What is this whole "no friends" joke?

[darknessontheedgeoftown]

Since childhood I've never quite understood this. Many times I've heard someone take the mickey out of another (sometimes people doing it to themselves) for having no or not enough friends. I find it really, really weird and not funny. I don't understand why it is seen as a sign of humour. I've even heard people say it about themselves again as a self deprecating joke or something. But I've also heard people do it as a competitive thing, putting someone else down. I sometimes think it is a particularly English thing, one of those things like being a bit cold and saying people are "mad" and enjoying weird humour, and as I'm not English I won't get it.

I don't understand the question?

Not heard this before - can you explain more or give some context?

No friends is meant to insinuate you are not a nice person because no one likes you.

Frankly I can count my real friends on one hand. I'd rather have them than 1,000 acquaintances though.

Billy No-mates?

Anyone saying "billy no mates" is a bit lot of a twat tbh. Especially if it's meant to be a so-called mate saying. I have only ever used it with dp referring to Jools Holland as Joolsbegafriend but that's cos of the Jools and his friends shows/CDs/fake new year. If I actually thought the man felt sad or insecure and I knew him IRL such a joke would be snarky.
I sometimes say it about myself but you know what, as I get older I am
a) less likely to give a toss what any fucker thinks
b) happier in my own skin/ own company as opposed to in my 20s when I suffered from esteem issues and FOMO
I am not sure whether being abroad made a difference: certainly I am so used to having lunch or seeing a film or exhibit on my own now that I think in the UK I would do so without giving it a second thought. Whereas the 'old' me would have felt uncomfortable (I recall seeing a double matinée and feeling very much alone. I also saw a play and the interval was grim, I was on my phone a lot. I even remember having a notepad once in as cinema so anyone who saw me might think I was reviewing it ).
Whereas now I would just go fuck it I think....or ask on here who wanted to go.

saying it

OP I have never thought of it as being a cultural thing but you might be onto something. When you're not in the UK you don't get paranoid about anyone judging you....but tbh noone is going to be looking at you....but there is a café culture in other countries whereby sitting in the sun with a beer/wine or coffee and a book, watching the world go by, is the norm. In the UK it's colder?
Who is saying this to you or is it just some office 'bantz'

Sometimes it is said in the context of attempting to be amusingly ironic. Which clearly only works if the recipient of the comment is on the same wavelength and gets the joke and appreciates it.

The context I've heard it in is, for example, someone wanted to go to the pictures, pub, wherever and no friends were available or wanted to come they may say 'well look at me, Billy no mates!!' It just means they haven't got anyone to go with.
It's not a big deal,just a non important piece of small talk usually.

Most of the times I hear this is against someone who's being mean and rude, implying that thanks to this attitude, they have no friends, as none would tolerate such behaviour.