gistfile1.txt

diff --git a/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py b/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
--- a/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
+++ b/_pytest/assertion/__init__.py
@@ -78,10 +78,12 @@ def pytest_runtest_setup(item):
 
         for new_expl in hook_result:
             if new_expl:
-                # Don't include pageloads of data unless we are very verbose (-vv)
+                # Don't include pageloads of data unless we
+                # are very verbose (-vv)
                 if len(''.join(new_expl[1:])) > 80*8 and item.config.option.verbose < 2:
                     new_expl[1:] = ['Detailed information truncated, use "-vv" to see']
-                res = '\n~'.join(new_expl)
+                res = '\n'.join(new_expl)
+                print res
                 if item.config.getvalue("assertmode") == "rewrite":
                     # The result will be fed back a python % formatting
                     # operation, which will fail if there are extraneous
diff --git a/_pytest/assertion/util.py b/_pytest/assertion/util.py
--- a/_pytest/assertion/util.py
+++ b/_pytest/assertion/util.py
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@ except NameError:
 def assertrepr_compare(config, op, left, right):
     """Return specialised explanations for some operators/operands"""
     width = 80 - 15 - len(op) - 2  # 15 chars indentation, 1 space around op
-    left_repr = py.io.saferepr(left, maxsize=int(width/2))
-    right_repr = py.io.saferepr(right, maxsize=width-len(left_repr))
-    summary = '%s %s %s' % (left_repr, op, right_repr)
 
     issequence = lambda x: (isinstance(x, (list, tuple, Sequence))
                             and not isinstance(x, basestring))
@@ -120,9 +117,7 @@ def assertrepr_compare(config, op, left,
         elif op == 'not in':
             if istext(left) and istext(right):
                 explanation = _notin_text(left, right, verbose)
-    except py.builtin._sysex:
-        raise
-    except:
+    except Exception:
         excinfo = py.code.ExceptionInfo()
         explanation = [
             '(pytest_assertion plugin: representation of details failed.  '
@@ -130,7 +125,15 @@ def assertrepr_compare(config, op, left,
 
     if not explanation:
         return None
-
+    if istext(left):
+        left_repr = left[:int(width/2)]
+    else:
+        left_repr = py.io.saferepr(left, maxsize=int(width/2))
+    if istext(right):
+        right_repr = right[:int(width/2)]
+    else:
+        right_repr = py.io.saferepr(right, maxsize=width-len(left_repr))
+    summary = '%s %s %s' % (left_repr, op, right_repr)
     return [summary] + explanation