My Failed Comedian Mother Mocked My Suicide Attempt At My Engagement Party. I Decided To “Roast” Her In Front Of Her Entire Circle. Did I Go Too Far?

Chapter 1: The Comedian

My mom revealed my darkest secret to make everyone laugh; I revealed hers to make everyone leave. My mom, Gina, always thought she was the funniest person in every room. She’d been doing stand-up comedy at open mics for years, never getting past 5-minute sets at dive bars. But she called herself a professional comedian.

Her whole personality was making people laugh, even if it meant throwing anyone under the bus for a punchline. Growing up, every embarrassing thing I did became material for her act.

When I wet the bed at 7:00, she told it at my birthday party like it was hilarious. When I got my first period and bled through my pants at school, she made it her closing bit for months.

Chapter 2: The Engagement Party Disaster

But the worst thing she ever did happened at my engagement party. I’d been with my fiancé, Luke, for 4 years, and we finally decided to get married. The engagement party was at Luke’s parents’ country club with all his family, his dad’s business partners, and everyone important in his life.

Gina showed up already drunk, wearing this sequined dress like she was accepting an award. She kept interrupting conversations to tell jokes that weren’t landing. People smiled politely but were obviously uncomfortable.

Halfway through dinner, Gina clinked her glass for a speech nobody asked her to give. She started talking about how proud she was that I’d found someone willing to marry me despite everything. Then she said she had a funny story about why she never thought this day would come.

She told everyone about when I was 19 and had a mental breakdown. Not just mentioned it, but performed it like a comedy routine. She mimicked me crying, acted out me begging her to help me, did an impression of me saying I wanted to die.

She told them about finding me with pills, rushing me to the hospital, the 72-hour hold. She made sound effects of the heart monitor. She actually got on the floor to show how I’d collapsed.

People weren’t laughing. Luke’s mom had tears in her eyes. His father looked sick. My future brother-in-law walked out, but Gina kept going, saying: “The funniest part was when I told the psychiatrist I felt worthless and he said, ‘Well at least you’re self-aware.'”

She laughed at her own joke while 200 people sat in horrified silence. Luke didn’t know any of this. I’d been planning to tell him eventually, but not like this. Not as entertainment for his entire family.

His grandmother was clutching her pearls. His business partners were exchanging looks. Gina finally noticed nobody was laughing and said: “Tough crowd,” before sitting down like she’d killed it.

Luke’s family left immediately. Half of them haven’t spoken to me since. They think I’m unstable or that it runs in the family after seeing Gina. Luke almost called off the engagement.

It took months of couples therapy for him to trust that I was okay, that it was a one-time crisis years ago. Gina never apologized, said I was too sensitive and comedy comes from truth. She actually used the engagement party story in her next set, talking about how rich people have no sense of humor.

Chapter 3: The Wedding Threat

She told me I should be grateful she made me memorable. The wedding was in 3 months. Gina assumed she’d be giving a speech. Already working on material, she kept asking for embarrassing stories about Luke to make it balanced.

She bought a white sequined dress that looked like a wedding gown. Said she needed to stand out in photos. I told her she wasn’t giving a speech. She laughed and said I couldn’t stop the mother of the bride from talking. That’s when I decided Gina needed to learn what it felt like.

The week before the wedding, I invited all her comedy friends to what she thought was my bachelorette party. She was thrilled I was including her scene. Brought 15 people from her open mic nights, all wannabe comedians who thought they were funnier than they were.

I said I wanted to do a roast but with a twist: we’d roast our parents for all the crazy things they did raising us. Gina loved it. Said finally I was developing a sense of humor.

She went first, telling more stories about my childhood that made me sound pathetic. Other people told actually funny stories about their parents. Then it was my turn.