Well they are a little unavoidable and he's obviously male, but he's making a valiant effort anyway, to his credit.

...Even if that was bitter free, it's still a horribly awkward and uncomfortable subject. "Of course the irony here is that if I had more power I could probably avoid getting bumped on the old gourd anyway."

Obligatory bad joke over, he asks, tentatively. "How is the uh, 'Iron Curtain' holding up anyway?"