PSA: My "dead battery" joke at a funeral reception got me uninvited from the next family gathering

I was at my uncle's wake last month over in Oakdale. People were sharing memories, some crying, some laughing. I thought I'd lighten the mood and said "Well, at least he won't have to worry about changing the batteries in his hearing aids anymore." My cousin did not find it funny. She told me to leave. Was that really that bad of a joke? Has anyone else accidentally crossed that line at a funeral?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennifer96511h ago

I read somewhere that funeral humor is like playing Minesweeper - one wrong step and you blow up the whole room. The hearing aid thing probably hit too close to home since people are already raw about losing him. Bad timing more than a bad joke.

xena_brown5011h ago

C'mon, people laugh at funerals all the time, is it really that deep?