Making fun of people…

We all do it yet we all hate being the butt of jokes at the same time.   There are ways to make fun of people and not crush their spirit.   Growing up, I was the butt of ALL the jokes thanks to the boys I grew up with.  For one, I was the only girl around.  Two, I’m a big ole nerd…I’m ok with that…now.

For those of  you that don’t know, my boyfriend Craig and I work for the same company.  We live together and work together.  I know, it seems outlandish to most.  We were even nervous about it and had lengthy conversations prior to me accepting the job.  Skip ahead to a few months later and we seem to be doing well.  Today I had a shit-tastic day, no other way to describe it.  Here we are having lunch together and he knows I’m in a bad mood.  He found a way to make fun of me without adding fuel to my bitchiness and made me laugh.  Just pure silliness to make me smile.  But after 4 years of dating, 3 years of living together, moving to another state…he is about the only person alive that knows the boundaries. This is what happens when you fall in love with your best friend
Racial joking around is only ok if you are good friends with someone.  My real friends can call me a cracker and I will laugh at it.  Only test those waters if you are alone with that person and wait for their reaction.  I dated a black guy a long time ago who picked me up for our first date (we were friends for a long time prior to this).  I walk outside and I can hear the bass in his car pounding.  I get in the car and he’s got Johnny Cash blaring.  Without thinking I say, “You do realize you’re black, right?  I’m not the first person to point this out to you am I?”

Never make fun of someone for their monetary place in the world.  NEVER!  You wouldn’t walk up to a homeless person and say, “Hey man, sucks to be you!”.  So don’t do that to a stranger, a friend or even a family member.  Even if you are Donald Trump, your world could come tumbling down moments later.  And then what?  We all kick you when you are down?  Karma will show you up every time.

The infamous, your Mom/Dad jokes.  These are often the best one liners available.  Even more funny when siblings use these on each other.  But do be careful.  One time a friend of mine told me a hilarious your Dad joke…only he didn’t realize my Dad had died a few days prior.  Those around that knew about the passing, gasped in horror.  I was nice about it though, I gave an uncomfortable giggle, told my friend about the passing but gave him kudos for a good joke.  Advised him to be more careful in the future.

When choosing a friend to sit in public with and make fun of those around you….make sure that person doesn’t have a hearing loss.  And if they do, make sure they have unlimited text messages.  This way if they don’t hear you the first time as you quietly make fun of the female version of Dog the Bounty Hunter, with her camel toe, bleached out mullet and leather jacket with fringes….you can loudly say, “HOLD ON!” and then text them your once in a lifetime joke.  This way you don’t take the chance of repeating yourself louder and get caught.

For all those young-ins out there…here is a situation that I hope you all can learn from.  During my early 20′s (I was of legal drinking age mind you), I had a one night stand.  There are 2 points to this story, so I hope you can follow along.  I took a guy home, slept with him and in the morning he wanted a ride home.  When I inquired as to where he lived, I told him “I’ll drop you off at the bus stop”.  There was no way I was driving this lame ass guy home.  Whatever!  Skip ahead about six months later.  We are at the same place we met, he comes over and talks to me.  All the while I’m thinking, where do I know this guy from?  The public phone rings so I answer it.  The person on the other line asks for “so and so”.  I reply with, “Sorry, he’s not here right now”.  And I hang up.  I return to my spot next to this all familiar stranger and he asks who the phone call was for.  I say, “It was for so and so and I said they weren’t here”.  To my utter embarrassment, the guy says, “Why did you tell them I wasn’t here?”….Wow…I’m the biggest douchebag around at this point.  My quick wit responds with, “Dude, I’m just kidding they asked for Mr. T.”  Luckily I found an out…but I will never live this moment down.

These are just a few of the items I felt like sharing today….I hope the above words of advice help you avoid comedic public and foot in the mouth situations.  I have learned over the years that no matter how considerate you are of people’s feelings or of being politically correct, you will always find yourself chewing on the soles of your shoes.  When that happens, I can only hope you are quick to respond and know how to say, “I’m sorry”.