A brother tells me that the reason people make fun of the chasan during this time is because people are jealous. So they make fun of the chasan to prevent the ayin hara.
I’m chassidish and I’ve been to many sheva brachos. I’ve never heard anything but praise for the chassan, kallah and their respective families. Sometimes humorous anecdotes are mentioned, but never anything to bring down the chassan.
The speakers whisper so low that those on the other side of the mechitza cannot hear them? What made you think the men were cracking jokes at the expense of the choson?
abracadabra: We’re usually talking… and most of the vorts/lchaims etc that I attend are not in halls, they’re in homes. And I only come for a few minutes. It’s entirely possible I missed something like this.
Besides there are enough references to it that it must happen.
Jokes at the aufruf is a regular thing, in my experience. But its mainly between a guy and his close friends….and whichever of the parents’ friends are in the room.