Why I stopped telling my 'wife's cooking' jokes at the office

I used to think those classic 'my wife's cooking is so bad' jokes were harmless fun. I'd toss one out at lunch or during a coffee break and people would chuckle. But last Friday, I overheard my coworker Sarah say to the new intern that hearing those jokes made her uncomfortable because her husband used the same kind of humor to belittle her in front of their kids. She wasn't even talking to me, but I felt like I got hit in the chest. I realized I had never stopped to think about how those jokes might land with someone who actually dealt with that kind of put-down for real. Now I just keep my mouth shut about that stuff entirely. Has anyone else ever had a joke backfire on you because you didn't realize the baggage it carried?

2 comments

2 Comments

derekward1mo ago

Yeah, oof, I once made a joke about a coworker's lunch and found out her kid had just been diagnosed with a food allergy.

danielmason1mo ago

Did you ever find a way to fix the awkwardness after that?