About this quote

The line captures a steady, human reaction to the absurd: you spot something off and you call it out with a laugh. Laughter here makes the moment smaller so you can see what it actually is and decide what to do next. Use that move in awkward conversations or confusing work emails: notice the odd part, name it, then act. Try it now. What odd thing could you point at and say out loud?

When to use it

• During a quarterly review when someone showed a chaotic slide, I blurted, "What the hell is that?" and then laughed to ease the room.
• In the lab when a prototype started smoking and looked wrong, I said, "What the hell is that?" I laughed and then shut off the power.
• At family dinner when my aunt served a bizarre casserole, I joked, "What the hell is that?" and everyone laughed before someone explained the recipe.
• On a group bike ride when a strange creature ran across the path, I shouted, "What the hell is that?" and laughed as we slowed to look.