A tough crowd
Meaning
A group of people who are difficult to please, impress, or entertain.
Origin
Picture a dimly lit comedy club in mid-20th century America, where a lone performer sweats under the spotlight, desperately trying to land a joke. But the faces in the audience remain stony, their laughter conspicuously absent. This palpable tension, this struggle against a sea of unimpressed patrons, birthed the vivid phrase "a tough crowd." It perfectly captured the comedian's plight against an unyielding, critical audience. While the concept of an unappreciative audience is timeless, this pithy expression resonated deeply within the entertainment world, quickly escaping the confines of the stage to describe any situation where one faces highly critical, hard-to-please observers, whether in a boardroom or a family gathering.
Examples
- The comedian struggled to get laughs; it was definitely a tough crowd tonight.
- Presenting a new idea to the board of directors is always a challenge because they tend to be a tough crowd.