Am I a laughing stock?

[CovidHeadache]

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?

It's possibly just worn very thin over the years.

It's a bit like that chief rocket scientist who corrects the mistakes of the junior rocket scientists, and then always says, "It's not rocket science!"

And then laughs and laughs, and explains "It just gets funnier every time I say it! Because you know, this really IS rocket science!"

While they all look sad and pained.

Yes, I think there's a difference between how a radio presenter - talking to millions of unknown people, who may or may not only tune in occasionally - and an ordinary person communicating with friends and family would talk.

However Alan Partridge just doesn't get the distinction - which is what makes him so hilarious.

Really surprised by all the mean spirited comments. It's quite obviously a joke and quite a common one. If family doesn't find it funny, it still isn't anything worth hurting OP's feelings over.

After a friend saw all of the photos in our house and said it felt like a little bit of France we started to use the term Chateau Surname for the house.

I suppose we'd better stop now 😭

Oh dear, that must have been quite upsetting. Sounds as if the Towers joke ran for too long. But by the sound of it your friends and family enjoy socialising in your, um, home, so they still like you.

Some jokes have a short half life OP.
Don't worry though it isn't as if you didn't put out the cake forks when MIL came to tea.

Yes it’s cringy-especially when you started with the Christmas cards and invitations. But it’s harmless though-and people have different senses of humour. My dh and I started calling each other windy cunts after watching the gangster series, Kin-we thought it was hilarious but I strongly suspect others would find it highly embarrassing. It really doesn’t matter-humour is pretty individual. It’s only a problem if you get upset because others don’t have the same funny bone as you.

This is what my friend did, meant it in a totally ironic way and everyone saw it as that, but it doesn’t come over that way with anything more than a flat, sorry OP

I know a few people who do similar. I don't see it as a problem.

😂😂😂 Oh this is endearing - DH and I have just had a good chuckle at it.

Probably a joke that become tired through overuse. But if everyone has been taking the piss whilst enjoying your hospitality, then I would suggest they're the dicks.

You were not aware, but they were!

It's so very harmless and the reaction to it is very mean-spirited, as are quite a few of the comments on this thread.

I'm not sure how I would react tbh. They've presumably been happy to take you up on your hospitality, whilst mocking you behind your back. I'd struggle with that one.

I would be really hurt by this OP. In your mind I'm sure they've all been ringin each other to chat about you and your cringy habit but I'm sure they haven't. I also think most people would be mortified if they knew they'd hurt your feelings (after all they would have told you to stop it if they didn't mind upsetting you).

Your sister is being a cow. Sisters often are in my experience as they forget they are no longer 7 years old. Your mum was being horrid too.

People who use the expressions 'cringey' or 'wanky' with a straight face about things people say have also forgotten they are not 7 years old. Minds so tiny they can't stand anything that doesn't fall inside social norms.

It doesn't bother me at all. I think it's a bit silly, but I'm not "bothered". People do have opinions on all sorts of things and that's fine.

God forbid you try and inject a bit of fun and frivolity into life, OP. It's like people who vehemently despise those who say "hollibobs." Who cares? Don't let your family make you feel bad. If they think "Jackson Towers" is lame, that's their opinion, and opinions are like bottoms- eeryone has one. Keep being you and find your people who appreciate you.

That sounds appalling what you and your family had to go through; however I don't think you can apply your experiences to a stranger who uses a silly jocular name for her house and automatically assume that she's the same as your horrific ex.

My friend calls her house Chez surname.....its a joke just as yours was.

Your sister and mum are bitches, thats for sure.
Drop using it if you like, drop the invites to your sister and mother too.

They have just shown a really ugly nasty side to them.
Information diet for them both and drop the rope.

Wow, your sister is MEAN

What a harmless joke I'm so sorry OP - you carry on!

I call mine (roadname) Manor all the time

As long as he doesn't talk about 'taking her in for a service' <barf>

Meh. It could be worse.

You could have made an instagram for your house as I've seen some sad acts do.

It was just a running joke, dont lose sleep over it.

Your sister doesn't sound very pleasant tbh.

😲 bit harsh.

It’s a bit cringe and given it seems a lot agree, I’d maybe stop saying it! Something you may find funny it seems the rest don’t!

Tbh that's something DH and I would chuckle at. 😄Just goes to show how variable sense of humour is!