If you live in the South, you likely know of Jeff Foxworthy and his “You might be a redneck” comedy routine. That was the inspiration for the jokes below that my wife and I enjoyed making up on a walk last week.
You see, we’re “friends” of the Foxworthys. In fact, our kids went to the same school, and my wife once delivered Chick-fil-A to Jeff’s house for his Bible study group. You could say we have that bond people form with celebrities who really have absolutely no idea who they are.
Our only personal interaction with Mr. Foxworthy was when he was in front of my wife in the “10 items or less” line at the grocery store, and he was clearly over the limit. She noticed, then he did, and then he noticed she had noticed. He seemed to ponder for a moment whether this was one of those Southern Baptist-type sins you have to do something about or not. Then, he gathered his items, smiled, and moved to another line, not wanting to be an inconvenience. Sometimes, the small things say a lot about a person.
Jeff Foxworthy has done very well as a comedian. Many people may not know, but he has also done things right as a husband, father, and man of faith.
One thing that makes jokes funny is when they tie to something we can identify with. For any of the less-than-professional attempts at humor below, is that the case with you?
“You might have an alcohol problem if …”
- You make a blanket apology before the party.
- The liquor store owner sends you Christmas cards.
- You are amazed at how good a dancer you have become.
- When someone asks how many drinks you’ve had, you answer, “Three-ish.”
- You’re friend says, “Let’s grab a six-pack for the two of us,” and you laugh.
- Your favorite wine glass is a football stadium cup.
- To you, the end of Happy Hour is a race.
Some of the people who find these jokes funny might be alcoholics, because one of the many benefits of recovery is a humble acceptance of our flaws. Hopefully, even people who drink but aren’t compulsive about it appreciated some of the humor as well, even if they didn’t identify with all the references those of us in recovery would recognize.
But, if you saw these jokes as disturbing, guess what? You might have an alcohol problem.
“You might have an alcohol problem if …”
- You keep an open drink tab on airplane flights.
- The only other person who knows how much you really drink is your dog.
- You’re sure you’ve seen this movie a few times but have no idea how it ends.
- You think other people have a problem when they look at you funny the next day.
- Your liquor run includes multiple stores so no one can keep score.
- You think you are the funniest person you know.
- Your favorite wine comes in a box.
No matter what your relationship with alcohol may be, I hope you had a chuckle or two. But if this article was a wakeup call, and you might have an alcohol problem, there is some good news. With that new-found awareness, you have now taken the first step.
Question: Which of the jokes above hit closest to home for you?
Action: If you might have an alcohol problem, share that with someone you trust.
