and swallowed them, the British hamburger shaped itself to the bottom on your stomach like ballast, while interacting with your gastric juices to form an incipient belch of enormous potential, an airship which had been inflated in a garage. This…” quote by Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/clive-james-2750_airships_when-you-cut-it-up-put-the-pieces-in-you_2639081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/clive-james-2750_airships_when-you-cut-it-up-put-the-pieces-in-you_2639081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/clive-james-2750_airships_when-you-cut-it-up-put-the-pieces-in-you_2639081.jpg) > “When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and swallowed them, the British hamburger shaped itself to the bottom on your stomach like ballast, while interacting with your gastric juices to form an incipient belch of enormous potential, an airship which had been inflated in a garage. This belch, when silently released, would cause people standing twenty yards away to start examining the soles of their shoes. The vocalized version sounded like a bag of tools thrown into a bog.” [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid, humorous description of a swallowed burger turning into a noisy, balloon‑like belch that draws attention. **In simple terms:** A burger causes a loud, funny belch. Key Takeaway Enjoy absurd humor. Themes humor bodily functions absurdity Mood amusing irreverent light‑hearted Type comedic literary When to use this quote - dining experiences - stand‑up comedy - creative writing - social gatherings Key Concepts sensory description comic exaggeration Questions to Reflect On - What makes absurd descriptions funny? - When does humor become offensive? A Different Perspective May be too graphic for some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Airships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airships/) [Ballast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballast/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Gastric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gastric/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [The British hamburger thus symbolised, with savage neatness, the country's failure to provide its ordinary people with food which did anything more for them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-british-hamburger-thus-symbolised-with-savage-neatness-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could eat like a king - rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical-british-hamburger-meal/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In recent years, perhaps encouraged by competition from McDonald's, the British hamburger has become a credit to the nation. At the time of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-recent-years-perhaps-encouraged-by-competition-from-mcdonald-s-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [I've always felt that stylists such as you have in America are ashamed of a car and are preoccupied with making it look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-issigonis/i-ve-always-felt-that-stylists-such-as-you-have-in-america-are/) [Alec Issigonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-issigonis/) > [I pick projects according to how fascinating they are to me, and it has resulted in a broad reach. My records are actually in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fossett/i-pick-projects-according-to-how-fascinating-they-are-to-me-and-it/) [Steve Fossett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fossett/) > [India - The land of Vedas, the remarkable works contain not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/india-the-land-of-vedas-the-remarkable-works-contain-not-only/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [The advantage of using airships in remote areas with little road infrastructure to support development is clear. Airships could ensure the delivery of humanitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/the-advantage-of-using-airships-in-remote-areas-with-little-road/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [The cost of building large airships can be prohibitive. The entry barrier is considerable and could be a show-stopper for large-scale projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/the-cost-of-building-large-airships-can-be-prohibitive-the-entry/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [With undead armies, psychotic angels and exploding airships, Scar Night is a gripping, ripping yarn which rattles along at a great pace. Tether all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/with-undead-armies-psychotic-angels-and-exploding-airships-scar-night/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [To my utter astonishment I saw an airship descending over my cow lot. It was occupied by six of the strangest beings I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/to-my-utter-astonishment-i-saw-an-airship-descending-over-my-cow-lot/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [“There is no point in expending good money on the pursuit of an engine that can power aircraft without propellers. What is wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/there-is-no-point-in-expending-good-money-on-the-pursuit-of-an-engine/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [One of the reasons I wrote 'Airborn' was that I'd fallen in love with the great passenger airships which flew in the '20s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/one-of-the-reasons-i-wrote-airborn-was-that-i-d-fallen-in-love-with/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [Airships could be part of the answer to Africa's infrastructure woes - if the financial challenges are overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/airships-could-be-part-of-the-answer-to-africa-s-infrastructure-woes/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) ## More by Clive James > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [My wife spoke perfect Italian and she was very beautiful and very suave Italian men were crowding around her, talking all the time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/my-wife-spoke-perfect-italian-and-she-was-very-beautiful-and-very/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The streets, at least in this part of town, seemed impossibly clean in comparison to London. The public telephones were unvandalised. For a London…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-streets-at-least-in-this-part-of-town-seemed-impossibly-clean-in/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In London there was no home cooking worthy of the name. When you were in funds you ate out. But only the people whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-london-there-was-no-home-cooking-worthy-of-the-name-when-you-were/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Generally it is our failures that civilize us. Triumph confirms us in our habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/generally-it-is-our-failures-that-civilize-us-triumph-confirms-us-in/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [I try to be specific. One thought at a time. Clear. Articulate. And above all, memorable, if you can be. You'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/i-try-to-be-specific-one-thought-at-a-time-clear-articulate-and-above/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Pound had argued - and Eliot had helped him prove - that a poem could be sustained by memorable moments. Olson proved that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/pound-had-argued-and-eliot-had-helped-him-prove-that-a-poem-could-be/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [A luxury liner is really just a bad play surrounded by water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-luxury-liner-is-really-just-a-bad-play-surrounded-by-water/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [One way or another, all the poets of the thirties and forties reacted to Auden, either by rejecting him or trying to absorb him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/one-way-or-another-all-the-poets-of-the-thirties-and-forties-reacted/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Little books are the things to write at my age, I've decided. Avoid the big ones, go for the little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/little-books-are-the-things-to-write-at-my-age-i-ve-decided-avoid-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Too many of my friends are dead, and others wrecked By various diseases of the intellect Or failing body. How am I still upright?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/too-many-of-my-friends-are-dead-and-others-wrecked-by-various/) [clive james](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [A sceptic finds Dallas absurd. A cynic thinks the public doesn't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-sceptic-finds-dallas-absurd-a-cynic-thinks-the-public-doesn-t/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The Canadian version of Julius Caesar's memoirs? I came, I saw, I coped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-canadian-version-of-julius-caesar-s-memoirs-i-came-i-saw-i-coped/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Rilke used to say that no poet would mind going to gaol, since he would at least have time to explore the treasure house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/rilke-used-to-say-that-no-poet-would-mind-going-to-gaol-since-he/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The thing about making a documentary in Las Vegas is there isn't much to film apart from other people making documentaries about Las Vegas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-thing-about-making-a-documentary-in-las-vegas-is-there-isn-t-much/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) [Explore all 151 Clive James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## More Airships quotes > [True, the fragile bodies of his fellows do not weigh down his plane; true, the fretful minds of weaker men are missing from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/true-the-fragile-bodies-of-his-fellows-do-not-weigh-down-his-plane/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [Airships could be part of the answer to Africa's infrastructure woes - if the financial challenges are overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/airships-could-be-part-of-the-answer-to-africa-s-infrastructure-woes/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [One of the reasons I wrote 'Airborn' was that I'd fallen in love with the great passenger airships which flew in the '20s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/one-of-the-reasons-i-wrote-airborn-was-that-i-d-fallen-in-love-with/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [“There is no point in expending good money on the pursuit of an engine that can power aircraft without propellers. What is wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/there-is-no-point-in-expending-good-money-on-the-pursuit-of-an-engine/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [To my utter astonishment I saw an airship descending over my cow lot. It was occupied by six of the strangest beings I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/to-my-utter-astonishment-i-saw-an-airship-descending-over-my-cow-lot/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [With undead armies, psychotic angels and exploding airships, Scar Night is a gripping, ripping yarn which rattles along at a great pace. Tether all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/with-undead-armies-psychotic-angels-and-exploding-airships-scar-night/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [The cost of building large airships can be prohibitive. The entry barrier is considerable and could be a show-stopper for large-scale projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/the-cost-of-building-large-airships-can-be-prohibitive-the-entry/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [The advantage of using airships in remote areas with little road infrastructure to support development is clear. Airships could ensure the delivery of humanitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/the-advantage-of-using-airships-in-remote-areas-with-little-road/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [India - The land of Vedas, the remarkable works contain not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/india-the-land-of-vedas-the-remarkable-works-contain-not-only/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [I pick projects according to how fascinating they are to me, and it has resulted in a broad reach. My records are actually in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fossett/i-pick-projects-according-to-how-fascinating-they-are-to-me-and-it/) [Steve Fossett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fossett/) > [I've always felt that stylists such as you have in America are ashamed of a car and are preoccupied with making it look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-issigonis/i-ve-always-felt-that-stylists-such-as-you-have-in-america-are/) [Alec Issigonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-issigonis/) [Browse all 12 Airships quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airships/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and swallowed them, the British hamburger shaped itself to the bottom on your stomach like ballast, while interacting with your gastric juices to form an incipient belch of enormous potential, an airship which had been inflated in a garage. 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