# A Christmas visit from Uncle Fester **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 31, 2002, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850 "2002-12-31T10:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/41 "2003-01-04T21:22:32Z")
What was Uncle Fester like when you went to visit _him_? Were there any hints that he might have ended up behaving like an arsehole at your house, or does he just reserve his most obnoxious behaviour when he is out visiting? Isn’t it ironic that Christmas seems to bring out the worst in people…especially family. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/42 "2003-01-05T01:38:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > \*\*Now, based on what we know about Uncle Fester, we cannot say with any confidence that he shows any of the symptoms listed there. And that is what my point was.{/B] You’re right, we cant. The thing with the glasses, combined with the fact that his odd behavior rises to the top when visiting others but not in his home struck me as _possible_ signs of a larger problem. Could be OCD, could be something else entirely, or could be that he’s just a rude & obnoxious jerk when not in his own home. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/43 "2003-01-05T02:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > What was Uncle Fester like when you went to visit him? Were there any hints that he might have ended up behaving like an arsehole at your house, or does he just reserve his most obnoxious behaviour when he is out visiting? It was a Fourth of July party with about 40 people in attendance. He cooked steaks, burgers, hot dogs, etc. on the grill to order. He was generous with whatever any of the guests wanted to drink, including, apparently, some very expensive wine, brandy, and vodka. When he asked me what I wanted and I asked for a Coke, he was prepared to send someone out to get it because he had Pepsi (which I assured him was fine with me). While we were at the party, he had our car (a seven year old Corolla at the time) washed, waxed, and thoroghly cleaned inside. He offered to let us stay in one of his spare rooms, which is actually a suite with a sitting room, bedroom, and full bath, and is roughly half the size of our entire house. Had we stayed, we likely would have gotten better service than a first class hotel. Uncle Fester’s problem seems to be that he expects the same level of treatment from others that he is able to provide for his guests, and expected us to know his likes and dislikes and cater to them the way his wife and servants do. I don’t think he’s mentally ill, and other than turning over the glasses, he didn’t show any of the symptoms of OCD indicated above. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/44 "2003-01-05T02:38:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stofsky \* > \*\*How 'bout this: > > I don’t wanna be a chicken > I don’t wanna be a duck > Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck > > Better? 😃 \*\* I get this song, complete with lyrics at home ALL THE DAMN TIME! Stofsky, I hate your guts. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/45 "2003-01-05T03:49:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*You’re right, we cant. > \ > Could be OCD, could be something else entirely, or could be that he’s just a rude & obnoxious jerk when not in his own home. \*\* Isn’t that _exactly_ what I’ve been saying? BTW, in your previous post, why did you seem to be scolding me for playing doctor, when you were the one who named a specific disorder and implied a confidence Uncle Fester had it? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/46 "2003-01-05T19:48:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > \*\*Isn’t that _exactly_ what I’ve been saying? > > BTW, in your previous post, why did you seem to be scolding me for playing doctor, when you were the one who named a specific disorder and implied a confidence Uncle Fester had it? \*\* Funny, I could say the same thing about you. Your post seemed to have been scolding me for playing doctor when I all intended was to suggest something that a real doctor might want to check for. Looking back, I see that I could have worded my opinion better. Sorry for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/47 "2003-01-06T02:37:02Z")
Apology accepted. I admit having a pet peeve for people who talk about psychological disorders when they don’t completely understand them (for example, calling their nondebilitating fears _phobias_). I didn’t intend to come across as scolding you, though. I apologize as well. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/48 "2003-01-06T04:06:18Z")
Nup. The guy obviously has a serious medical condition…Oldbastarditis. It’s incurable, but alas it doesn’t shorten the life expectancy…which means that YOU have a great many more years of suffering yet. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/49 "2003-01-06T14:42:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AudreyK \* > **Apology accepted.** And I accept yours. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/50 "2003-01-06T22:15:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sugaree \* > \*\*Turning glasses upside down in the cupboard: I’ve always done this, ever since I got my first apartment and found a roach trundling merrily around the base of a glass one day when I opened the cupboard door. Interestingly, though, I don’t turn my plates upside down. I can’t explain the discrepancy. \*\* I’d rather risk the odd bug falling in than knowing that all the ones scuttling around in the cabinet are touching the rims of all my glasses! :eek" (And who drinks out of a glass without checking first for stuff inside!?) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850/51 "2003-01-06T22:17:55Z")
Oh, I know that the above quote wasn’t by sugaree… sorry. I just used that post’s “Quote” button and forgot to change it. Sorry for any confusion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-christmas-visit-from-uncle-fester/145850.md?page=2)