Is Nothing Sacred?

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Bow down to... um.

"My goodness, Demons running about the village at night, pillaging our homes -- is nothing sacred?" —Pepin, Diablo

Stock phrase when a character has heard of something that crosses a significant line of comfort for him. It may be something that he thought couldn't happen... or something he thought no one would be despicable enough to do. In any case, if a character says this, he has been shocked out of his comfort zone.

Of course, it's often used parodically, when the "sacred" thing is of relatively little consequence: "And the new boss has cancelled 'Casual Fridays'." "Is nothing sacred?!"

Its also Rule 42 of the internet. That is, that no, nothing is.

Compare There Should Be a Law.

Examples of Is Nothing Sacred? include:

Film

• Saved.

Trudy Mason: Patrick has … just completed a world tour as part of the Christian Skateboarders Association. Cassandra: Been hittin' the board for the Lord? God, is nothing sacred to you people?

• And of course, there is the Carole Lombard and Frederick March Black Comedy / Screwball Comedy, Nothing Sacred.

Jokes

• There's a tribe in Africa that worships the number zero. Is nothing sacred?

Literature

• Lewis Black's first book is a largely autobiographical work entitled Nothing's Sacred.

Live-Action TV

• Smallville episode "Hero".

Clark Kent: I found the source of Pete's powers. Kryptonite-enhanced gum. I found a whole stockpile. Chloe Sullivan: Chewing gum? Is nothing sacred anymore?

• Knight Rider (1980s) episode "The Nineteenth Hole". The town of Marberry is more exciting than they expected.

Michael Knight: A quiet peaceful retirement community? [snip] It seems to me, Marberry has changed its image, partner. K.I.T.T.: None for the better if you ask me. Is nothing sacred? Isn't there anywhere safe from fast cars and rock 'n roll?

• Charlie's Angels episode "Night of the Strangler"

Jill Munroe: Do you know when Trigger died, they stuffed him! [laughs] Is nothing sacred anymore?

• Sam the American Eagle says this in A Muppet Family Christmas after seeing the Two-Headed Monster from Sesame Street play Santa Claus in a skit.

Newspaper Comics

• There's a Gahan Wilson cartoon (shown here) in which ornately robed monks are praying to an ornate but quite empty pedestal. A passerby utters the phrase in question.
• In a Garfield strip:

Jon: Garfield! You're using my toothbrush! Garfield: Stick around. You can watch me floss. Jon: Is nothing sacred?! Garfield: Where's the mouthwash?

• • Garfield utters the line when Jon buys an aluminum Christmas tree, which turns in an electric stand.

Video Games

• Pepin of Diablo 1 says the above quote when you report to him that demons have stolen a sign from someone's home. He is disturbed by the idea that the demons from the labyrinth have become bold enough to have ventured through the village at night.