When someone is a constant jokester, it can be difficult to take them seriously.
A lot of people who live for the comedy of a good prank are often rarely serious.
And the people who are consistently the butt of the gag can grow tired of the "comedy" of it all.
So it's not a surprise when more serious moments aren't acknowledged.
Then the jokester gets their feelings hurt, and comedy turns to drama.
Redditor Ashamed_Purchase_681 wanted to discuss his experience and get some feedback, so naturally, he came to the "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) subreddit.
He asked:
"AITA for laughing when my wife fell and pooped her pants because I thought it was a prank?"
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
"I (33 M[ale]) think my wife (31 F[emale]) is genuinely funny, but her love of pranks and toilet humor can be a bit much."
"One day, I was in the living room."
"My wife ran in holding her tummy."
"She slipped and fell."
"Then she said something like, crap, I pooped my pants."
"Everything about it seemed like a prank she would do."
"From the double-meaning phrase, to the toilet humor, to the physical comedy."
"Despite the fact that I dislike most of her pranks, I found this one funny."
"But it wasn't pranking."
"When I realized, I tried to help her up."
"She told me not to touch her."
"She sarcastically called me husband of the year for laughing at her."
"I explained, but she said I should have known it wasn't a prank because she did a similar one before, and she doesn't repeat the same pranks."
The OP was left to wonder:
"Am I the a**hole?"
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed in on some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared that OP WAS the A**hole.
"BAHAHAHAHAHAH NTA."
"Your wife is just the girl who cried poop." ~ Objective_Citron4560
"You should have known I was telling the truth because I've lied before."
"OK… NTA!" ~ hushnecampus
"NTA - This is what fruit is born of frequent pranks."
"And as a good partner, you were engaging and supporting her antics."
"When you realized it was real, you immediately went to help."
"She's probably mad at herself because she KNOWS you laughing was essentially her own doing." ~ Return_of_the_HoWaT
"It's almost like a staged TikTok video; the only thing that makes it funny is if it's real."
"Her pranks are probably so trashy that he immediately knows it's a prank and thus it's not funny."
"Then, when something actually happens to her that's not staged, suddenly it's humorous because it met all the qualifiers for comedy (spontaneity, unexpectedness), something he attributed to her finally producing a good prank only to be met with the truth." ~ NipppppppleCrust
"Exactly this."
"You can't prank someone constantly and then get mad when they assume it's another prank."
"Natural consequence of crying wolf." ~ Jwhiskey89
"Exactly this."
"If you train someone to expect chaos every time you run into a room clutching your stomach, you can't be shocked when they react like it's another bit."
"Honestly feels like a 'play silly games, win silly prizes' situation."
"She set the stage, you just followed the script." ~ firm75z
"So the story is probably fiction, but I do love the idea that it couldn't be a prank, not because it was in poor taste or taking things too far, but because it was too close to something she'd pulled before."
"NTA." ~ Khalman
"Yeah, he's supposed to recall every prank she has ever pulled and analyze it in the moment." ~ sisterfunkhaus
"So by this logic, anything that happens to her that doesn't repeat one of her 'pranks' he should assume is a prank… right?"
"NTA- this is karma."
"She's spent years making people—especially you—not believe her and assume anything that she says or that happens is just 'her being wacky.'"
"Now she's mad cause something actually happened and you figured it was just another one of her stupid pranks."
"Hopefully, this makes her think because by her own logic, you should never believe anything she says or that happens to her unless she's already done that in a prank."
"What if there's an actual emergency (she's in an accident, there's an intruder in the house, etc.) and you just assume it's yet another one of her stupid pranks?"
"I genuinely wonder how people actually bring themselves to trust someone like this."
"Can you have like a safe word or something for use when there's an emergency (no, probably not, cause then she'd use that, cause otherwise you won't fall for her precious prank)."
"Ugh… sorry, I cannot stand Pranksters, they just make it harder to trust people."
"Honestly, I hope she was very embarrassed and maybe learns a lesson here." ~ acegirl1985
"First time I've ever heard someone cry wolf about pooping themselves." ~ wannabeknowitall
"Right? I'm gonna take it as true simply because I'm a big fan of karma (the actual concept, not the points or whatever here)."
"I flat out can't stand pranksters—it's literally just bullying/quasi-abusing someone and then gaslighting them into thinking it was nothing, and their victim is actually the bad guy for not having a sense of humor."
"I freaking LOVE the idea of something happening to a prankster and everyone just laughing, ignoring it because they've done the same thing as a prank."
"NTA and good, I hope this is true."
"She totally brought this on herself."
"Far as I'm concerned, any prankster that ends up screwed over by their own actions is just reaping what they sowed." ~ acegirl1985
"NTA- she's the boy who cried wolf." ~ ThrowRA4153
"This is exactly the kind of low-stakes drama I live for on this Reddit."
"I'm on your side, though I would apologize to your wife that this happened to her in the first place."
"It is objectively funny when written out. NTA." ~ cobaltaureus
"NTA. Read her the story of the boy who cried wolf."
"Unfortunately, the downside of being the lovable prankster is that people don't know when you are being serious." ~ Mauinfinity-0805
"NTA, it's sad for your wife in the moment, and I hope she'll forgive you for laughing, but that is pretty funny."
"Now go buy her something to make her feel less embarrassed." ~ JynxGirl
"NAH - Even without a history of pranks and toilet humor, that is hilarious."
"Without the history, I would say maybe a little AH just for not making sure she's ok first."
"But a full-grown adult falling while running to the bathroom and sh*tting themselves is a funny moment."
"The one-liner of 'crap I pooped my pants' is hysterical, and she should be proud of it."
"Albeit probably one of her more embarrassing moments, so I get him being a bit upset about it." ~ No_Struggle_6465
"NAH. S**t happens."
"Don't overanalyze this and make it a big deal, and it will be forgotten tomorrow by both." ~ MistressLyda
"Tell her this story about my grandpa."
"My grandpa was very funny, and he really liked to make jokes and pranks."
"He entertained himself and the whole family."
"My mom was used to these jokes whole childhood."
"Once my grandfather was climbing a tree to pick apples, he missed the ladder and fell."
"He was in the garden just with my mom, a little girl."
"My mom thought it was another joke, so she just stood there and laughed."
"Grandpa was out of breath and couldn't breathe."
"He tried to get her to call for help, but she thought it was another joke and just laughed."
"He finally got it together, got up, and it worked out well."
"If your wife likes to make jokes, she has to expect that others will laugh." ~ Life_Bit_4298
"NTA. If she continues to believe you were mockingly laughing at her, I would tell her that while it may have felt that way to her in the moment, you weren't laughing, thinking she'd actually crapped her pants."
"You were laughing because it fit her pranks and toilet humor, so that's what you thought it was."
"You were laughing at what you thought was her joke."
"You're not going to go along with a false image she has of the situation, because that would be harmful to your relationship."
"What she's upset about didn't actually happen."
"Apologizing or acting as if her mistaken view is justified would not be fair and wouldn't go anywhere positive."
"It's not quite the same as crying wolf, but it's the same pattern."
"She pranks a lot and makes toilet humor jokes."
"That's fine, but she can't stay seriously annoyed at you just because, for once, it was real and you didn't realize." ~ kurokomainu
"Bahaha, your only clue, she says, is that she's already done a prank EXACTLY like this before and wouldn't repeat it."
"I think you're off the hook. NTA." ~ EbbWilling7785
"NTA. She brought this on herself."
"Also hilarious." ~ the_elephant_stan
"NTA. She brought it on herself."
"You couldn't tell she was being serious because most of the time she isn't."
"You might have her peruse 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' for reference as to what happens when you take things to the point when people can't tell if you're serious." ~ cheekmo_52
"NTA. Can't be surprised by laughter when you regularly behave like a fool."
"Maybe she should grow up and stop pranks altogether?"
"I'm sure she can find a better use of her energies at her age." ~ MorganFreemanCoPilot
Well, this gag went down the crapper.
Reddit is with you, OP.
Your wife keeps playing all of these pranks.
They were bound to catch up to her.
You weren't trying to be malicious.
Hopefully, she's learned a lesson.
















New Mom Irate After Father-In-Law Ruins Her Birthday With 'Vulgar' Comment About Her Breasts
There's nothing quite like the feeling of going through all the work to prepare a fun celebration, just for someone to undo it with an unkind or gross comment.
That feeling just gets worse when it's your birthday, and that comment was made by someone who's supposed to care about you, sympathized the members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subReddit.
Redditor Rude-Pepper-2389 had recently given birth and decided to have a special birthday celebration to reconnect with her loved ones after becoming a mom.
When her father-in-law stopped by unexpectedly and then made comments about her body, the Original Poster (OP) was left so uncomfortable that it ruined the whole celebration for her.
She asked the sub:
The OP wanted to have a special birthday celebration after her baby was born.
"I currently have a five-month-old and haven’t really been taking care of myself or dressing up since having the baby."
"It’s my (25 Female) birthday, and we were having friends over at our house for a private dinner to celebrate."
"My husband (24 Male) and I have been together since we were 18."
"I decided to put on this new silk shirt I got, which, admittedly, was low-cut, but I felt cute in it and felt comfortable around the friends we were having over."
Everything was fine until the OP's father-in-law (FIL) stopped by unexpectedly.
"My husband's dad decided to stop by on his way home from work."
"I will say, he was likely drunk. He works two hours away and proudly told my husband he's down to only four beers on his drive home each day... so, that's healthy."
"When he came in, I was on the couch with my baby propped up beside me, bottle feeding him. Keep in mind, I am not breastfeeding, so no, my breasts are not any larger right now."
"My husband's dad leaned down to look at the baby and then suddenly shouted, 'D**n, son, she could knock you out with those things in bed! Like cracking two coconuts together.'"
"This was fully and undoubtedly in reference to my breasts."
The OP was shocked by the comment and very uncomfortable.
"It made me deeply uncomfortable and embarrassed."
"I was so stunned, I couldn’t even process what he said to me, and our friends just stared at me, blinking."
"He’s a redneck, so he's said some pretty vulgar stuff over the years, but this just seems to take the cake, as it was the first time it was directed at me."
"When he stepped out, I told my husband he needed to speak to him, and that the comment wasn’t okay."
"I went to change clothes and decided to never ever wear that shirt again."
"When I brought it up to my husband, he said he didn't hear the comment at first, but then he laughed when I told him what he said. He's always laughed when he feels awkward and has always had a hard time standing up to his parents in any capacity."
"When he and my father-in-law spoke, my FIL just said, 'I shouldn’t have said that to her, I know how she can be,' which just feels even more like I’m just being dramatic."
"Since then, I think my husband just wants me to drop it and move on, truthfully."
The OP wasn't sure what to do after what happened.
"This genuinely ruined my entire night. Am I just too sensitive, or was this an inappropriate thing to say?"
"There's also been no apology since then. This happened on Thursday, and then my father-in-law came by again on Friday with flowers to wish me a happy Mother's Day before Mother's Day Sunday."
"I think that was his way of trying to just breeze past the awkwardness. He's never gotten me a gift the whole seven years I've known him, so the flowers were odd. But I still feel really uncomfortable."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that her father-in-law's comments were rude and just plain creepy.
"NOR at all. That was really rude of him. Anyone would be offended." - Bookbringer
"NOR. That’s firmly in the category of what should be an 'inside thought,' and we should learn what those are at a much younger age than this guy is."
"F**king h**l, this is an absolutely mental thing to say out loud, let alone to your daughter-in-law." - Electronic-Fennel828
"FIL is an AH. I love that you think his being a redneck excuses it, but d**n. Even rednecks should know better than to speak that way to their son's wife."
"What does your husband have to say? Does he understand how breath-takingly rude his father was, or is he Team 'That's Just How He Is'?"
"I'd go very low contact with the old perv. NOR, he put you in an uncomfortable position with his crude remark. Is he married? I'd tell the MIL. I'd tell the whole family. Yes, it's embarrassing, but he is the one who should be embarrassed. Don't accept his non-apology." - Top-Bit85
"Maybe I’m desensitized after having large breasts since I was 13 (I’m 28 now), but I let out a little snort based on how immature of a joke it was. I’d simply tell FIL, 'Yes, I know, my boobs are big,' and move on."
"That said, I would never make such a comment about another person's body. Just because I'm technically fine with it doesn't mean I assume anyone else is!"
"Not everyone is the same, and if OP felt uncomfortable, she’s NOR. Her body, her boundaries." - Both_Original2094
"I’m sorry. That’s upsetting. My father is like this with his father. Even if it’s very offensive comments, he’s uncomfortable and has problems confronting him. It sounds like your husband isn’t going to have a talk with him, which is hurtful."
"I would explain to your husband how uncomfortable the situation was for you and that it’s a serious matter, especially if it happens again. And if he still tries to brush it off, then I would tell him you no longer want your FIL coming to your home."
"It’s your life, too, and he’s not the one being hurt here, you are." - w_coastultraviolence
Others were specifically angry about the tactics the father-in-law used to try to get out of trouble.
"Seriously? Saying 'I know how she can be' is a classic way to blame the victim for having boundaries. It’s your birthday, not a Hooters convention. What a creep. If he can’t look at the baby without checking out your breast, he shouldn't be invited to the house." - Specific_Parsnip3264
"'I know how she can be' is so f**ked up. He's the one being a disgusting person. You need to shine up your husband's spine to properly call him out at the time next time, because there will be a next time." - dancepantz
"The bit that pisses me off the most is, 'I know how she can be,' which is his way of making it her problem that she doesn't like her FiL sexualising her in front of her friends." - Outside-Partait-8935
"The 'joke' comment is gross, but that follow-up comment is infuriating. NOR, OP. But this guy will be in your life for a while, so firmly & calmly shutting this stuff down is completely appropriate."
"I'd wear the d**n shirt again to the next family function and look him right in the eyes next time!" - RationalFish
"When we let things like this slide for others, it's not long before it ends up on our doorstep, and of course, nobody says anything because keeping the peace is the norm. It doesn't have to be getting into their face and yelling abuse back. Just a comment such as, 'Well, that's super tacky to say,' or asking them why they'd say that." - Kattnapped
"The OP said, 'He's said some pretty vulgar stuff over the years... but this is the first time it was directed to me.'"
"Normalise calling stuff out when they are talking about others, and they won't feel so comfortable saying it to you."
"It's a gross thing for him to say, but I guess him buying you flowers is his way of saying sorry."
"Sounds like you are in the situation of a lot of new mothers, where you suddenly realise this stuff matters because you want better influences for your child, and better support for yourself. NOR." - Jumpy-Jello-
Now, about that shirt...
"Please re-think your decision to never wear the cute shirt again, girl!! It's something that you liked very much because it made you feel good about yourself. Don't let some backwoods id**t ruin that for you."
"Wear that shirt till it's worn out and can't be worn anymore!! You should be able to feel good about yourself in whatever you like to wear."
"Your husband should have immediately checked his father, not waited until he was told to do so after his father left the room. In front of everyone there, your husband should have told his father not to ever speak about you or to you in that kind of manner, and if his father doesn't like it, he knows where the door is."
"Hubby should have called him out for his response as well. You did absolutely nothing wrong. You were not the problem; his dad was. This comes down to your husband needing to protect his wife, and he didn't do that." - Lynzo141982
"If he is a redneck, like you said, he won't outright apologize, but flowers are his way of saying sorry."
"I hope he won't say anything again, or else you can expect a nicely tended garden for at least a year."
"About your top, I hope you can wear it again. It takes a lot to feel cute, being a new mum."
"If not, get some fabric dye, dye the top a different color, and embroider a flower on it. This makes the top new, different, and every time you wear it, you can use the mantra ... I'm cute, I don't care what anyone says."
"You've got this!!" - No_Kangaroo_6637
Even if the father-in-law was joking and meant no harm, this is one of those situations where he needs to admit that his joke did not land well, he did cause harm, and he needs to apologize. Just because some people enjoy joking in that manner does not mean that everyone will be comfortable with it, and it's important to respect everyone's boundaries and zones of comfort.