Lexicon: "The New Cruelty"

[libertango]

For lexicon purposes, usually as an ironic marker: "Yes, the cats are nice, but under The New Cruelty, I'm the one to clean out the cat boxes."

The full dialogue goes like this:

Mr. Perdue, Maitre D' at L'Idiot: Your usual table, Mr. Christopher?
Carlo Christopher: No, I'd like a good one this time.
Mr. Perdue, Maitre D' at L'Idiot: I'm sorry, that is impossible.
Carlo Christopher: Part of The New Cruelty?
Mr. Perdue, Maitre D' at L'Idiot: I'm afraid so.
-- Steve Martin, L.A. Story