Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What do you call a middle aged woman in Nando's?

208 replies

Crabapplepiechart · 30/12/2025 11:40

Peri peri menopausal.

AIBU to think this is a great joke? My partner came up with it this morning and isn't as proud of it as I think he should be.

YANBU - it's hilarious
YABU - it's only worthy of a cheap Christmas cracker

OP posts:
Sarah2891 · 30/12/2025 14:42

Kibble19 · 30/12/2025 14:41

Some of the replies on here go a long way to explaining why Tattle has a Mumsnet thread.

Lol indeed.

Kibble19 · 30/12/2025 14:41

Some of the replies on here go a long way to explaining why Tattle has a Mumsnet thread.

ThatCyanCat · 30/12/2025 14:40

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:35

Does it have to be said in a particular way to make it funny?

Show quote history

Much of comedy is in the delivery, but the only way you could make this joke funny is to replace it with something else.

I say I say I say, my dog has no nose...

ThatCyanCat · 30/12/2025 14:39

Crabapplepiechart · 30/12/2025 11:48

Deary me, I didn't think acknowledging basic female biology would get him accused of being a misogynist AND an ageist!

I don't think he's ageist and misogynist, I just think he's terminally unfunny. To be fair, he seems to realise it.

UneAnneeSansLumiere · 30/12/2025 14:39

TittyGajillions · 30/12/2025 13:32

Not funny.
Not offensive.
People do understand that offended and not amused are two different things, don't they?

I agree, although I would say it was mildly amusing. Not 'hilarious' but also not completely unfunny.

DappledThings · 30/12/2025 14:37

BringBackCatsEyes · 30/12/2025 14:30

You are overthinking. It's just the words.

Show quote history

Is everyone just overthinking? I don't understand why anyone is looking for a deeper meaning than literally peri having two different meanings. And indeed perry which I also though was quite funny.

It's not insulting, offensive, or anything else. Both the peri and perry jokes are quite funny as a play on words. Not hysterically funny but not rude either.

UneAnneeSansLumiere · 30/12/2025 14:37

TrumpDerangementSyndrome · 30/12/2025 11:47

Cringing inside out for you OP. Ageist sexist unfunny claptrap.

Oh lighten up. It isnt the funniest thing I've ever heard, but it's not as bad as all that.

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:35

BringBackCatsEyes · 30/12/2025 14:30

You are overthinking. It's just the words.

Show quote history

Does it have to be said in a particular way to make it funny?

landlordhell · 30/12/2025 14:34

What do you call a middle-aged man making jokes about middle-aged women?

A twat.

IWantToSneeze · 30/12/2025 14:33

Well as a middle aged woman, who is well on the other side of menopause, I thought it was funny 😆

BringBackCatsEyes · 30/12/2025 14:30

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:26

Just totally puzzled, peri peri is implying hot flushes, and the menopausal is to explain that hot flushes affect middle aged women sometimes. I suspect it doesn't improve by being explained

Show quote history

You are overthinking. It's just the words.

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:30

haveaword · 30/12/2025 14:29

The word menopause isn’t chicken related or a play on chicken at all - unless he is saying my vag or uterus is comparable to a chicken?

Now we're getting somewhere...

haveaword · 30/12/2025 14:29

The word menopause isn’t chicken related or a play on chicken at all - unless he is saying my vag or uterus is comparable to a chicken?

Coralinescat · 30/12/2025 14:29

Must be my peri perimenopausal hormones preventing me from laughing.
If I wasn't feeling all these crazy symptoms I probably would find it funny.
It's like constant PMS.
I'm definitely not the person I used to be.
I feel completely lost. 😥

BringBackCatsEyes · 30/12/2025 14:29

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:17

So it's about a menopausal chicken?

Something to do with calling women birds?

Edited
Show quote history

No, it's just a pun - a play on words. Peri is a sauce and is also something women go through. That's all.

CasperGutman · 30/12/2025 14:28

Dgll · 30/12/2025 13:41

I think it is because men get irritability and mood swings, fat round their middle, lack of energy, some memory loss and lower sex drive as they get older, but for some reason they don't seem to want to draw attention to that with hilarious jokes in Nandos.

Show quote history

I've seen plenty of comedians, both male and female, joking about the symptoms of aging in men.

I haven't seen any jokes about Nando's in particular, but topics that spring to mind include expanding waistlines, balding, sprouting nose and ear hair, impotence, prostate issues. All much more potentially offensive than the joke in the OP, which merely relies on the existence of peri-menopause and the fact that those affected tend to be female and middle aged.

It's a bit of a crappy joke, more liable to induce groaning than laughter. Definitely of the Christmas cracker level, but not truly offensive to my mind.

MayaPinion · 30/12/2025 14:27

Does that mean premenopausal women are garlic and herb?

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:26

W0tnow · 30/12/2025 14:19

Peri menopause is the somewhat hot o ally chaotic time in the lead up to menopause. Hit flushes, mood swings etc.

Peri peri is the spice used to season the chicken at Nando’s.

I don’t actually think posters are half as outraged as they’re making out 😆

Show quote history

Just totally puzzled, peri peri is implying hot flushes, and the menopausal is to explain that hot flushes affect middle aged women sometimes. I suspect it doesn't improve by being explained

brightnails · 30/12/2025 14:26

I mean I would say “happy!” but that’s not really a joke

MeouwKing · 30/12/2025 14:25

BatchCookBabe · 30/12/2025 14:10

Tim Vine. Grin Won Joke Of The Year about a decade ago, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Show quote history

Spot on. This was 2024 winner. They scrapped the award for this year. Cant think why.

I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship, but I bottled it. - Mark Simmons

BatchCookBabe · 30/12/2025 14:24

Bebetterbetty · 30/12/2025 14:19

Ha’. That doubling down is just face saving.

It was clever spur of the moment pun. I’m impressed. .

Show quote history

Good for you for being so 'impressed.' Other posters are allowed to find it unfunny and nonsensical. Nothing to do with saving face. The 'joke' was shite.

'Is peri menopause called that because it's made of pears?'

As I said, it's something a 4 year old would ask.

.

BatchCookBabe · 30/12/2025 14:22

Bebetterbetty · 30/12/2025 14:21

There are plenty of cultural references poking fun at middle aged men.

Show quote history

Waaaaaaay more aimed at women.

BatchCookBabe · 30/12/2025 14:21

ZeldaFighter · 30/12/2025 14:15

Did you not get it? Perry (which sounds like peri) is cider made with pears, not apples.
Does that help?

Show quote history

It still makes little sense. Why would the menopause be made of pears?

Nonsensical and unfunny.

You found it hilarious though, so that's all that matters. I'm sure your DH was chuffed to ribbons that you laughed at his lame and unfunny 'joke.'

Bebetterbetty · 30/12/2025 14:21

BatchCookBabe · 30/12/2025 14:17

It is a little bit... As a pp said, no-one ever makes 'jokes' about men getting middle aged spread, having no (or little) sex drive, and having mood swings....etc...

It's largely women who are the butt of this type of 'joke. As I said, I'm not offended or bothered by it, but I think others have a right to be, without being told to 'get a grip.'

Show quote history

There are plenty of cultural references poking fun at middle aged men.

W0tnow · 30/12/2025 14:19

BadgernTheGarden · 30/12/2025 14:15

I don't get the joke, anyone care to explain?

Peri menopause is the somewhat hot o ally chaotic time in the lead up to menopause. Hit flushes, mood swings etc.

Peri peri is the spice used to season the chicken at Nando’s.

I don’t actually think posters are half as outraged as they’re making out 😆