A Joke That Wasn’t Funny
A 16-year-old son refused to laugh when his dad bragged about “pranking” his vegan wife — by secretly giving her real milk.
Now the internet is debating: when does humor become cruelty?
The Backstory: A Dad Who Loved to “Prank”
The teen lives with his mom but visits his dad every Saturday. His dad has always loved pranks — or at least, what he calls pranks.
He used to play cat mating sounds to confuse their pets, switch off the lights while someone was in the bathroom, and even once put a fake snake next to his ex-wife, knowing she was terrified of them. That one caused a huge argument, but he just laughed it off.
So when his dad suggested meeting for lunch instead of at home, the teen didn’t think much of it. Until his dad started laughing about something new.
The Prank That Crossed the Line
While sitting at a café, the teen ordered an iced latte. His dad smirked and said, “That reminds me — I pulled a prank on your stepmom.”
Curious, the teen asked what he did. The dad proudly explained that he’d made his wife a latte using whole milk instead of oat milk, even though she’s vegan.
He wanted to “see if she could tell.”
She could — and she got angry. That’s why he didn’t want her at lunch that day.
Then he turned to his son and said, “That’s funny, right?”
When the Son Spoke Up
The teen looked at his dad, confused and disappointed.
He simply said, “Don’t think so, Dad.”
That one sentence changed the tone completely.
His dad frowned and snapped, “People these days can’t take a joke! You’re my son — you’re supposed to be on my side.”
But the teen didn’t back down. He told him it wasn’t funny to trick someone into eating something against their values. Especially when that person trusted you.
The Fallout
The lunch ended awkwardly. His dad left annoyed, saying his son was being “too sensitive.”
The teen went home feeling heavy. He realized something important — his dad wasn’t joking for people; he was joking at people.
Feeding a vegan animal products isn’t a harmless prank. It’s a violation of their trust, beliefs, and even their health.
What Reddit Thinks
When the teen shared his story online, Reddit quickly picked sides — and the verdict was clear: NTA (Not The Ahole)**.
Here’s what commenters had to say:
💬 “Your dad’s ‘pranks’ sound more like bullying. You’re right — that’s not funny.”
💬 “Feeding someone something they’ve chosen not to eat is wrong, no matter the reason.”
💬 “You sound more mature than your dad. Respecting others’ choices is basic decency.”
Many users said they felt sorry for the stepmom, and proud of the teen for standing up to his father calmly.
A Final Thought
Sometimes, jokes stop being funny when they come at someone else’s expense.
This story reminds us that real humor doesn’t hurt anyone.
If someone tells you “it’s just a joke” after crossing your boundaries — it’s okay not to laugh.