Back in the late 1980s to early 1990s, a form of insult and comeback battle finally gained notice in mainstream media. It was strongly connected with rap battles and dance battles from hip hop culture which was also going mainstream at that time.
"Yo mama" jokes were all about who could find the cleverest insults in a back and forth until someone ran out of ideas or otherwise surrendered.
One of the first uses of "Yo mama" on TV was on a 1993 episode of the Wayans family's sketch comedy show In Living Color. But the mom insult as comedy has been around for a lot longer than that.
William Shakespeare used it. And an example was found on a 3,500+ year-old Babylonian tablet.
Today, the MTV show Wild 'n Out offered a similar format where people trade insults until one is declared a winner over the other. The show is now on its 21st season after moving from MTV to VH1 and a title change to Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'n Out.
A Redditor asked:
"What's the best comeback to an insult that you've ever given/heard?"
It's Not Hard If You Try
"The anecdote they've been telling about Vice President Kamala Harris is funny."
"In the first meeting of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017, then-Chairman Richard Burr (Republican, North Carolina) was going around the room to introduce new members when he got to Senator Harris."
"Burr struggled to pronounce her first name, according to people familiar with the meeting."
"Burr said, 'I know you told me how to pronounce it. Oh well, I’ll just call you Senator Harris'."
"Harris, who had been a Senator all of a few days at that point, shot back, 'No problem. I’ll just call you Dick'."
~ ElvisGrizzly
For The Anti-Masker...
"Back in 2020, I was walking along the waterfront with a friend. We were wearing masks for COVID.
"Some unmasked guy comes up to me and says, 'Hey are you a doctor? Is that why you're wearing a mask? 'Cuz I got this funky looking fungus on my penis I want you to look at'."
"Me without missing a beat replied, 'Yeah, actually, and I specialize in amputation. Lemme go get my snips and I'll take care of that tiny problem for you'."
"I've never seen a sh*t eating grin dissapear so fast."
~ Youpunyhumans
...Or...
"Had similar confrontations during the pandemic. Apparently they all got the same lame joke memo."
"I would say something like, 'Oh, you're actually luckier. I'm a microbiologist, so tiny things are my specialty'."
~ tightheadband
For The Fat Shamer
"I was pregnant and went for a swim in a bathing suit and my husband's friend goes: 'Wow, you look like you’ve eaten a lot of pasta'."
"And I go: 'I’m 6 months pregnant what’s your excuse?'."
"They’re no longer friends."
~ absolx
I Know There's A Place In Hell For Me—A Throne
"Whenever someone tells me to 'Go to Hell' I respond, 'I would, but Satan has a restraining order'."
~ LakotaGrl
MYOB Is Free
"Someone was insulting someone else's sartorial choices. I think it was a hat? Maybe a shirt."
"They fired back with, 'It gives me magical powers to mind my own f*cking business'."
~ ObsessiveAboutCats
Trip Down Under
"So there were two girls fighting, and one of them looks at my sister—who was minding her own business—and says: 'You go to hell too!'."
"My sister responded: 'Do you want me to say anything to your mom while I'm there?'."
~ ElaraGlimmer
Two Wrongs
"Once I heard someone respond to an insult with, ‘I could agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong'."
"It was so quick and clever, it left the room stunned."
~ cuteamberx
Real Mom
"My best friend after an argument with some kid from our school in a shop, we began walking away down the street..."
"Kid: 'Where you going wimp?'."
"Friend: 'Your mom's house'."
"Kid: 'My mom lives the other way idiot'."
"Friend: 'Nah, I meant your real mom'."
~ Lily_-_AEve
For The Homophobe
"A workmate thought he was really clever when he asked our manager if he bought his pink tie at a gay bar gift shop."
"The manager retorted, 'Yes. And I told them I knew you, and they gave me a discount!'."
"That was awesome because this particular workmate is usually the quickest wit. The manager shut him down instantly."
~ Fallen_One193
Curveball
"In the city once, I heard two guys get into a fight about something dumb."
"One guy screams, 'Your mother’s a f*cking sl*t!' and the other screams back, 'Your mother's an excellent cook!'."
"And the first guy's brain paused, and that was that."
~ MulliganNY
Who Cares?
"A dude in my class called out a friend of mine, saying that people were talking behind his back."
"My friend said: 'Well you know what the say about you? Nothing. Nobody f*cking cares'."
~ Nova_-_Jade
Fetch Yer Mum
"One out of a group of young lads started yelling 'Get your t*ts out' at me as I passed them at a football match, trying to show out for his mates."
"I turned to see he was only about 13 or 14. I was in my 30s—probably close to his mum's age."
"My reply was, 'Aww sweetie, I'm sorry. You'll have to ask your mummy if you want some milk'."
"His pals all creased up laughing."
~ tiptoe_only
Pump You Up
"'Babe, if you keep lifting weights, you're going to look like a man'."
"'It hasn't worked for you'."
~ civex
Thanks, But No
"Customer at a bar to bartender: 'If you lost 20 pounds, I'd ask you on a date'."
"Bartender to customer: 'If I gain 20 pounds, would you never talk to me again?'."
~ Fernway67
What's the best comeback you've ever heard?
