# "I'm kidding!" and/or "Just joking!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 23, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853 "2020-01-23T17:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/1 "2020-01-23T17:45:05Z")
How many times and how many ways can this excuse be used? What is beyond the pale for “just joking”? And what will Republicans say when Democrats start telling their own “jokes”? This thread is to show examples of Republicans “just kidding” about things they obviously aren’t joking about and/or things they prolly wouldn’t want others to “joke” about. Or are they under the impression that anything can be waved away as long as you say “just kidding”? [Tucker Carlson “jokes” about Russia invading Ukraine](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-fox-news-russia-ukraine_n_5de5e823e4b0d50f32a7cc40): > [@](#): > > Carlson last week said that he wanted to side with Russia in conflicts with Ukraine. “Why shouldn’t I root for Russia, which I am,” he said then. But just 45 minutes later, he insisted he wasn’t serious. > > “Of course I’m joking. I’m only rooting for America,” he claimed. [Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is an asshole](https://apnews.com/326336f2b37f03a521e867db9a41d0f0): > [@](#): > > “There’s coffee, but it’s miserable coffee” in the cloakrooms, according to Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. “I mean you would wish it on a Democrat, no one else,” he said, adding, “Just joking.” People like this deserve to be flayed alive in a wind tunnel by salt dust while their loved ones look on helplessly. :eek: Just kidding! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/2 "2020-01-23T18:33:26Z")
Basic rule: assholes can make jokes too. Saying “just joking” has nothing to do with whether you’re an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/3 "2020-01-23T18:54:05Z")
Saying something flat out nasty and hurtful, waiting a few moments and then saying, “I’m kidding!” gets really old quick as comedy. Like, never use even once old. Using “I’m kidding!” as a cover for your hurtful nastiness is just hurtful nastiness. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/4 "2020-01-23T20:00:04Z")
It’s called kidding on the square. You say something negative that really mean but you frame it as a joke. So the person who the negative remark was addressed at isn’t supposed to be insulted by the remark; he’s supposed to “take a joke”. That said, some conservatives aren’t doing it right. You’re supposed to make your remark as a joke not say it seriously and then later claim it was supposed to be a joke. If you have to inform somebody that you told a joke, then one of you has no sense of humor. And if you have to inform everyone that you told a joke, then you’re the one who has no sense of humor. So of the two examples given in the OP, I’d say Cassidy’s qualifies as a joke. He was kidding on the square. Carlson’s remark does not qualify as a joke. So when he said it was a joke, he was just lying. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/5 "2020-01-24T04:13:54Z")
Here is a guy just joking: [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/23/joe-lockhart-cnn-contributor-slammed-for-bogus-twe/?fbclid=IwAR0ru\_96\_uXpxnw-c1Pb5jtyw0hCw8o76Du8gSA9vI5YToEosWBEPKPW–o](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/23/joe-lockhart-cnn-contributor-slammed-for-bogus-twe/?fbclid=IwAR0ru_96_uXpxnw-c1Pb5jtyw0hCw8o76Du8gSA9vI5YToEosWBEPKPW--o) “CNN’s Joe Lockhart slammed for bogus tweet on ‘overheard convo’ between GOP senators” Is that okay? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/6 "2020-01-24T15:59:15Z")
Here is the proper way to use “just kidding”: Just kidding. No I'm not. Just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/7 "2020-01-24T16:31:37Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Tucker Carlson “jokes” about Russia invading Ukraine](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-fox-news-russia-ukraine_n_5de5e823e4b0d50f32a7cc40) You gotta watch that stuff (remembering the major flame-out on the Dope when someone jokingly suggested that the U.S. annex Saskatchewan, or maybe it was Alberta). “I’m kidding/just joking” has backfired enough in our household that I mostly avoid it now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/8 "2020-01-24T16:37:39Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is an asshole](https://apnews.com/326336f2b37f03a521e867db9a41d0f0): > “There’s coffee, but it’s miserable coffee” in the cloakrooms, according to Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. “I mean you would wish it on a Democrat, no one else,” he said, adding, “Just joking.” Personally, I don’t have a problem with that one. It’s slightly funny, and doesn’t have any actual real world repercussions no matter whether you think it’s a joke or not. Unlike the Tucker one. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/9 "2020-01-24T17:57:25Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Personally, I don’t have a problem with that one. **It’s slightly funny, and doesn’t have any actual real world repercussions** no matter whether you think it’s a joke or not. Unlike the Tucker one. I disagree with the bolded text and vociferously disagree with the orange text. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/10 "2020-01-26T01:01:02Z")
I don’t believe it when they say “I was just joking”. They mean it. They just didn’t expect any heat, or they were sending up a balloon to see what they could get away with. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/11 "2020-01-26T03:12:24Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I don’t believe it when they say “I was just joking”. > > They mean it. They just didn’t expect any heat, or they were sending up a balloon to see what they could get away with. This. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/12 "2020-01-26T03:21:32Z")
There’s also the time-honored: \*- I’m just shitting you - I’m just fucking with you - I’m just giving you a hard time - I’m just busting your chops\* Followed by: Why are you getting so sensitive? And for the win: Don’t get mad–I’m just trying to piss you off! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/13 "2020-01-26T13:51:58Z")
And, in UK, “I’m just taking the mickey” (did I get that right?) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/14 "2020-01-26T15:23:10Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Here is a guy just joking: > > [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/23/joe-lockhart-cnn-contributor-slammed-for-bogus-twe/?fbclid=IwAR0ru\_96\_uXpxnw-c1Pb5jtyw0hCw8o76Du8gSA9vI5YToEosWBEPKPW–o](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/23/joe-lockhart-cnn-contributor-slammed-for-bogus-twe/?fbclid=IwAR0ru_96_uXpxnw-c1Pb5jtyw0hCw8o76Du8gSA9vI5YToEosWBEPKPW--o) > > “CNN’s Joe Lockhart slammed for bogus tweet on ‘overheard convo’ between GOP senators” > > Is that okay? I can’t quite tell if you are in favor of fabrications or not… so tell us your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/15 "2020-01-26T20:53:53Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > There’s also the time-honored: > > \*- I’m just shitting you > > - I’m just fucking with you > - I’m just giving you a hard time > - I’m just busting your chops\* > > Followed by: > > Why are you getting so sensitive? > > And for the win: > > Don’t get mad–I’m just trying to piss you off! And then there’s the weasel-est of the weasely of backpedals…“I’m just sayin’!” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-kidding-and-or-just-joking/846853/16 "2020-01-27T11:19:41Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I don’t believe it when they say “I was just joking”. > > They mean it. They just didn’t expect any heat, or they were sending up a balloon to see what they could get away with. There is no or. They mean it.