It’s happened to us all: it’s like any normal day until…we do something that embarrasses us. Most people we know laugh off embarrassing moments, but some people can’t let go of being the center of attention — if even for a moment. This week, we’re talking about the good and bad parts of embarrassment!
We begin this week’s show by talking about the first times we remember being embarrassed about something. Then: find out if we embarrass easily today…and what does embarrass us.
If you’ve ever wondered what the most embarrassing moments of our lives were, listen in. After that, we talk about why some people handle embarrassing moments well, while others become self conscious…even spiral down into depression and self-deprecating behavior over embarrassing moments.
We devote some time to how pride and shame can factor into embarrassment, and then talk about how destructive an embarrassing moment can be for some. Also: can embarrassment ever be a good thing?
Sometimes, embarrassment is a matter of perception. Find out if we think most embarrassing situations merit the concern some give to the feeling, or if we’re our own worst enemies in the way we perceive our not-so-wonderful moments in life.
Different people can become embarrassed about different things. Find our how cultural differences play into what some end up embarrassed about. Sticking to that thought, we chat about how reaction to an embarrassing moment can affect those witnessing the event.
And we close it all out with this: How can one overcome embarrassment?
We’d love to hear your views about embarrassment in the comments below.
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So Christopher, I pulled the trigger on you facebooking “Boogie in Your Butt”? This pleases me. 🙂
And we have another episode in which the befoulment of underwear is used as an example of the topic in question… 😉 I almost never get embarrassed, but I have an embarrassment story to put your guys’ stories to shame. And it happened as an adult. No, I didn’t shit my pants.
It started with a veeeery long bus ride to a tropical island resort with my date, who would later become my husband. My… cousin was along for the ride, and I was low on provisions. I was fine for the entire bus ride. I was fine as the bus pulled into the resort. I was even fine standing up and waiting for the people toward the front of the bus to exit first. But after my date and I exited, there’s that moment when you’re just kind of standing around getting your bearings before you make your way to the front doors of the hotel… and I knew it was happening. And I looked down, and it had happened. And so I turned to my date and said, “I’ll be right back.” I ran through the front doors and asked the front desk clerk where the nearest restroom was. She told me, and I somehow located it right away. In the restroom I discovered my skirt was amazingly in pristine condition. Lucky me. A few minutes later, one of the hotel staff stepped into the restroom and asked me if I was OK through the stall door. I said yes. A few minutes after that, I was ready to return to the outside world. I squared my shoulders, tossed my head back, and exited the restroom. I stepped through the hotel doors and rejoined my date outside. Somebody had taken a garden hose to the sidewalk area. I turned to my date and said, So, where’s our room?”
Ouch.
Yes, ouch! On a date, no less!
Yes, the Boogie in Your Butt thing makes me now laugh when I see it on Twitter. I meant this uplifting thing, and there it was…
A couple other embarrassing stories. Actually, my MOST embarrassing story.
I’m shy. Not like I used to be…used to be so shy I’d lock up. So…when I was 19 or 20…I lived in some apartments. Across the was was this stunning woman my age. I noticed that she’d occasionally try chatting with me — especially about juggling and some other things. One day, I was getting groceries from the trunk of my car. She appeared next to me, smiling.
“Do you need help to your apartment with those?”
Me: “No, I got ’em!”
She grabs a bag. “Let me at least carry one…”
So now we’re walking between our buildings. You had to go around and to the back to get to my apartment. So she tries talking to me, and I freeze up. Then I think: “I MUST say something!!!”
Me: “How about the weather, huh?”
Her: “It’s kind of cloudy.”
Me (Exactly like this): “At least it no rain…”
The rest of the walk to the apartment was in silence, and we never spoke again. She probably, at that point, thought I was an idiot savant…
And…one more embarrassing story. One afternoon, my wife and I were sitting in the living room chatting. The lighting is nice, and I think about the years we’ve been together. I think about how beautiful she is and how lucky I am to know somebody so intelligent and funny and talented. So in this swooning moment, I am overcome by a wave of wanting to profess just how fortunate I am, and I say:
“You’re my favorite wife…”
The jokes that followed, down to numbering all my “other” wives and not living that one down.
OH! THIS exists!
The title “The Legend of Gravylegs” made me laugh out loud… http://shittystories.com/
Wow, I’ll take a public appearance with my cousin over a sh!tty appearance any day.