Friend's boyfriend keeps calling me ugly indirectly. What is his problem?

[Anonymous]

I am not a fan of my friend's boyfriend, but I'm always polite/nice when he comes around. He keeps calling his girlfriend the hottest girl around to him (which is fair enough because she is beautiful), but the problem is he keeps comparing me unfavourably to her and commenting on MY looks as well, which I didn't ask for and is uncalled for. We were hanging out in a group, and someone else said I'm gorgeous. He then said really loudly that I'm not all that and my friend is the pretty one. Same is if someone compliments me on anything else, he always negates it if he's there and says my friend is better.

Why can't he just keep his thoughts to himself? What is his problem with me? Why is it his business voicing if he thinks I'm ugly?

I used to hook up with him 2 years ago way before they got together, and he wasn't calling me ugly then or putting down my looks. Should I just ignore him altogether or talk to my friend?

[Anonymous]

I’ll tell you this with confidence: it’s not him, it’s her. Is she sticking up for you and reprimanding him when he’s having those outbursts and talking shit? Sounds like a no. She knows you guys were hooking up in the past and feels some resentment/jealousy that she will lie about to your face but tells him behind closed doors. I’m sure she’s usually complaining and crying to him and he’s always trying to reassure her in any way possible. Some women can be deeply insecure, and I think this is a case of that.

[Guccigabbana18]

It seems as though he puts you down to reassure his girlfriend and possibly to make her happy. Maybe she's threatened by your history with this guy and he knows it, so he does it to keep her from going off on him. If she was your real friend, she wouldn't be allowing him to talk to you in such a rude way. I'd put money on your friend not liking you as much as you would hope she does.

[Levin]

This is socially unacceptable.

You have to call his ass out, as I believe they say, and tell him there is no need to be rude.

But yeah, maybe there is something deeper going on here, given you two, well, screwed.

But company you keep is important. They can drag you down.

[LiamJHayden]

His problem is that he's a jerk. Avoid him as much as you can.