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Warning: I told a dead baby joke at a family dinner last night and it did NOT go well | Can We Still Laugh - Free To Speak

shane_hayes•2mo ago

Warning: I told a dead baby joke at a family dinner last night and it did NOT go well

I was at my cousin's house in Phoenix for a barbecue. About 15 people were there, everyone laughing and having a good time. I thought I'd test the waters with a dark joke I saw online. I said it loud enough for the whole patio to hear and my aunt just stared at me like I'd grown a second head. Her friend had a miscarriage two weeks ago and I had no idea. I spent the next hour apologizing and helping clean up while everyone avoided eye contact with me. Has anyone else had a joke backfire this bad and how did you fix it?

3 comments

3 Comments

ward.kim2mo ago

Honestly, "test the waters with a dark joke I saw online" is a wild way to say you volunteered to become the family's cautionary tale for the next decade. Ngl, I laughed out loud reading this because I can just picture your aunt's face going from barbecue joy to stone cold silence. Tbh, you probably should have checked if anyone had a recent funeral to attend before dropping that bomb, but hey, at least you helped clean up. I'd say you dodged a bullet by not getting thrown into the pool with the ice chest. You fixed it about as well as anyone could, but I bet you're never telling a joke that involves babies ever again.

west.casey2mo ago

Wait, hold on wait. Two weeks ago? You seriously dropped a dead baby joke two weeks after someone's miscarriage? Oh man, that's not even funny in a dark humor way, that's just a landmine you stepped on with both feet. I honestly don't know how you made it through that dinner without crawling under the table and staying there. That poor aunt, she probably went from zero to heartbroken in half a second flat. You handled it way better than I would have, I'd still be hiding in a closet somewhere.

ivan_murphy801mo ago

And here's the thing too, @ward.kim made a good point about the cautionary tale thing. That's gonna follow you to every family gathering for years, guaranteed. Your aunt probably tells that story to new people at the barbecue while staring you down like a hawk. At least you fixed it enough to stay out of the doghouse, but man, that's a permanent mark on your family reputation. I bet your uncle still brings it up every time you walk into the room with a straight face.