A video showcasing one grandmother's leaderboard for ranking members of her extended family is entertaining viewers online.
New York City comedian Dan LaMorte took to TikTok to share the clip of his beloved grandma adjusting her rankings after he got a new tattoo. Unfortunately for LaMorte, she is evidently no fan of his inkings, with the funnyman moving from fourth in the countdown to 10th.
Fortunately, La Morte was able to see the funny side. He wasn't alone in that respect either, with the video tickling the TikTok community, having been watched 1.5 million times.
Though the notion of a parent having a favorite child may be viewed negatively, research suggests it is far more prevalent among families than most realize. In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Family Psychology, 70 percent of dads and 74 percent of moms admitted to giving preferential treatment to one child.
LaMorte certainly appears to be firmly out of his grandma's good books, with the comedian openly admitting she's "not a fan" of tattoos. However, this particular "family leaderboard" shouldn't be taken too seriously though, given its origins in the family.
LaMorte told Newsweek: "It was always an inside joke that my grandmother had favorites and would rank them internally; so for one birthday, my cousin Chris handmade her that wooden board."
Keen to play up to her role, LaMorte's grandma leaned into it and began using it to rank her adult kids and grandchildren.
"It's mostly all in good fun and a family tradition to encourage the grandchildren to visit more and help out when they can," LaMorte said. "There are definitely the regular favorites and least favorites, though."
Despite plummeting down the standings after showing her his latest tattoo, LaMorte bears no grudge. "My grandma and I are very close. Our whole family is incredibly close," he said. "We're very much a big, loving family that enjoys humor and competition. The LaMortes are known to love getting together, making jokes and enjoying life together."
LaMorte welcomes the challenge of climbing back up the table and winning over his grandma. "Dropping down on the leaderboard is always funny to me," he said. "I don't mind going lower because it gives me a good reason to visit her and check-in, say hello to my grandpa, etc. None of the grandchildren takes it too personally."
LaMorte might think twice about showing her another tattoo again, though.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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