Dealing with a Jerk Face

Before I write this, I have to say that I have been incredibly lucky in that all the guys I've dated have had nice friends, and I never had to put up with anyone's crap.

That being said, not everyone is so lucky. Sometimes your significant other has a friend who is simply a jerk. Or maybe he's not even a jerk, and your two personalities just clash. Either way, he's someone you don't want to be around if you can help it.

In this situation, you really can't ask your SO to stop hanging out with his friend. He had friends before you, and he will have friends after you, whether you like it or not. Plus, if you ask him to stop hanging out with someone you don't like, then you become the jerk.

You can try to limit your contact with the other person, although it might get awkward if everyone starts asking why you keep ducking out whenever Jerk Face is around. Or you can just suck it up and put up with the guy, which is probably the most tactful way to deal with it.

Of course, the story changes if the other person is insulting you. In that case, I think your SO should definitely stand up for you. Even a simple, "Hey man, cool it," should do the trick. And if he doesn't stand up for you, maybe you should re-evaluate your relationship. No one should let others knock down those they care about. (That goes for friends, too, which means, no knocking his ... at least to his face.)

Have you ever dated anyone who had a Jerk Face friend? What was particularly offensive about the person? How did you deal with the situation?