Controversial Joke Stories That Split The Internet (2025)

From Redditor u/Cheap_Extension5015:

So my husband and I recently moved back to his hometown and bought a house near his parents. So we decided to host his family for dinner.

I cooked up a few dishes, including French onion soup. The soup was a hit. His mom asked me for a recipe, and I jokingly said that the secret ingredient is my tears (because onions). His mom stopped eating, stared at me. I tried to ease the tension by explaining that it was a joke, but she didn’t respond. After a few minutes they got up and left.

I knew she was strict about knowing where her food came from, making sure that they’re organic and non-GMO and such. We actually went grocery shopping with her before dinner as reassurance. But I didn’t realize an obvious onion joke would set her off.

My husband has been trying to get her to talk to me but she refuses. AITA?

From Redditor u/One_Gazelle9596:

I (23F) have a puppy Daisy 7mo. I rescued her recently from a shelter a few weeks ago, where the previous owner didn't take care of her. She is skittish around new people and severely underweight; I got her thinking she was 4mo old.

It was my aunt Anna's birthday yesterday, so I went to their house and left Daisy with my housemate as Daisy wouldn't like new people. My extended family were invited, including my cousin (not Anna's son) and his new girlfriend. They have been together a few months but told our family yesterday, which was is my first time meeting her/hearing of her. She told me her name was Daisy, and I said so is my puppy's. I tried to say it as a joke thinking she would laugh it off, but she was upset. She said her name was for people, not dogs. I didn't take her seriously and went to talk to other family at the event after she left the conversation.

Afterwards, my cousin messaged me saying I was rude to his girlfriend and she didn't enjoy the rest of the event. He asked me to change Daisy's name for her (his girlfriend), as it doesn't really matter anyway, as I named my puppy recently, so why can't I change it? I told him no, I only see him at big family events, and that was a stupid reason to change my puppy's name but if I have offended her I can reach out and apologize, and explain that I will not change my puppy's name or that I didn't mean any harm or disrespect. My cousin has told his family, and my aunt and uncle (his parents) are also asking me to change Daisy's name as it is the first time my cousin has brought a girl home and that I am being insensitive. AITA? I just think it's a weird request, and she is overreacting.

From Redditor u/Local_Raccoon1380:

I recently celebrated my 17th birthday, and let me tell you, it was a complete disaster. Originally, my mom and older sister (19F) decided to throw me a party, but when I told them I just wanted a simple dinner at home or a nice meal out with a small cake, they ignored me.

Instead, I ended up with a surprise bash featuring over 50 family members and four close friends. As much as I tried to put on a brave face, I felt uncomfortable. My sister took the reins on planning, and from the moment I saw the spread, I knew things were off. She ordered seafood even though I’m allergic to shellfish, and most of the food wasn’t gluten-free - she knows better. Plus, she got a big cake slathered in frosting (which I can’t stand) in those blinding bright pink and yellow colors.

I’m not into dressing up or getting my makeup done, but my mom convinced me to indulge a bit this time. We went for a makeover - hair, makeup, nails, and a pedicure. Surprisingly, I loved how my hair turned out; the stylist did an amazing job! My grandparents gifted me a gorgeous light pink dress that I was excited to wear for the occasion.

Things took a turn during the "Happy Birthday" song. Out of nowhere, my sister smashed my face into the cake, ruining my hair, makeup, and that beautiful dress. I was mortified and burst into tears. Instead of understanding my distress, she called me a crybaby and insisted it was just a joke.

Feeling completely embarrassed, I bolted upstairs to my room. When my mom knocked on my door, demanding that I come back to say goodbye to the guests and thank them for attending, I just couldn’t do it. Now, my mom and sister are calling me rude and annoying for not being able to take a joke. So, I have to ask: AITA for crying and leaving my birthday party? Shout I have just laughed it off, cleaned up, and went back downstairs to the party?

From Redditor u/Fluid-Silver5265:

My brother (M26) and I (F21) have a silly inside joke that we use all the time. It started when we were in our teens and it's basically just one of us pointing at the other and saying, "Et tu, Brute?" dramatically when one inconveniences the other. It's just silly, and it's devolved into something where even if we use it wrong (in terms of its literary meaning), we know what the other means.

For example, I once caught him eating the last bag of crisps I was saving, so I said, "Et tu, Brute?" to him. Or the other time our mother was nagging him about something and I jokingly piled on and he said the same to me.

The issue at hand is that my boyfriend (M23) works in publishing and studied English Literature. He told me that my inside joke is wildly offensive to him because it disrespects his work. I tried to explain to him that I mean nothing by it, and it's just a silly thing between two siblings that honestly really doesn't affect him.

But still, every time it happens, he gets super upset and has even physically left the room to "cool off" before. I'd hate to stop enjoying a fun and silly thing that makes me close to my brother, but I also feel like if my boyfriend is mad enough to leave a dinner where it happened, then it must be serious.

Please let me know your thoughts!

From Redditor u/justanAITAreddit:

I know it sounds bad, but if you just let me explain the joke I think it’s pretty funny.

I gave birth 6mo ago to a gorgeous baby girl. She’s beautiful, the light of my life, and while she doesn’t look exactly like me, I see a lot of myself in her face, if that makes sense. She’s not my copy, but she’s definitely mine; a blind man could see the resemblance. Meanwhile, she doesn’t look anything like my husband, but she has mannerisms similar to his and they both have a single dimple on the same cheek. Anyway, my ILs looooove to tell me how she looks nothing like me. Literally every time they see her, they go on and on about how she looks just like my husband, when she doesn’t. So in response, I’d started to say, “Well, yunno, maybe she’s not mine. They took her out of the room for an hour when she was first born - I didn’t really know her yet. They could have just brought back any baby with a similar skin tone as me, and I’d probably have believed they were mine.” Every time I say it, I see my MIL, FIL, and one of my SIL (BIL’s wife) go dark, but they usually stop the “you look nothing like mommy” comments. Yesterday my MIL came over on her own, and started up with the, “You look nothing like your mommy! You’re my widdle princess!” comments and I said, “I keep telling y’all, she’s probably not mine. I didn’t know her, they probably swapped her out.” My MIL snapped at me to stop saying that, and said she felt like I was insinuating the baby wasn’t my husband's or they weren’t her real family. I just shrugged and replied, “Relax.... We’ve had her for 6 months already. I can’t find the receipt anymore, we’re definitely keeping her regardless.”

She spent the rest of the visit pretty much sulking and ignoring me, before going home. But she wasn’t even off my driveway before calling my husband and (fake) crying to him about how mean I am, and how I was rude to her and kept saying things that made her uncomfortable. Now my husband is upset that I was sassing his mother and made her “cry.” Am I an a**hole?

From Redditor u/lonelypotatoman345:

A friend of mine has a wonderful little girl, Tia, who was born with one foot. She had that thing where bands grow around the fetal limb and cut off blood supply. As such her foot was amputated at birth. Tia is a really cool kid, funny and smart. We used to see the family often but the last year or two have been hard on everyone.

We finally got together recently and I'm pretty sure the friendship is over because I put my foot in my mouth. I promise it was unintentional, I was just being thoughtless or careless with my words.

So, Tia's parents have been saving up since Tia was born to buy her a top-of-the-line prosthetic foot. They finally reached their goal and Tia now has a kick-a** foot. She'd been wearing it for about a month when we all got together.

Tia was 3 the last time I was her, she's almost 5 now. Until she got her knew limb she used a wheelchair or crutches on a good day. Like most kids she's grown a lot since I last saw her. With her new limb she stands taller.

So my stupid a** says to her, "Tia, wow, you've grown a whole foot since the last time I saw you!" I immediately regretted my choice of words.

Tia's parents look pissed and offended but Tia, bless her heart, was howling with laughter and showing off her new foot.

Tia's parents decided to leave, despite my fervent apologies. I truly did not mean to say what I did, and not the way they took it.

Tia's dad has only texted me back once to tell me to leave them alone. I apologized once more but I think I'm blocked. Even my wife has sent apologies but I think she's blocked too.

I swear to God I'm not cruel, I'm just a really big dope.

I didn't mean what I said to sound like it did. And I apologized. AITA?