Few things are more socially mortifying than cracking a joke and watching it fall flat in real time. It’s only compounded when you’re at work and used to keeping everyone smiling. Then you feel like you’ve fallen off the social cliff and are walking around like you just bombed in a middle school talent show.
For one Florida restaurant professional, that was a recent uncomfortable reality. So like a totally reasonable person, she took her tale of embarrassment to the 62,500 people on the internet who care. Alyssa Vega (@alyssavegax) is a manager at a fine dining steakhouse. As such, she gets lots of face time with her guests.
Like any pro, she understands that part of her job is to keep the mood up and her guests happy.
The Steak Might Be Hot, But The Joke Was Not
“Our steaks come out on a 500-degree plate,” explains Vega in her 24-second TikTok.
She says she was dropping off a scorching hot plated steak entree to a male guest and a cooler plate to his wife. And Vega felt like cracking a joke (as one does).
“So I was like, this plate is very, very hot, sir. Ma’am your plate is not hot but has a lot of personality,” she says.
The reaction: dead silence.
“And now I just want to die,” she says as she puts a hand to her forehead, dramatically.
The Table Didn’t Laugh, But The Internet Did
Some of the commenters have got her back, all the way back. Dylan K (@dylanm22) offered this bro-ish reassurance: “You miss every shot you don’t take [OK emoji] – full send all the jokes!”
Then Rebecca [@mailmalady] chimes in, “The way I would of busted out laughing [crying laughing emoji x3] this is gold sister!
Meanwhile, Pol@rbear (@jstrklnd10101) decides to narrate an imaginary steak-centric competition, quipping, “and the crowd goes mild.”
Finally, a few folks, including Leigha (@lee_ha), conclude that those guests just “didn’t appreciate your excellence.”
Is It Possible To Recover From A Social Gaffe?
There’s bad news and good news. The bad news first: According to Heather Vough, associate professor of management at George Mason University, even seemingly minor mistakes can have consequences. Turning that one mistake into an unredeemable moment.
Now the good news: If the couple Vega served are regulars at the restaurant, she might want to reach out with a small apology or reach out in some other small way. Like a complimentary dessert by way of “sorry for the ill-timed joke.” However, if they’re just passing through, her best bet might be “to just let it go” and avoid that table for the rest of the night.
But the question lingers: Why do some jokes fall totally flat? An article on Vox explains that humor is everywhere but it’s a shape-shifting chameleon. And trying to figure it out, to explain it, often kills it dead.
Successful jokes rely on everything from timing to delivery to audience. Humor is an elusive thing, but it does have legitimate social functions. Unfortunately for Vega, one of the things it does—in addition to bringing folks together—is tear them apart (social hierarchies and all). It’s possible that despite all the internet love she’s getting, the couple just didn’t think it was that funny.
BroBible reached out to Alyssa Vega via TikTok direct message and comment. We will update this if she gets back to us.
@alyssavegax Clocking out #restaurant #manager