Alex Madison and Jon Bouffard Defend Using 'Dark Humor' to Cope with Pregnancy Loss

TikTokers Alex Madison and Jon Bouffard are opening up about the viral TikTok they did in the wake of their pregnancy loss.

When speaking on the March 4 episode of Keke Palmer's podcast, the content-creating couple spoke about how they've coped with the heartbreaking loss of their child and why they've decided to navigate grief with humor.

"I think for us, it was such a dark time that it felt like we truly were never gonna come up for air," Madison said on Baby, This is Keke Palmer when reflecting on the loss of her and her husband's baby in June 2024.

The following month, the social media personalities posted a TikTok video that turned their devastating loss into a comedy sketch as a way to cope and has since garnered nearly 9 million views.

Related: TikTokers Alex Madison and Jon Bouffard Announce Pregnancy Loss: ‘Our Hearts Will Never Be the Same’

The clip referenced their recurring "DINK" joke, which stands for "Dual Income No Kids," which Madison says they were "very much known" for being online prior to announcing that they were pregnant. They even made a video about resigning from being DINKs at the time.

"People loved it because it's very relatable," Madison said of the initial video, which was in part why she wanted to create a follow-up video following the sad news when they were "finally able to come up for air to breathe again."

At first thought, Madison questioned making a comedic video in association with such tragic news. "I brought this idea to John, and I was like, 'Is this out of touch?'" she recalled thinking, worried about getting to "use this card" having dealt with "something traumatic" herself.

"But this is our trauma, and the way that I deal with things is through comedy," Madison added. "And I feel like if this is something that I'm experiencing, there has to be other people who experience this as well ‚ and if it's a way for people to feel connected and seen, we might as well do it."

The video the couple created was titled, "When your resignation from being DINKs is denied." The skit featured the pair stumbling into the fictional "Dual Income No Kids" headquarters and angrily snatching their rejected application from the receptionist (also played by Madison).

The TikTok post was paired with a lengthy caption, beginning with, "We don’t handle rejection very well here."

"Jon and I have always posted skits inspired by what's going on in our lives, and that includes this one. We never thought we would be here making this 'follow-up' to our first video resigning as DINKs (Dual Income No Kids), but here we are. And that's life. Real life," it continued.

"There are ups and downs, and along the way, I've discovered that a little (sometimes dark) humor brings moments of relief. This post is a small part of that journey, a reminder that it's okay to give ourselves and each other permission to laugh again," the post read.

"We can’t thank you all enough for your continued outpouring of support. And to all the couples who had their DINK memberships renewed, did you turn your nursery into a wine cellar? We haven’t…just asking," concluded the caption.

Related: TikTok Stars Alex Madison and Jon Bouffard Expecting First Baby: 'Life Is About to Change' (Exclusive)

During the podcast episode, Madison told Palmer that she was so nervous about posting the clip to TikTok in fear of seeming "out of touch" with her audience.

While she said there was 1% of people who were "annoying" in the comments, the "majority of people" thought it was "a perfect display" of feeling unsure about whether they "should laugh at this or not."

The couple rest assured in their decision to post the clip due to their foundation as a "comedy page" online, which gave people "permission to laugh" with them. "I was like, 'How are we gonna come back to being this comedy page after going through something so dark and so traumatic?'" Madison thought.

"And I've never seen people turn it into something comedic because it's not funny, but there is dark humor," she added. "If you're not laughing, you're crying. And I was like, I needed comedy to help pull me out because it was a very good outlet for us for sure."

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The married couple, who rose to fame through their social media channels and their Give It To Me Straight podcast, announced in March 2024 that they were expecting their first baby together.

"I was completely shocked and immediately thrilled," Bouffard told PEOPLE at the time.

In June 2024, the couple shared that Madison experienced a pregnancy loss in a post on Instagram and TikTok.

"We are absolutely devastated to share the news that we lost our sweet baby boy this week," the announcement began. "There are no words that can truly capture the depth of this pain. Nothing can prepare you for this. Our hearts will never be the same."

Madison added, "I had the privilege of carrying you for 26 weeks, and we will carry you in our hearts for a lifetime. Until we meet again, Leo Grey."

The couple have continued to post on their social media channels in the months that followed, many of which feature sketches about their loss. "I think the more we did it, the more it helped us," Madison told Palmer on her podcast.

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