What does JOMO mean?

Is JOMO:

1. The first name of the first-ever Kenyan president?
2. An acronymic verb for giving hand relief to elderly men?
3. A hilariously funny game based on excuses?

The answer is actually all three. Kind of.

Jomo is the first name of former Kenyan prime minister Jomo Kenyatta - the anti-colonist leader that became the nation’s first president. He’s also got an airport named after him in Nairobi.

It could also be an acronym for ‘Jerk Old Men Off’, if you really wanted it to be - you filthy b*******!

But, seeing as this isn’t a political history blog, or Urban Dictionary, the answer is C: JOMO is a hilarious new card game created by Bubblegum Stuff. It’s all about finding the funniest excuses for getting out of life’s most mundane moments.

It’s inspired by the commonly hashtagged acronym, #JOMO, meaning the Joy Of Missing Out. Which is an antonym of FOMO, meaning the Fear Of Missing Out. These opposing acronyms have come to represent a shift in attitudes towards social activity in recent years.

JOMO describes the pleasure in taking a break from social activity - especially social media - to enjoy personal time. It’s the total antithesis of the old idea of being fearful about missing out on those nights in the pub. You know, the ones where you drink endless Jägerbombs and wake up the following morning on your sofa, cold, alone, and covered in a toxic mix of shame and last night’s kebab.

Who’d want to give that up?

Well, as harsh as it sounds, nowadays we prefer our own company. So, we no longer get the fear of missing out. Meaning more time for staying in and TikTok-ing, updating our Instagram stories and watching Netflix, amongst other things.

And it’s this change in attitudes towards socialising that’s celebrated in JOMO. You’re presented with the first part of an apology, and then the act, event or situation that you’re excusing yourself from. For example:

Sorry, I can’t attend your coming-out party…

It’s then up to you to find the funniest, crudest, or most downright obscene excuse from the 10 in your hand.

• I trusted a fart and now I’m at DEFCON brown.
• I’m so broke, I have to go to KFC and lick other people’s fingers.
• I just found my grandad on Grindr, and his profile name is ‘Wrinkledinkle69’.

It’s then down to the judge (the player that read out the first part of the sentence) to read the excuses aloud and decide which one they prefer. Their judging criteria can be based on anything. But it’s more than likely they’ll go with the one they think is the funniest. Sound familiar? Well, yes, your suspicions are correct. This is a game like Cards Against Humanity.

Who can I play JOMO with?

We must warn you, whilst this is a funny game to play with friends, you’ve got to be very selective about who else you play it with. Play it with your colleagues and you’re pushing your luck - it’s probably not safe for work. But play it with your family and you’re really taking a s*** with your clothes on. Cue excruciatingly embarrassing moments and fits of uncontrollable, cringe-tinged laughter.

That being said, we can’t really influence how you play this game or indeed who you play it with once you’ve bought it. So, here at Bubblegum Stuff, we WILL NOT accept responsibility for you having to explain what truffle butter is to your nan on Christmas Day. You have been warned.

So, whether you’re looking for a funny game to play with friends at a party or an awkward but equally hilarious game to play with family over Christmas, JOMO can deliver on both. Buy it. Play it. But don’t be surprised when it gets real dark.