--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What do you tell a man with two black…" description: "\"What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.\" — Elmore Leonard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/elmore-leonard-3471_black_what-do-you-tell-a-man-with-two-black-ey_2675596.jpg" --- # What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's… ![“What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/elmore-leonard-3471_black_what-do-you-tell-a-man-with-two-black-ey_2675596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/elmore-leonard-3471_black_what-do-you-tell-a-man-with-two-black-ey_2675596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/elmore-leonard-3471_black_what-do-you-tell-a-man-with-two-black-ey_2675596.jpg) > “What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice.” [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The humor lies in the literal interpretation of “two black eyes” as being told twice. **In simple terms:** A pun about being told twice. Key Takeaway Appreciate wordplay in jokes. Themes humor language pun surprise Mood playful lighthearted Type comedic witty When to use this quote - social gatherings - stand‑up - casual conversation - writing comedy Key Concepts comedy wordplay irony Questions to Reflect On - Do you enjoy puns that rely on double meanings? - How does context affect comedic impact? A Different Perspective The joke may offend if taken literally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [I told you once I told you twice, the next time I won't be so nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/i-told-you-once-i-told-you-twice-the-next-time-i-won-t-be-so-nice/) [Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/) > [“I take a step back. Stuart looks back at me but doesn’t take his eyes off of the men, "Run." He says flatly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brown/i-take-a-step-back-stuart-looks-back-at-me-but-doesn-t-take-his-eyes/) [Tara Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brown/) > [No love-story has ever been told twice. I never heard any tale of lovers that did not seem to me as new as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-farjeon/no-love-story-has-ever-been-told-twice-i-never-heard-any-tale-of/) [Eleanor Farjeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-farjeon/) > [I done told you twice already goddammit no!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-bedford-forrest/i-done-told-you-twice-already-goddammit-no/) [Nathan Bedford Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-bedford-forrest/) > [“Oh, what is that bird?' 'It is a wheatear. We have seen between two and three hundred since we set out, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/oh-what-is-that-bird-it-is-a-wheatear-we-have-seen-between-two-and/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Cool! I don't have to be told twice. I'm a monster not a Morin." He moved quickly back to the bed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast/cool-i-don-t-have-to-be-told-twice-i-m-a-monster-not-a-morin-he-moved/) [P.C. Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast/) > [I have some speakers up here, thank God, because last night I didn't have them and I was telling jokes and I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-some-speakers-up-here-thank-god-because-last-night-i-didn-t/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“Too bad Guy interrupted," I said as we snuck around the rear of the building. "Otherwise, I could have just walked you down here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/too-bad-guy-interrupted-i-said-as-we-snuck-around-the-rear-of-the/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Cause I told you once. Now I told you twice. We gon' light it up. Like it's dynamite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taio-cruz/cause-i-told-you-once-now-i-told-you-twice-we-gon-light-it-up-like-it/) [Taio Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taio-cruz/) > [“I rolled my eyes." Has anyone told you you have the maturity level of a four-year-old?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/i-rolled-my-eyes-has-anyone-told-you-you-have-the-maturity-level-of-a/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [She looked up at him and said,"What did you say?" "You have beautiful eyes." "You told my father that he has beautiful eyes?" He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-maclean/she-looked-up-at-him-and-said-what-did-you-say-you-have-beautiful/) [Sarah MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-maclean/) > [“He had tears in his eyes even as he told her not to cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamila-shamsie/he-had-tears-in-his-eyes-even-as-he-told-her-not-to-cry/) [Kamila Shamsie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamila-shamsie/) > [“When she reached the other two overseers, she let them see her, let them try to draw their blades. She knew it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/when-she-reached-the-other-two-overseers-she-let-them-see-her-let/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“When we opened our eyes and he stared down at me, smoothing my hair back and tucking a piece behind my ear, his eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/when-we-opened-our-eyes-and-he-stared-down-at-me-smoothing-my-hair/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [“My eyes would have told you everything you wanted to know in the parlor ... You would never have spouted that drivel about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/my-eyes-would-have-told-you-everything-you-wanted-to-know-in-the/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) ## More by Elmore Leonard > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. 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It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/there-s-something-happening-here-i-know-it-it-s-right-in-front-of-my/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-line-of-dialogue-belongs-to-the-character-the-verb-is-the-writer/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-try-to-leave-out-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-have-fun-writing-i-don-t-make-it-a-chore-i-don-t-have-to-struggle/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-it-sounds-like-writing-i-rewrite-it-or-if-proper-usage-gets-in-the/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-think-writers-compete-i-think-they-re-all-doing-separate/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/after-58-years-you-d-think-writing-would-get-easier-it-doesn-t-if-you/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/he-saw-harvey-and-edgar-catch-each-other-s-eye-as-he-looked-off/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-m-not-going-to-write-for-posterity-i-m-going-to-write-to-make-a-buck/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/a-wife-s-faithful-to-her-husband-subject-to-him-it-s-in-the-bible/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Try not to write the parts that people skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/try-not-to-write-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-want-the-reader-to-know-what-s-going-on-so-there-s-never-a-mystery/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Explore all 130 Elmore Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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