# Origin in the "mock crying" gesture
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 7, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562 "2021-04-07T17:28:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/1 "2021-04-07T17:28:50Z")
You know, this gesture:
Where does that come from, exactly? Nobody actually cries like that, do they?
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### Author:  [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/2 "2021-04-07T17:29:56Z")
Babies cry like that. Usually because they are tired.
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### Author:  [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/3 "2021-04-07T19:35:17Z")
Yeah, they rub their eyes with their fists like that. So the gesture is meant to mock not only “haha, you’re crying” but also “and you’re doing it like a BABY” so more bang for the buck.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/4 "2021-04-07T22:04:05Z")
With absolutely no evidence, I want to say circus clowns.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/5 "2021-04-07T23:38:11Z")
Where did they get it from?
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/6 "2021-04-07T23:52:26Z")
From crying babies, but I don’t think that was the question. I infer that the OP is asking about the mocking gesture.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/7 "2021-04-07T23:53:22Z")
Crying babies are a lot more common than clowns.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/8 "2021-04-07T23:55:42Z")
See my edit. Babies aren’t making a mocking gesture.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/9 "2021-04-07T23:57:24Z")
I think it coming directly from babies is way more likely. The other explanation is a bit roundabout.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/10 "2021-04-07T23:57:35Z")
Interesting.
Add this to the list of things you never learn when you opt out of parenthood, I guess.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/11 "2021-04-08T00:00:03Z")
There is a clear difference between the very precise action of bending your wrists with your fists on your checks than what a baby actually does,
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/12 "2021-04-08T00:06:56Z")
So why do clowns bend their wrists if babies don’t do that?
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/13 "2021-04-08T00:11:09Z")
Because that’s how it’s taught at Clown College. It’s exaggerated, stylized, and adopted by consensus like any other uniformly recognized gesture. For example, I don’t masturbate the same way I make the jerk-off gesture that I made when reading your last 3 replies. 🙂
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/14 "2021-04-08T00:19:52Z")
Did anyone need the meaning of that gesture explained to them?
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### Author:  [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/15 "2021-04-08T00:27:47Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> Because that’s how it’s taught at Clown College.
I’ll thank you not to refer to Princeton that way.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/16 "2021-04-08T00:52:58Z")
Sorry. Clown _University_
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/17 "2021-04-08T01:50:23Z")
Even if babies don’t bend their wrists, toddlers and small children, who have more coordination, certainly do.
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### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/18 "2021-04-09T19:03:25Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> For example, I don’t masturbate the same way I make the jerk-off gesture that I made when reading your last 3 replies.
Fucking hilarious!
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### Author:  [@Fiveroptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveroptic)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/19 "2021-04-12T19:32:52Z")
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> Even if babies don’t bend their wrists, toddlers and small children, who have more coordination, certainly do.
It’s okay to say that you learned something new today instead of doubling down, we won’t judge you.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-in-the-mock-crying-gesture/939562/20 "2021-04-12T19:44:14Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> Because that’s how it’s taught at Clown College. It’s exaggerated, stylized, and adopted by consensus like any other uniformly recognized gesture. For example, I don’t masturbate the same way I make the jerk-off gesture that I made when reading your last 3 replies.
Bravo!
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