It’s a classic story: woman makes joke, man emphatically repeats it back to her, either because he thinks she didn’t realize she made a joke or because he always claims anything good as his own. While you might want to stare at him in disbelief and say, “Yeah, that’s what I said,” it’s important to remember that calling out men on their sexist bullshit can be a real turn-off. Here are some tips for showing him you appreciate his sense of humor, even though it’s just your own jokes loudly repeated back to you.
Laugh to Reassure Him
While he didn’t laugh when you said your joke, the act of stealing your words and saying them louder so that he gets credit is the sincerest form of flattery. Pay him back in kind by laughing, which is a great way to demonstrate your affection and appreciation for his purely derivative sense of humor.
Say, “Wait, That’s Really Funny” as Though You’re Only Just Realizing
It’s not his fault that he doesn’t think you’re capable of being funny! Be easy on him and remember—he thought you hadn’t even realized you made a joke. If you act as though he was the one to find the humor in your intentionally funny remark, you’ll provide him with the reassurance he needs that you are just a babbling idiot. He’s a real genius!
Lean In and Touch His Arm As If He Really Did Something Good There
Loudly funny men are hot, and it’s important that you treat them as such. Don’t get too hung up on the fact that he thinks you’re funny “because you have no idea you’re funny.” It’s actually good he doesn’t realize you’re making jokes! Funny women are not hot!!
Sure, he stole your joke, but it’s important that you appreciate the originality of his louder, more obvious version. If you play your cards right, you might even score yourself an invite to his first open mic night!
