With wives, men hide behind the air of bravado, which is

The words of Les Dawson, comedian and keen observer of human nature, are spoken in jest yet weighted with truth: “With wives, men hide behind the air of bravado, which is basically a defence mechanism, I think. Clever creatures, women. Very clever.” Here he unveils the fragile armor of bravado—that blustering confidence men often wear before their wives, not out of strength, but out of fear of being seen vulnerable. Beneath the laughter lies wisdom: men protect themselves with noise and show, while women, in their cleverness, see through the mask.

The ancients understood this dance of appearances. In Homer’s epics, the warriors of Greece stood mighty on the battlefield, yet in the quiet of the home, it was Penelope’s steady wisdom that unraveled their pride. Men, strong in war, often cloaked their fears with bold words, while women, grounded in patience and cunning, discerned the truth beneath the surface. Dawson echoes this timeless interplay: that women’s cleverness lies not in loud display, but in subtle perception.

This bravado, as Dawson calls it, is a defence mechanism, a shield against judgment or disappointment. In many ages, men have been taught to equate vulnerability with weakness, and so they strut, boast, or pretend. Yet women, bound to them in daily intimacy, pierce these disguises. They read the tremor beneath the laugh, the hesitation behind the command. Thus Dawson, in his humor, pays tribute: women are indeed clever creatures, wise in ways men often overlook.

Consider the story of Cato the Younger, stoic defender of Rome, who before the Senate showed unshakable pride. Yet it was said that in his household, his wife Marcia knew his doubts and softened his rigid pride with counsel. To the world he wore the mask of certainty; to her, he revealed what lay behind the bravado. This pattern, repeated through centuries, affirms Dawson’s playful truth—that wives often know the real man behind the mask.

Let the generations remember: bravado is but smoke, while true strength lies in honesty. Men may posture, but women, with their keen eyes and patient wisdom, see deeper. Les Dawson, though cloaked in humor, offers a teaching worthy of sages: that men need not fear vulnerability, for it is already known and forgiven by the women who stand beside them. And women, in their cleverness, remind the world that love is not for masks, but for the soul that lies behind them.