J: Okay, I'm s… Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just, you know, it’s been a rough few weeks, Murray, ever since I killed those three wall-street guys.
M: Okay. I'm waiting for the punchline.
J: There is no punchline. It’s not a joke.
M: You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re telling us you killed those three young men on the subway?
J: M-hm.
M: And why should we believe you?
J: I’ve got nothing left to lose. Nothing can hurt me anymore. My life is nothing but a comedy.
M: Let me get this straight, you think that killing those guys is funny?
J: I do. And I’m tired of pretending it's not. Comedy is subjective, Murray. Isn’t that what they say? All of you, the system that knows so much, you decide what’s right or wrong the same way that you decide what’s funny... or not.
AUDIENCE: Get him off!
M: Well, okay, I… I think I might understand that you did this to start a movement, to become a symbol.
J: Come on, Murray, do I look like the kind of a clown that could start a movement? I killed those guys because they were awful. Everybody’s awful these days. It’s enough to make anyone crazy.
M: Okay. So that’s it, you’re crazy. That’s your defense for killing three young men?
J: Nah. They couldn’t carry a tune to save their lives. Oh! Why is everybody so upset about these guys? If it was me dying on the side-walk, you’d walk right over me. I pass you everyday and you don’t notice me! But these guys, what, because Thomas Wayne went and cried about them on TV?
M: Well, you have a problem with Thomas Wayne, too?
J: Yes, I do.
M: Have you seen what it’s like out there, Murray? Do you ever actually leave the studio? Everybody just yells and screams at each other. Nobody’s civil anymore! Nobody thinks what it’s like to be the other guy. You think men like Thomas Wayne ever think what it’s like to be someone like me? To be somebody but themselves? They don’t. They think that we’ll just sit there and take it like good little boys! That we won’t werewolf and go wild.
M: You finished? I mean, there is so much self-pity, Arthur. You sound like you’re making excuses for killing those young men. Not everybody – and I’ll tell you this – not everyone is awful.
J: But you’re awful, Murray.
M: Me? I’m awful? Oh, yeah? How am I awful?
J: Playing my video, inviting me on the show. You just wanted to make fun of me.
You’re just like the rest of ’em. You don’t know the first thing about me, pal. Look what happened because of what you did, what it led to. There are riots out there. Two policemen are in critical condition (Joker laughs) and you’re laughing. You’re laughing. Someone was killed today because of what you did.
J: I know. How about another joke, Murray?
M: No, I think we got enough of your jokes.
J: What do you get…
M: I don't think so.
J: … when you cross a mentally-ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash?
M: Call the police, Gene.
J: I’ll tell you what you get.
M: Call the police!
J: You get what you fucking deserve!
(Joker shoots at Murray, stands up and shoots again. Then he walks toward the TV camera and talks to the audience)
J: Good night. And always remember: That’s Life!