Audience hate = respect

JOHN: ...and if you get another guitar, we can even do the thing where we make the audience wait while you switch them.
DAN: Don't they hate that? JOHN: Audience golden rule: what they HATE, they RESPECT.
DAN: Even that night at Rockwood? That was all... respect. JOHN: Oh, totally. TOTAL respect.
DAN: Even that old handicapped woman? JOHN: Well, yeah, you gotta, y'know, read between the fistfights.