How to Respond to Joe Mama

Co-authored by Maureen Taylor and Eric McClure

Last Updated: March 21, 2023

“Did you ever hear back from Joe?” “Who’s Joe?” “Joe Mama!” This classic joke is a staple and if you’ve been burned by this one before, it’s reasonable that you’re looking for some clever comebacks. It’s easy enough to find a solid response, and we’ve got you covered with some sassy, slick retorts. Read on to find the perfect responds to a “Joe Mama” bit the next time a friend tries to pull one over on you.

1

“Yeah, at least my mom isn’t so poor she can’t pay attention.”

Take their mom joke in stride and return with one of your own. Fight fire with fire by outdoing their lame mom joke with something that has some bite. This is a great way to outdo your friend if they caught you slipping with the “Joe Mama” line. You could also reply:
- “Yeah, well your mom’s so poor the ducks throw bread at her.”
- “C’mon, now. Your mom jokes are old…almost as old as your mom.”
- “Hey, let’s keep moms out of this. Especially since nobody wants to hang out around yours.”

2

“Yo mama’s so fat her shadow has stretch marks.”

Throw a “yo mama” joke back at them to outdo their lame wisecrack. Instead of even replying to your friend’s lame Joe Mama joke, hit them with a brand new “Yo mama” bit. The whole “Joe Mama” joke is that it sounds like “Yo mama,” so it makes sense to use the same format to up the ante.^{[1]
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Research source} You might say:
- “Yo mama’s so stupid she took a ruler to bed to see how long she slept.”
- “Yo mama’s so fat the sorting hat put her in the Waffle House.”
- “Yo mama is so ugly, her portraits hang themselves.”

3

“Don’t talk about my mom when I’m so sweet to yours.”

Play it up like you’re super close with their mom to get under their skin. This is a great option if you want to seem totally unphased by their joke and you want to mess with them a bit. Crack a joke about having a really intimate relationship with their mom and watch their face turn red. You could also try:
- “Okay, you got me. At least your mom’s got me after school.”
- “Nice one. Almost as nice as the dinner your mom made me last night.”
- “You don’t want to talk about moms. Especially when I know yours so well.”

4

“Want a real mom joke? Look in the mirror.”

Get a little personal with it by turning the joke on them. They put down your mom, so jokingly put them down as a son or daughter! Slighting someone for being a bad child is a little harsh, but if you’re just messing around with friends, getting a little personal can be a fun way to go.^{[2]
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Research source}
- “Your mom only has one problem. Unfortunately, it’s you.”
- “Let’s not talk about moms here. She’s told me enough about you to know this won’t go well.”

5

“I don’t know a Joe Mama, do you mean Jack Mama?”

Play dumb like you know somebody actually named Mama. This is sure to throw your friend for a loop. Act like they’re making a serious inquiry and you happen to know somebody with a name similar to “Joe Mama.” Go along with the gag as long as you can. You might say:
- “Are you referring to Johnny Mama, because I don’t know them. I am a fan of their music, though.”
- “Wait, seriously? You know Joseph Mama, too?!”
- “I don’t know why you’re poking fun at Joseph Mama. He’s a well-respected member of the community.”

6

“Who’s Joe Mama?”

If you want to play along a bit, ham it up like you’re totally confused. Act like you don’t get the joke and watch your friend fumble over their words trying to explain it. This is a good gag, but it’s also a great option if you’re kind of annoyed with your friend’s childish joke and you want to push them to try explaining why this is funny in the first place.^{[3]
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Research source} You could also say:
- “I don’t get what that means. What is a Joe Mama?”
- “Huh? Come again now?”
- “Can you explain why this is funny…I don’t get what you’re getting at.”

7

“I’ll bring Joe Mama if you bring Yuri”

When they look confused, say “Yuri Jerk!” Pull an Uno reverse card by drawing them into a joke of your own. There are plenty of gag names and setups you can use to get them to fall into a joke of your own. For example, you could try:
- “I’ll let my mom know she’s invited. You should bring Seymour.” (“Seymour who?”) “Seymour Butz.”
- “Joe Mama will certainly be making an appearance. Do you know if Lou is coming?” (“Who is Lou?”) “Lou Ser.”

8

“How dare you, my mother is a saint!”

Some fake righteous indignation can be a funny way to play along. Joe Mama jokes aren’t typically mean-spirited, so it can be really hilarious to pretend like you’ve been seriously insulted. You can even throw your arms in the air, huff and guffaw, and put on an act like you’re defending your mother’s honor for added effect. You might also say:
- “You dare besmirch my mother’s name?”
- “I will not stand for this insult. My mother is a goddess!”
- “I cannot understand why you’d insult my mother! This is a digression I will not allow, good sir!”

9

“Okay, you got me…”

There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging they got you. If you don’t have a good, quick retort to throw out there, just laugh it off and respect the fact that your friend got one over on you. Joe Mama jokes are typically all in good fun, so don’t worry about trying to fight over this one or make it more than it is. You could also laugh it off and say:
- “Nice one. Alright, I walked into that haha.”
- “Oh man, I walked right into that one…”
- “Holy smokes, I can’t believe I missed that. Nice move.”

10

“I don’t ask who Joe is.”

Catch them before they can finish the joke to stop them in their tracks. If you catch the “Joe Mama” setup coming from a mile away, take the satisfaction away from the prankster by stopping the joke before they pull it off. You could also say:
- “Joe Mama, right? Is that where you’re going with this?”
- “I have no idea why you think you’re going to get me on a Joe Mama joke.”
- “Joe Mama, very funny.”

11

“Are you a child?”

If you feel like the “Joe Mama” joke was bad-natured, call them out. It’s rare, but sometimes people use “Joe Mama” jokes to pester someone on purpose. If you get the vibe that your “friend” is cracking this joke to intentionally provoke you, take the high ground and stand up for yourself. Call out the juvenile behavior. You might also reply:
- “What are you, six years old?”
- “Are you kidding me right now?”
- “Does this make you feel good about yourself?”