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AIBU?

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Original poster

Am I a laughing stock?

814 replies

CovidHeadache · 31/10/2025 09:03

I jokingly call my house “surname towers” so for example if my surname was Jackson, my house would be called Jackson Towers. I’ve called it this for years, it’s very very lighthearted as I’m sure everyone knows. We host a lot of social events and I use the name in invites for example “birthday party, Jackson towers”, “Strictly finale party, Jackson towers” etc
In Christmas/birthday cards “love from A, L and all at Jackson towers”

All my friends and family know I call the house this and some call it this name too either in replies or just in general.

Anyway, last night I’d popped to my mums and my sister was there, we were talking about taking the kids to a Halloween event tonight and I said “why don’t you bring them back to the towers afterward and we can have a little party?”

My sister then said “I’m sorry but can we stop with this towers bullshit, it’s so cringy”. I said “It’s a joke! And you’ve never complained before!” My mum then said “not to your face maybe”. They both started laughing and my sister then said “no I’m sorry, someone needs to say something, people have been ripping the piss out of you for years for it, just give it a rest now”.

so to cut a long story short, turns out almost my entire family have been slagging me off for it for years and my sister hinted that my friends have too.

When I got home I rang my friend and asked her if the towers name annoys her and she said “no course not” so I asked if she knew if it annoyed anyone else to which she hesitated and then said “not annoy as such”. She wouldn’t elaborate further.

Now I’m pretty thick skinned and can mostly laugh it off if I’ve been a dick but this time I’m a bit upset, I keep trying to tell myself I’m not bothered but I can’t stop thinking about it. Have I been a laughing stock for years? If so AIBU to think someone might have mentioned it before now?

OP posts:
Dontlletmedownbruce · 31/10/2025 12:25

Its like The Sherminator off American Pie.
Yes @Cucy I totally forgot about that guy 😀thanks for reminding me. Made me laugh

CantBreathe90 · 31/10/2025 12:24

Wait, do all these people do their fair share of hosting??

Sounds a really petty and irrelevant thing for people to make comments on - sounds like they don't have much going on in their lives OP if that's all they have to gossip about.

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:22

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AngelicKaty · 31/10/2025 12:20

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:06

Wow! Projecting much? I could've been more succinct. As in: YABU. Because people who do that are awful, typically?
Go recline on your grey velour 'couch'.

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I don't have such an item in my home, but feel free to send me links to some I can look at for a laugh, given that you're such an expert. And then give your "fat fingers" a rest - along with your pea-sized brain.

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:20

SprayWhiteDung · 31/10/2025 12:14

For somebody who 'can't be arsed' with a thread, you're certainly engaging with it very actively.

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Well, yeah.

As are you.

Bored, maybe?

I am.

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 31/10/2025 12:19

we were talking about taking the kids to a Halloween event tonight and I said “why don’t you bring them back to the towers afterward and we can have a little party?”

It’s silly, but there was no need for them to be mean about it when you were inviting them over. Invitation rescinded, I think.

whatsit84 · 31/10/2025 12:19

Yeah fine the first few times but gets a bit cringy. Sorry OP!

NoTouch · 31/10/2025 12:18

It is the kind of thing my family would do for a joke. But a joke as a one off is funny - what you are doing went well beyond joke territory and became what you wanted you house referred to.

It is very cringy, not surprised people were commenting/wishing you'd stop it.

YABU to expect them to tell you, the messenger (your sister in this case who broke when it has got out of control) is always the one that gets shot!

ExpressCheckout · 31/10/2025 12:18

I think it's quite funny and your family/friends sound like an unpleasant bunch, to be honest. Things like this are just 'quirks' that people have. It's lovely really.

Thing is you have to decide now - do you stop using it (and cave in to their bullying) or do you 'own it' and show them the funny side of it?

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:17

If people are offended and they're called Ian, they're probably culpable,

Chat CBT has learned me.

shhblackbag · 31/10/2025 12:17

Catwoman8 · 31/10/2025 09:16

A joke that was probablgly funny at first but has worn thin as you have overused it.

I'd feel like this and inwardly roll my eyes. It's a bit "Bucket woman".

mcmooberry · 31/10/2025 12:15

itsgettingweird · 31/10/2025 09:12

It’s a joke.

if people are that bothered they could of course decline what seems like your generous hospitality.

I think I’d have to continue now just because I know people are judgey.

Totally agree with this. If you were a friend of mine I would just go along with the joke after all this time and refer/think of your house as The Towers.

SprayWhiteDung · 31/10/2025 12:14

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For somebody who 'can't be arsed' with a thread, you're certainly engaging with it very actively.

Stickonstars · 31/10/2025 12:14

CovidHeadache · 31/10/2025 09:11

It’s a 3 storey town house (not massively expensive, not posh by any means)

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Basically, if your house is nicer than most of your family/friends, then yes, it’s its a bit self aggrandising and wanky.

If your house is the same as everyone elses/smaller, it’s a funny joke.

Either way, don’t worry. Your sister and mum don’t sound like terribly nice people.

TeaAndTattoos · 31/10/2025 12:13

Sorry but I would’ve been laughing at you too it makes you sound like a cringy dick. I would drop the whole towers thing it’s as bad as giving your house a name.

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:13

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Loloblue · 31/10/2025 12:12

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:11

The dog walkers, cleaner and nanny say it is modest.

What's your beef?

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The gardener loved the towers gag

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:11

Loloblue · 31/10/2025 12:09

Ummmm

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The dog walkers, cleaner and nanny say it is modest.

What's your beef?

SprayWhiteDung · 31/10/2025 12:10

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:06

Wow! Projecting much? I could've been more succinct. As in: YABU. Because people who do that are awful, typically?
Go recline on your grey velour 'couch'.

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That's not logical at all, though.

You might as well say that, because Ian Huntley and Ian Watkins (formerly of Lostprophets) were disgusting, vile men, that means that all men called Ian must be as wicked as they were.

It's a silly joke; not a concerning behaviour.

DiscoBob · 31/10/2025 12:09

A friend of mine used to jokingly refer to my house as 'street name Towers'. And we took it as a silly joke. But I wouldn't refer to my own house as anything Towers as it has delusions of grandeur and sounds a bit Hyacinth Bucket.

Greyhound98 · 31/10/2025 12:09

Stop inviting the miserable fuckers to Jackson Towers. Let them slum it elsewhere.

Loloblue · 31/10/2025 12:09

CovidHeadache · 31/10/2025 09:11

It’s a 3 storey town house (not massively expensive, not posh by any means)

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Ummmm

Bunnycute23 · 31/10/2025 12:09

SprayWhiteDung · 31/10/2025 12:06

What on earth goes through people's minds, when they look through all of the many available threads (on just one tiny fraction of the internet), find one that doesn't interest them and then decide to click on it and then participate - to tell everybody that they don't find the thread interesting?!

Are they the same people who choose to participate in a tribute thread to a (maybe non-household-name) celebrity who has just died, purely to enlighten everybody else that they personally have never heard of them?!

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I think its boredom. And/or drugs!

With cleaning my 5 bedroomed house, policing my husband and having a six figure job (!), I couldn't be arsed frankly.

Its all nonsense 😂

someepeoplearenice · 31/10/2025 12:09

Look, even if some of your friends do laugh at it a bit, that will just be a temporary fleeting thought they have when 'Towers' comes up. It doesn't affect how they feel about you as a friend. Don't take it to heart.

AngelicKaty · 31/10/2025 12:08

CalmTheFuckDownMargaret · 31/10/2025 11:49

The only way I can see anyone bitching about this is if you have the most beautiful envy-inducing house and calling it ‘towers’ seems like you’re rubbing it in. If your house is pretty ordinary, then it’s obviously tongue in cheek and a joke. I’d be a bit upset as they didn’t need to say people are taking the piss behind your back - that’s been said deliberately to upset you which says more about the person saying it.

Absolutely, which is why OP now feels like she's a "laughing stock" which I'm sure she's not. Her sister is certainly irritated by it and has probably had a conversation with one other member of their social circle who's laughed at it (with no malicious intent) and OP's sister has made this into a much bigger thing than it is. OP doesn't have a friends problem, she has a sister problem.

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