What the Laugh Track Reveals

"Every joke can be an admission." That’s my reax to this X post.

Listen, I loathe Elon Musk and I don’t post on X anymore (TeamsOfMen’s account is gone), but I still use it to grab content and keep up on breaking news. It’s 75% bots now, but every once in a while something grabs me.

This one did because I could hear it. Not just the words—“She got your phone drill”—but the laughter that would follow. I’ve been in locker rooms where that line would land, and I can already picture the group chat where it would circulate with emojis and inside jokes.

And here’s where people say: “It’s not that serious, Kip.” Actually, it is. Because the meaning is clear.

This isn’t just a throwaway joke. It’s rooted in the Man Box idea that:

• Men can’t be faithful partners.

• Men must constantly pursue multiple partners.

• Any girlfriend who checks your phone will inevitably find “evidence” of cheating.

The “joke” is an admission of belief.

And because TeamsOfMen is right—sports are either a breeding ground for reimagining new norms OR a reinforcement of the same old ones—this 23-second practice clip, paired with a Man Box laugh line, has millions of views.

That matters.

Coach Prompt

How often do you stop and ask: What messages are hidden in the jokes my guys are laughing at? Am I willing to call them out—not just the big, obvious issues, but the “little” ones that quietly shape their beliefs?

Player Prompt

When you laugh at a joke about relationships, women, or trust—ask yourself: What belief is this joke admitting to? Do I actually agree with it, or am I just going along with the laugh track?