Would someone with aspergers attempt a joke?

[DonkeyRaddish]

Sorry for an ignorant post asking about aspergers as I am the first to admit I know not much of the condition but after reading up on the traits of the aspergers sufferer I have wondered many times if DP has it. He doesn't always respond in conversations, "switches off" because he's thinking of something else, walks away mid conversation. He says inappropriate stuff sometimes (like when our lovely neighbour died DP's first reaction was "oh great, hope we don't get a load of chavs moving in next door". And when a family friend/mechanic got very ill DP said "god i hope nothing happens to Ray, who will do the car up for the MOT?" He ticks all the boxes apart from the fact that he often lies and I've read aspergers people don't/can't lie?

Another thing happened today which is the inspiration for this thread. We were sat in a pub having a sunday roast. DP gets full quite quickly so only ate half of his, I ate most of mine. for a 'joke' he swapped the plates around so it looked like I'd left loads and he'd eaten most of his. Can people with aspergers make jokes because I've read otherwise?? When the waitress came across DP blurted out "oh it was lovely thanks!! I ate loads!!" (in keeping with his plate swapping joke). The waitress of course had no idea he'd swapped the plates so looked rather confused and said "oh right" in a 'that's nice dear' kind of way [embarrassed] I burst out laughing at her obvious confusion and my 13 year old son also saw how hilarious this was and laughed. DP had no idea why were laughing so much and so said to the waitress (he always tries to explain his jokes, even when it's not needed) "I swapped the plates, that's why they're laughing" (that wasn't why we were laughing!) and again she looked confused and said "ok".

Later in the car I said to him "do you realise why we were laughing?" and he said "yes, because I swapped the plates". I said "No, we were laughing because you really confused that poor waitress saying you'd eaten loads!" he then put on a very false laugh and said "Oh yes I see now ha ha ha ha" he sounded like a robot! So does this sound like aspergers or just poor social skills?

I feel that some comments here are a bit mean.

It does sound like he has some special needs, it would be good if he would go for assessment so that you all know what you are dealing with. Obviously though you can't make him but perhaps try explaining that you feel it would be helpful. If you know what it is you might find books or organisations that could help you all deal with it or understand it better.

Oldish thread, but fwiw my severely autistic/non-verbal teenage son jokes every day. He's always playing very deliberate jokes.

I think some posters have been very harsh.

Op, your DH doesn't sound odd and crap to me. You obviously see something in him, that others don't (thank heavens my DH sees something in me others don't !!!).

He could well have aspergers. If you are not going to get a formal diagnosis, does it matter? He is who he is, and people should treat him with kindness and respect because he is a person.

My AS ex deffo makes jokes - in fact his dry, cutting wit -often based on very keen observations of human behavior is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. Even now I appreciate his somewhat cynical sense of humor, especially at times of crisis.