Joker (2019): “How About Another Joke, Murray?” [Transcript]

CLASSIC SCENE

Arthur is invited to appear on Murray’s show due to the popularity of his stand-up routine clips. Before the show goes live, Arthur requests that Murray introduce him as Joker – a reference to Murray’s mockery. Arthur waltzes out to applause, but the mood changes when he behaves lewdly, tells morbid jokes, confesses to the train murders, rants about how society abandons the downtrodden and mentally ill, and berates Murray for mocking him on the previous segment. Murray’s enthusiasm for Arthur quickly turns, and as he threatens to call the police, Arthur shoots him in the head on live television.

* * *

Joker: …killed those three Wall Street guys.

[Audience gasps and murmurs]

Murray: Okay, I’m waiting for the punchline.

Joker: There is no punchline. It’s not a joke.

[Audience murmurs]

Murray: You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re telling us you killed those three young men on the subway?

Joker: Hm-hmm.

Murray: And why should we believe you?

Joker: I ain’t got nothing left to lose. Nothing can hurt me anymore. [Chuckles] My life is nothing but a comedy.

[Audience murmuring and booing]

Murray: Let me get this straight. You think that killing those guys is funny?

Joker: I do. And I’m tired of pretending it’s not. Comedy is subjective, Murray. Isn’t it what they say? All of you… the system that knows so much… you decide what’s right or wrong? The same way that you decide what’s funny, or not.

Audience member: Get him off!

Murray: Okay, I think I might understand that you… did this to start a movement? To become a symbol?

Joker: Come on, Murray… Do I look like the kind of clown that could start a movement? I killed those guys because they were awful. Everybody is awful these days. It’s enough to make anyone crazy.

Murray: Okay, so that’s it. You’re crazy. That’s your defense for killing three young men?

Joker: Nah. They couldn’t carry a tune to save their lives.

[Audience booing]

Joker: Oh, why is everybody so upset about these guys? If it was me dying on the sidewalk, you’d walk right over me! I pass you every day and you don’t notice me but these guys, what, because Thomas Wayne went and cried about them on TV?

Murray: You have a problem with Thomas Wayne too?

Joker: Yes, I do. Have you seen what it’s like out there, Murray? Do you ever actually leave the studio? Everybody just yells and screams at each other. Nobody’s civil anymore! Nobody thinks what it’s like to be the other guy! You think men like Thomas Wayne ever think what it’s like to be someone like me? To be somebody but themselves? They don’t. They think that we’ll just sit there and take it like good little boys. That we won’t werewolf and go wild!

Murray: You finished? I mean, it’s so much self-pity, Arthur. You sound like you’re making excuses for killing those young men! Not everybody, and I’ll tell you this, not everyone is awful.

Joker: You’re awful, Murray.

Murray: Me? I’m awful? Oh yeah, how am I awful?

Joker: Playing my video. Inviting me on the show. You just wanted to make fun of me. You’re just like the rest of them!

Murray: You don’t know the first thing about me, pal. Look what happened because of what you did, what it led to. There are riots out there. Two policemen are in critical condition, and you’re laughing, you’re laughing. Someone was killed today because of what you did.

Joker: I know! How about another joke, Murray?

Murray: No, I think we’ve had enough of your jokes.

Joker: What do you get…

Murray: I don’t think so.

Joker: …when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash!?

Murray: Call the police, Gene, call the police.

Joker: I’ll tell you what you get! You get what you fucking deserve!

[Arthur shoots Murray in the head]

[Audience screaming]

[Arthur Laughs]

[Audience screaming]

Joker: Goodnight. And always remember: That’s-

[Spanish Flea plays]

Anchor 1: Breaking news. Popular TV talk show host Murray Franklin was shot dead tonight in the live telecast of his program by one of his guests.

Anchor 2: The man, who was introduced by Franklin as ‘Joker’ is currently under arrest…

[Overlapping feeds]