12 years of the same 'joke' and I have the rage! AIBU

[Hotflushesandchilblains]

I have worked in the same place for 12 years, with mostly women and a few men. One of those, A, is giving me the rage big time and I cant figure out why I am so annoyed by this stupid so-called 'joke'. Most people live in the county we cover, but I live in the next one over. Since I have met him, A regularly makes the same joke about me not having electricity, running water, etc etc - you get the picture, that we are backward where I live. Just recently its making me want to punch him. I have told him its not amusing any more (not that it ever was). He is a bit of a 'character' anyway - very attention seeking and the kind who wants to be cracking jokes all the time. I think I am generally annoyed with him lately because there is a big project going on at work which I have done much of the set up for, and which he is trying to muscle in on. But I seem to be able to keep my feelings under wraps until he trots out this stupid joke. Is it as obnoxious as it feels?

I think at this point I would have to say to him “you’ve been telling that joke for the last 12 years it wasn’t funny the first time I heard it nor was it funny the million times I’ve heard it since then don’t you think it’s time you got some new material or better yet just shut up”

"eyeroll" otherwise zero response\reaction. isnt worth thinking bout

It's obnoxious bullying rather than racism. Tell him that. Quote your employer's anti bullying policy and tell him that you will invoke it against him if he doesn't stop this bollocks straight away.

Just a side issue from reading the thread - some people don't seem to understand the difference between county and country! What an embarrassing gaffe for them.

You should be. There's a big difference between a county and a country. Maybe you misread it at first, but no need to dig yourself in further.

Have you tried completely ignoring him? Not even acknowledging his comment or reacting at all, as if he wasn’t there and didn’t say anything?

Exaggerated yawn.. followed by.. Christ you're boring.

Is it north east

@BobbyBiscuits

If you'd just come back earlier and said "whoops, I read county as country" you wouldn't have taken such a beasting. And you wouldn't have had to pretend you weren't embarrassed.

You remind me of Pee-Wee Herman falling off his bike and saying "I meant to do that".

Inbred.

Welcome to being an honorary Australian. It does get annoying doesn't it? I feel your pain.

Yes I get the "inbred" jokes too, coming from Norfolk.

We moved from Yorkshire to Lancashire when I was a child.

Any comments and my mother would claim that we were missionaries sent to try to civilise the locals but it wasn't working.

How do you get on with your other colleagues? Could you arrange an award and invite him to the ceremony? Then award him a certificate with something along the lines of '12 years of twatery'?

A bit like Katie Hopkins CUNT award.

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/katie-hopkins-youtube-josh-pieters-prank-fake-award-twitter-video-prague-a9310606.html

She's in the next county over, not the next country.

usually comments like this lead back to jealousy, is it nicer or more rural where you are? Maybe secretly he wishes he lived there!

Oh I can't stand people who think they're hilarious, more so when the joke is wearing thin!

I'd probably say something along the lines of 'yeah OK, was funny the first time - you're getting on my nerves now, I'll report you if you carry on!'

I’d be tempted to put him on the spot - “Why do you think that?” Or “That’s so weird that you think that, do you really?” If he carries on the joke - “But why do you think that?”

When he blusters - “You’ve clearly got a problem with people coming from different places. Do you not like people from other countries either?”

That'll do it. No one will want to be associated with the laughter then.

edited typo

I'd have to shoot him down. Those kind of persistent jokes are so dull and unimaginative.

"Ok Steve, I've been listening to the same crap joke for years now, do you ever change the record? Your poor wife..."

Every time he says it, I'd say similar "here we go again, let me press play on the never ending record that is Steve".

"Blimey Steve, I think I've heard that 10 times this week from you, is that a record?!"

Keep it 'jokey' as if you go down the serious route, he'll start with the "don't they have a sense of humour in....wherever you live" type jokes. If you keep it jokey, you're only playing him at his own shit game.

What a loser. I bet he's bloody hard work to live with and probably as miserable as sin at home.

This gets my vote; turn it back on him and these comments are unobjectionable, which is important.

I think the first response is the best and one you could use as repetitively as he cracks the jokes - “Your poor wife” if you say it every time he may think say funny at first but he will get the message and may find it as irritating as you do him.

That is from football and had been going on forever. You must have heard it the other way round too. I still get abuse from people from Swindon if I mention Oxford.
Also Swindon is shit 😂

What is really funny about it is that we live in very similar towns, except mine was on a list of best places to live in the UK.....

Tell him that. Ask him where his county placed on the list.

Since he thinks he's being funny I'd say something that shows him he's actually a crashing bore.

Like 'oh my God it's like you're trying to be a stereotype pub bore. How many times have you made that non-joke?'

Or 'is that even funny to anyone in this century?'

'Oh my god you've made the same joke for 20 years. Can we switch you on and off to go back to factory settings?'

'Humour is so not your strong suit is it?'

Or 'as my mother used to say if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. And leave jokes to people who are actually funny.'

But yes then put it in writing.

The older I get, the more I hate the word ‘banter’.

'Is it Wales' 😂😂....isnt that suggestion 'racist' then ?? Honestly, people need to lighten up. Eveyone takes offence at everything these days !! I'm Scots, and if I had a pound for everytime Ive been called a 'sweaty' ( sock)/Jock I'd be a millionaire !!