Kieran Culkin wanted more kids at the Oscars. When do jokes in jokes take risks?

The awards show will be a fertile terrain for a prominent display of affection. On Sunday, Oscar was the place of what looked like a soft launch of the relationship (Teyana Taylor and Aaron Pierre), a declaration of burning desire (Zoe Saldaña for her husband's hair), and a very public plea for the children.

Near the end of his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor, Kieran Culkin jokingly tried to challenge his wife Jazz Charton to the promise he made in the parking lot when he left the 75th Emmy Award to “give” his fourth child if he wins an Oscar.

“And she's on my side – I swear to God this happened, it was exactly a year ago – she said, 'When you win the Oscar, I'll give you four',” he watched 20 million more at home in front of thousands of people at the Dolby Theatre. “I reached out and she rocked it, and I've never raised it once before. You remember it, honey?”

“There's no pressure,” he continued. “I love you, I'm really sorry for doing this again, and let's crack those kids – what do you say?”

The story appears to work well in the room, with in-person audiences laughing at the couple's long-standing deals. However, Culkin took the risk by running through the anecdotes. Even the most beloved jokes and internal jokes, even the intimacy where every couple comes together over time, can be read as strange or annoying outside the context of your relationship.

“It was very uncomfortable for me. It shrunk me a bit,” said Kim Sawers, 31, of Wilmington, North Carolina.

There is always a wise rack that you and your partner won't land much with others, in the evening of a game with friends, in videos posted online, or in the middle of the broadcast of a Prime Time Awards show. Viewers at home wereted no time sharing their reactions on social media. There appeared to be accusations of all the expressions of joy in the actor's speech, which were considered problematic demands.

“He's been bullied for a long time publicly to have a child and pulled it out while she repeatedly rocked her head with “no,” one user wrote to X.

Others on the platform found it sweet. “In fact, I find it adorable that Kieran Culkin is using his speech to cheate with his wife. We should all be concerned about our business,” another user wrote.

Sauers understood many people who claimed it was a joke rather than actually collecting deals, but said the choice to raise an agreement on television was “bad tastes bad” and that “joking about being a child” was persistent.

For her, it appears that Charton was not completely violated by her husband's acceptance speech in her Instagram post on Tuesday. “It's okay, listen,” she wrote. “It may seem stupid to make an empty baby agreement, but that was clearly a huge motivation.”

“If he won the award, would he have come this far if I hadn't kept promised him more children?” she added. “Maybe. But who's going to say it?” (Culkin's representative did not respond to requests for comment.)

Avalam Freeman, 39, a quilt maker in Port Jarvis, New York, did not watch the Academy Awards, but later saw Culkin's acceptance speech, she said she found his dry sense of humor interesting.

“I felt it was lighthearted and he was more interested in reminiscing about this warm conversation they had,” she said.

She allowed the speech to turn around and prove a bit embarrassing, but she thought the moment between him and his wife was real. Lamb Freeman, a mother of three, said she understands it's difficult to try and determine how many children she has.

“I can also relate to how complicated the negotiation is when you decide to have another child, especially two past,” she said. “It's like this huge leap of faith for both parties.”

Ram Freeman said she could imagine making similar jokes in front of people, but she noted that the context is important. For example, she probably wouldn't have said that in front of a couple who were struggling with imagination.

“Yeah, that wouldn't be interesting anymore,” she said.

Between you and your partner, it may be completely harmless to joke about sending each other to a kennel, or enjoy a new wig or quirky hat. That's fine. For many people, teasing is a sign of deeper bonds where jokes can occur, and they all realize that it's fun.

Lamb Freeman explained her husband and her recent bits. She jokingly offers the opportunity to “redipate yourself” like picking up something from the store. She doesn't remember exactly what started a bit, but it has become a playful way to make each other laugh.

“But if anyone else hears me say it, it would sound a bit strange,” she said.

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