Accidental inappropriate comment at interview -- how sunk am I?

[EthylMethylMan]

Let me preface this by saying that at this MMI I feel that all but one of the interviewers liked me and that in general all of the interviews went at least moderately well.

At the risk of delving into too much detail, the interview in question was a discussion about diabetes patients. My interviewer and I were having a pretty good back-and-forth; the interviewer said to me, "A lot of patients diagnosed with diabetes find themselves to be upset with how much the disease controls their lifestyle." and I replied with, "Well there have recently been a lot of improvements for diabetics. While it's still no cakewalk --" then I stop and realize how inappropriate that sounded. I really didn't mean to word it that way (not that the interviewer will ever know). But then I shoot myself in the foot a second time by adding, "Not to make a terribly inappropriate pun." Somehow in the heat of the moment I thought that that would be a good way of saying, "I really didn't mean to make such a crass comment." though I immediately realized that that just made me sound even worse. Despite this, the interviewer didn't look visibly offended or anything, and the dialogue continued pretty well.

Is this a kiss of death for my file? Or would the interviewer/adcoms understand that it wasn't intentional and that it was just nerves?

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[mehc012]

Let me preface this by saying that at this MMI I feel that all but one of the interviewers liked me and that in general all of the interviews went at least moderately well.

At the risk of delving into too much detail, the interview in question was a discussion about diabetes patients. My interviewer and I were having a pretty good back-and-forth; the interviewer said to me, "A lot of patients diagnosed with diabetes find themselves to be upset with how much the disease controls their lifestyle." and I replied with, "Well there have recently been a lot of improvements for diabetics. While it's still no cakewalk --" then I stop and realize how inappropriate that sounded. I really didn't mean to word it that way (not that the interviewer will ever know). But then I shoot myself in the foot a second time by adding, "Not to make a terribly inappropriate pun." Somehow in the heat of the moment I thought that that would be a good way of saying, "I really didn't mean to make such a crass comment." though I immediately realized that that just made me sound even worse. Despite this, the interviewer didn't look visibly offended or anything, and the dialogue continued pretty well.

Is this a kiss of death for my file? Or would the interviewer/adcoms understand that it wasn't intentional and that it was just nerves?

Chill. It wasn't that bad of a pun to begin with...actually, at all. The worst part about that was the attempt to salvage it, but that is easily just chalked up as an attempt at bad nervous humor. You may not have interviewed well, but if so, it is not due to this one instance.

 

[xffan624]

Let me preface this by saying that at this MMI I feel that all but one of the interviewers liked me and that in general all of the interviews went at least moderately well.

At the risk of delving into too much detail, the interview in question was a discussion about diabetes patients. My interviewer and I were having a pretty good back-and-forth; the interviewer said to me, "A lot of patients diagnosed with diabetes find themselves to be upset with how much the disease controls their lifestyle." and I replied with, "Well there have recently been a lot of improvements for diabetics. While it's still no cakewalk --" then I stop and realize how inappropriate that sounded. I really didn't mean to word it that way (not that the interviewer will ever know). But then I shoot myself in the foot a second time by adding, "Not to make a terribly inappropriate pun." Somehow in the heat of the moment I thought that that would be a good way of saying, "I really didn't mean to make such a crass comment." though I immediately realized that that just made me sound even worse. Despite this, the interviewer didn't look visibly offended or anything, and the dialogue continued pretty well.

Is this a kiss of death for my file? Or would the interviewer/adcoms understand that it wasn't intentional and that it was just nerves?

Dude... chill... it's not that bad.

 

[Czarcasm]

Let me preface this by saying that at this MMI I feel that all but one of the interviewers liked me and that in general all of the interviews went at least moderately well.

At the risk of delving into too much detail, the interview in question was a discussion about diabetes patients. My interviewer and I were having a pretty good back-and-forth; the interviewer said to me, "A lot of patients diagnosed with diabetes find themselves to be upset with how much the disease controls their lifestyle." and I replied with, "Well there have recently been a lot of improvements for diabetics. While it's still no cakewalk --" then I stop and realize how inappropriate that sounded. I really didn't mean to word it that way (not that the interviewer will ever know). But then I shoot myself in the foot a second time by adding, "Not to make a terribly inappropriate pun." Somehow in the heat of the moment I thought that that would be a good way of saying, "I really didn't mean to make such a crass comment." though I immediately realized that that just made me sound even worse. Despite this, the interviewer didn't look visibly offended or anything, and the dialogue continued pretty well.

Is this a kiss of death for my file? Or would the interviewer/adcoms understand that it wasn't intentional and that it was just nerves?

This sort of second-guessing and over-analyzing happens just about with anyone and everyone, myself included. Usually, the other person has no idea until you visually portray the horror of discomfort on your face. If you ever stumble on your words, it's best to just carry on and put as little emphasis on it as possible so that it can hopefully go unnoticed. Chances are you're over thinking it and so there's a good possibility you did just fine. Don't sweat it.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Relax.

I would have laughed at the "cakewalk" comment.

Its not like you said, "well if they weren't so fat to begin with they wouldn't have gotten diabetes".

 

[AspiringERMD]

That's legitimately not even offensive. My diabetic friends probably would have laughed.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i'm super disappointed by this story

 

[akinetopsia]

That's really not bad at all, I agree with everyone else to relax. Sometimes we're too critical of our own performance, this seems like a complete nonissue until you made it one by apologizing for an offhand, relatively harmless remark.

As another example, if you say to a person that can't perceive light in either eye (i.e. blind), "let's see what we've got to eat. Oh, sorry, I forgot, you're blind, you can't see, my bad," if you didn't say anything after "let's see what we've got to eat" they know it's a figure of speech and you didn't have any kind of malicious intent by the remark.

 

[Ismet]

LOL you have nothing to worry about.

Also, it's not like cake is off limits to diabetics. It's not a crass comment.

 

[EthylMethylMan]

Looks like it was just the post-interview stress. Thanks, all!

 

[ridethecliche]

That's a pretty good pun to make should one have made a pun!

 

[Syndicate101]

LOL. I would have chuckled if I was the interviewer. All in all, I don't think it really is that serious.

 

[Goro]

I know that this is an anxiety-filled process, but I'll bet your interviewer did NOT catch the pun. Your comment was accurate, by the way.

So quit fussing.

Let me preface this by saying that at this MMI I feel that all but one of the interviewers liked me and that in general all of the interviews went at least moderately well.

At the risk of delving into too much detail, the interview in question was a discussion about diabetes patients. My interviewer and I were having a pretty good back-and-forth; the interviewer said to me, "A lot of patients diagnosed with diabetes find themselves to be upset with how much the disease controls their lifestyle." and I replied with, "Well there have recently been a lot of improvements for diabetics. While it's still no cakewalk --" then I stop and realize how inappropriate that sounded. I really didn't mean to word it that way (not that the interviewer will ever know). But then I shoot myself in the foot a second time by adding, "Not to make a terribly inappropriate pun." Somehow in the heat of the moment I thought that that would be a good way of saying, "I really didn't mean to make such a crass comment." though I immediately realized that that just made me sound even worse. Despite this, the interviewer didn't look visibly offended or anything, and the dialogue continued pretty well.

Is this a kiss of death for my file? Or would the interviewer/adcoms understand that it wasn't intentional and that it was just nerves?

 

[Gregor Wiesmann]

My real question is.......was the original "cakewalk" comment an actual attempt at a joke by you? If so, I find that hilarious. Not only because it's clever, but because you had the guts to say it.

 

[DokterMom]

OK, so the 'cakewalk' comment was a bit corny - and the pun was kinda funny just because of the irony. But if it helps, realize that catching your pun meant you were actually listening to the words that came out of your mouth -- which is a good thing! If the AdCom spent any time at all on this remark, I'm betting someone made that observation about you catching yourself and that it spun in your favor, assuming it didn't throw you entirely off your game.

 

[BrCo]

Man, listen. I saw the title of this thread earlier this morning but I couldn't open it until now. I was positive there would be a nice, juicy interview blooper story waiting for me. Now, after seven hours of built anticipation, I get this garbage. A diabetic cakewalk pun that's way overblown. How woefully mistaken I was. You sir, have disappointed me.