Fat is Funny

This past weekend I was with my best friends and we were hanging out with some guys after we had went out. They didn't know us that well, but after a few minutes ( and a few drinks) we all seemed to hit it off. We started talking about music, sports, relationships and everything. Since my friends were just visiting, both of the guys were interested in hanging out in the future. Don't get too excited, remember what I said about being a guy's girl? Well this is just another example. They were impressed by my knowledge of sports, interest in hip-hop, and frequent sarcasm. We all exchanged numbers, and I expect that these two will be some of my new guy friends in Atlanta. The next day I was told by one of the two that I was hilarious. Now this is something that I get quite often, but it made me think. Am I that funny? And if so, why?

Think about your favorite comedians, male or female. I can bet that they are either, fat, funny-looking, or short. Bernie Mac had a lazy eye, Richard Pryor, well... wasn't Denzel, and Kevin Hart is bite-size. This isn't some type of coincidence that the funniest people suffer from socially unacceptable features.

Fat, short, and funny-looking people have spent their lives trying to avoid public humiliation. It starts when we are in elementary school. I clearly remember the names that I was called, and the jokes that were said when I was younger, and these memories become even more vivid when I go to work everyday. I teach 8 year olds, and to say the least, they are vicious. I am sure psychologists will say that it is some part of human nature, but none the less it is sad.

Those of us who were "different" growing up have spent most of our time finding ways to avoid the shots that are fired. The best way to accomplish this task? Make fun of yourself! That way you say something everyone was already thinking before you get hurt by their words. There have been too many times where I have made jokes about my weight in order to make people feel comfortable about the situation that we were in, or to avoid someone else from doing it first. I have to say, this is a terrible trait. But rather than digging into the human brain, I would like to pose a question.

Yes, Fat is funny, but is it attractive?

When you ask a woman to list the qualities that she is looking for in a future man/husband, along her long list you will find "he needs to make me laugh". Now, when this same question is posed to a male, not only will you get a much shorter list, if a list at all, but funny is usually not included.

I have been called funny a few million times in my life, but I can count the number of times I have been called attractive on two hands. This could be because I really am not that attractive, something which I refuse to believe, or because that is not something that a man finds a want in a relationship. I find that men are always looking for women that have a sense of humor, and many of you may think that means funny, but in guy language it means don't get too sensitive when I make jokes about you, and when I do tell jokes, please laugh. Men are always looking for an ego boost, especially from their girl.

The more that I think about it, the less I think that a man actually wants a funny girl. Women with wit, are more than likely going to be intelligent. Hey, its not easy coming up with fast jokes. Anything that can damage a man's ego is usually a no-no. This is something that I have personally struggled with in the past year. I am so conditioned to defend myself, that it is nature for me to attack someone with my oh-so-harmless jokes. What I have found is that men don't really like to have someone that can challenge them, especially a women. It takes away from that whole alpha dog persona. It never occurred to me until recently that this was a problem, and now that I am meeting new people I sense a difference, and most men do not appreciate my humor. 

Ironically this post really isn't that funny, but more of something that has been on my mind.

Should a woman tone herself down in order to find a mate? Do we need to be tamed?

I do not have the answers to these questions since I am still trying to find myself. I still need to figure out what I need to do in life before I dive head first into this relationship world. My opinion right now is that I am too old to try and change my personality, but who knows what the future will bring.