Craigslist Ad Goes Viral For Trying To Find Narcissistic Mother-In-Law A Date To A Wedding
It’s wedding season, and with that is probably a flurry of save-the-dates and invitations flooding your mailbox. It’s always an occasion to celebrate love and enjoy some free food, drinks, and entertainment, regardless of whether you attend with a significant other or solo.
But one person on Craigslist is reaching out to the internet to try to find a date for their mother-in-law to accompany her to a wedding. It’s not because she’s lonely or wants attractive arm candy, but it’s to make sure she’s on her best behavior.
The Dreaded Karen
Before we begin, let's discuss "Karens." The internet is filled with horror stories and cringe-worthy videos of Karen’s unleashing their fury on the unsuspecting public. Between their trademark hairstyles and demanding “can I speak to your manager?” voices echoing throughout the store, I rank Karens somewhere between giant tarantulas and door-to-door solicitors on my list of things I never want to encounter.
Posts about Karens and narcissistic mothers-in-law thrive on social media, and our methods for how to handle/shame them have grown, much like mold growing near a swimming pool.
Karens, Kontinued
In fact, the name “Karen” is so synonymous with manager-speaking s*** disturbers and monsters-in-law that when it comes to names for baby girls, that name is going the way of the dodo.
According to the Social Security Administration, only 325 baby girls were named Karen in 2020. The name has plummeted in popularity in recent years and is now ranked as the 831st most popular name in America.
Viral On Reddit
Karens are so reviled in today’s society that it takes a very special kind of person to be able to wrangle them, much like a cowboy lassoing a raging bull.
One person was so determined to find their Karen-esque narcissistic mother-in-law a date to an upcoming wedding that they took their request to Craigslist, and the ad has now gone viral on social media.
The Craigslist Ad
Need to buy or sell something? Most people usually save their e-commerce needs for Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, and that’s exactly what this one budding entrepreneur had in mind. The ad requests a potential suitor for their mother-in-law to accompany her to an upcoming summer wedding as her date.
“She needs constant attention and supervision. She will probably wear white and try to escalate small dramas—your job is simply to distract and de-escalate.” Yikes.
Suitor Requirements
So what requirements must her temporary knight in shining armor have? Well, get a pen and paper ready because there are quite a few of them.
The MIL is 51, so first off, the potential suitor must be between the ages of 40 and 60. He also needs to be an excellent conversationalist, have suave dancing skills, give the MIL his undivided attention, and be able to de-escalate a situation like he's a hostage negotiator. Finally, not required but a huge plus is “experience with narcissists.” The least crazy requirement on the list? Applicants must provide their own suit.
The Potential Payday
So what is the payoff for two days spent wrangling a narcissistic Karen/Tasmanian devil? Cold, hard cash to the tune of $1,000.
In addition, the suitor's travel expenses, food, and hotel accommodations will be fully provided. Also thrown into this once-in-a-lifetime package is a list of potential conversation topics so you can swoon her until the sun comes up (and prevent her from ruining the bride and groom's wedding).
Think You’ve Got What It Takes?
If you think you have the skills to be this mother-in-law's dream date, then applicants are asked to provide a headshot of themselves and a short description highlighting their qualifications and interest in the position.
There’s also a small note in there that applicants need to be okay with having a background check run on them (but after reading through this ad I feel like it’s more for the safety of the applicant and not the MIL). So what are you waiting for? Give this woman a call!
Sign Me Up
Reddit had quite a few things to say about the Craigslist ad, and between the cash, the free food and booze, and the fact they’d never have to see the MIL or anyone from the wedding ever again, many users felt it was simply too good a deal to pass up.
“$1000 + open bar? I'll jump on that grenade,” wrote one user.
Let’s Give It The Old College Try
While most users thought it was the deal of a lifetime, a few others believed that no amount of money or freebies is worth dealing with an unpredictable and narcissistic mother-in-law.
Yet it didn’t stop this gentleman, who said he actually lives in the area and decided to apply to the gig (what a brave, brave soul). We’ll keep you updated.
Tell Us Your MIL Horror Stories
Have you recently gone to a wedding or other family event and it was hijacked by a devious mother-of-the-bride/groom or a wedding guest that went full Karen?
After you’ve finished emotionally recovering, let us know in the comments!
