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Reader question: Please explain this sentence: “Heyman is never scared of landing himself in trouble with a close-to-the-bone remark.” Close-to-the-bone remark? My comments: Mr. Heyman, whoever he is, is a straight talker. He’s direct and blunt. He likes to call a spade a spade and refuses to beat about the bush. In other words, he likes to tell the truth and doesn’t mince his words. Sometimes truth hurts, of course. Heyman has offended quite a few people and hence got himself into trouble because of some of his so-called “close-to-the-bone” remarks. In short, “close to the bone” remarks may hurt. If you cut your finger with a knife and, say, the cut is skin-deep, which is to say shallow, it won’t hurt so much. But if the cut is close to the bone (Ouch!), then it’s painful. That will give you an idea of “close to the bone”, sorry. Figuratively speaking, then, if someone says something that is close to the bone, then the message is spot-on, accurate and to the point, hitting listeners where it hurts the most. That is to say the effect of the remark is keenly felt. Yes, keenly felt and often too keenly for comfort. If you have just broken up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, for example, you probably don’t want hear anyone telling jokes about their exes. It’s too close to home, as they say. Or too close to the bone. | 
