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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really not appreciate this sort of "humour"?

76 replies

Soyamilkisniceintea · 29/04/2017 12:32

I know a few people who do it - not know well but it seems to be a type of person.

You ask for something to be polite but it's perfectly reasonable - 'could I have a carrier bag please?'
They look at you poker faced and say 'no.'
You wait.
They break out into a grin and say 'course!'

I know it's meant harmlessly but I hate it. I feel like such a twat as I stand there waiting for the 'punch.' AIBU to wonder why the fuck people do it as it isn't funny!

OP posts:
missyB1 · 29/04/2017 13:30

I almost see this as a form of bullying, especially when it's adults doing it to kids. It's designed to humiliate the other person.

There is a woman who works at the dry cleaners I go to that comes out with this kind of crap, I just pretend to be deaf and refuse to answer her.

katronfon · 29/04/2017 13:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenDork · 29/04/2017 13:37

This happened to me at a campsite. We turned up after a long journey with a crying baby in the car. The campsite owner said no he didn't have any booking for us and they were full. I started to cry at which point he announced triumphantly that it was just a joke. Hilarious.Hmm

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2017 13:38

It's by far and away the most linked to paper on this website and always has been, in the six years I've been here anyway.

So yes, I'd say so.

Sorry no stats, but just AS 'Daily Fail' or 'Daily Mail' and compare to any other online newspaper Grin

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2017 13:38

Oh and 'sidebar of shame'.

Catsick36 · 29/04/2017 13:41

It's a control tactic.

katronfon · 29/04/2017 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EvansOvalPies · 29/04/2017 13:49

FiL does this ALL the time to every member of the family. No-one thinks it's funny, apart from MiL who comes out with 'Oh, he (FiL) does make me laugh'. Everybody else finds it really annoying (and sometimes upsetting). To the point where adult DC don't like visiting them any more.

It is a very childish humour, and I don't understand it.

(PS - I NEVER, EVER read the Daily Mail).

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2017 13:52

katronfon it means you read the Daily Mail, yes. Just not regularly.

I'm the same as you. I always read any news online. I can't remember when I last bought an actual paper paper Grin

expatinscotland · 29/04/2017 13:53

It's twat behaviour to do this. So is pranking.

FrenchLavender · 29/04/2017 13:57

I agree, it's tedious and not remotely funny. Some people are just weird.

OrianaBanana · 29/04/2017 13:58

Speaking of pranking, when my oldest sibling was born my mum noticed his two smallest toes on each foot crossed slightly. When she pointed this out to a doctor on the postnatal ward, he had a look and told her they'd have to amputate. When she (unsurprisingly) burst into tears he revealed he was just joking.

The matron tore a strip off him apparently.

Elledouble · 29/04/2017 13:58

I had to tell my partner off for doing this. I'd taken in a delivery for one of the neighbours in our block of flats - a massive TV in fact. I stuck a note on their door to tell them I'd got it in our flat cos I didn't want to leave it in one of the common areas like we normally did.

When the chap knocked on our door my other half pretended not to know what he was there for. I pushed past him with the TV and said "isn't it a shame when people would rather be funny than nice?"

He hasn't done it again.

HappyFlappy · 29/04/2017 14:00

I have never come across a woman doing this

Female staff member in Sainsbury's did this to me just a couple of weeks ago. I didn't report he, but I don't much like it. If it was funny I wouldn't mind, but it's just stupid.

katronfon · 29/04/2017 14:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Seeingadistance · 29/04/2017 14:08

Has anyone ever asked any of these unfunny twats what exactly they think is so comical about this particular twattery?

Not a Daily Mail reader.

Meekonsandwich · 29/04/2017 14:09

I've never heard of staff doing this to customers where I've worked because you'd get written up for it!!!!!!
Definitely complain to the manager because that is shoddy customer service and just being a dick.

I've only ever heard the jokes from customers such as:
"If it didn't scan it must be free!!" A million times a day, I didn't realise it happened the other way around too!

DadDadDad · 29/04/2017 14:12

It's certainly true that the DM is an avid reader of Mumsnet! Grin

One of (lame) jokes is if I hear DW asking DC "has anyone seen Daddy?" I'll call out "no idea, haven't seen him, I'll go and have a look for him." Is that tiresome or can I keep doing it, MN jury? Confused

dentydown · 29/04/2017 14:19

I've got aspergers so I find it difficult to work out where no is a genuine no or a joking no.
I had to get some keys cut, so on finding this out various family members got me to get theirs cut as well. In the end I needed 12 duplicates done. (roughly 48 pounds to the cutter).
I walked in to the shop "hi, I need 12 copies done from different keys, is it still while you wait" (I thought he needed a couple of hours for the large number).
"Naaah you come back next week". "Ok" I said and walked off. Next thing I know he's calling back "Oi i'm only joking"

The other one was in a supermarket when the till when the guy said he wasn't giving me my change (it was a note) I almost burst into tears. (I was a hard up student at the time).the bastard made me beg for my change.

abbreviationhell · 29/04/2017 14:21

It's a control tactic. Exactly Catsick, usually by the childish.

I don't laugh, just answer a bit slowly 'Sorry, you're going to have to explain to me why that's funny.' I've never had a repetition.

VestalVirgin · 29/04/2017 14:23

I almost see this as a form of bullying, especially when it's adults doing it to kids. It's designed to humiliate the other person.

Yeah. I think it is a kind of power play. "I could totally refuse you this thing you need, and you'd be powerless to do anything about it, isn't that great? Am I not generous to give it to you after all?"

Very stupid for someone in customer service to do, as they are actually not the ones in power there.

And very disgusting for men to do this to women, or adults to do it to children.
It's a "Haha, I can treat you like garbage, isn't that funny?", which is not funny if this is actually the case because we live in a shitty society.

(It is also not inherently funny in customer service, but at least can be made funny by leaving the bar where you're refused service ...)

Littlepond · 29/04/2017 14:29

Ugh. I HATE this. I went to a carvery recently and there was a choice between big and small yorkshires. I said "can I have a big Yorkshire please?" And the chap said "no". I got all flustered cos I thought maybe I had to pay extra for a big one, or I'd ordered the wrong thing so I said oh ok, sorry. Then he said "oh go on, cos it's you". He then did this with everything he served me. (What meat would you like? Beef please. OOh no you can't have that. Etc) I was so relieved to get to the end of the line and pay. I would never go there again, I found it all really awkward and horrible!

Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes · 29/04/2017 14:39

I was trying to describe exactly this sort of thing on another thread this morning (explaining why you have to pick party entertainers carefully for DCs with AS). My DS has AS and adults do this sort of thing to him all the time in an effort to be friendly/funny. I hate it as an NT adult, imagine how it feels to a kid who takes everything literally. YANBU.

Clawdy · 29/04/2017 14:39

A friend of ours does this annoying thing where he turns to someone who is very quiet in a group, and says "Shut up! You never stop talking!" Nobody ever finds it remotely funny, but he still does it.

YogaAndRum · 29/04/2017 14:41

This will out me to at least one person but what the hell. Last week, I was on a train heading up north. I was sat next to a small Asian woman who didn't seem to have great English from what I made out. Big group of men stood in the ailse as the train was packed. One of them bellowed to the woman next to me:

Man: somebody's nicked your suitcase love!
Woman: ??????
Man: honestly, ive just seen him get up and walk off with your suitcase
Woman: you joking?
Man: No ive just seen him nick your bag and walk off
Woman:
Man: points at her and goes 'aaaaaaaaaaaAAAAA!!!!!' And starts laughing. All of the men then started chuckling happily.

Absolute fucking tosspots.