Editing 707: Joshing

{{comic
| number    =707
| date      =February 26, 2010
| title     =Joshing
| image     =joshing.png
| titletext =You'd be moved up from 49 of ~7 billion to 31 of ~7 billion.
}}

==Explanation==

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you" is a flippant response to a question that's been around at least since the movie ''{{w|Top Gun}},'' and has entered regular use in the U.S., even among people who don't know its origin.

The Second Man uses the line here, but the joke is that he actually ''is'' planning to kill the First Man, and if he answered the question he'd have to kill him even sooner.  In this case, according to the alt-text, he'd go from #49 on his hit list (which apparently includes the entire world population) to #31.

==Transcript==
:First Man: So, is the new project going forward?
:Second Man: I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you!

:[The men laugh cautiously.]

:[The men resume conversation.]
:Second Man: I mean, kill you even sooner.

{{comic discussion}}
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