I get the joke, and I do find humor in it, but in such a situation I’d probably be more fixated and apt to discuss that those things are in fact, generally what one would define as small talk.
“Small talk” is somewhat non important conversation about what are generally non controversial and only surface level matters.
“What do you do for work? Do you like it?”
“I’m a <blank>, I enjoy it. What about you?” If we get more in depth and start discussing things like fears and motivations then we can move beyond small talk, but cursory questions about family or where you live or pets are all in the category of “small talk.” So like- “Ever have pets? What pets? Names?” Small talk. “How did it make you feel when your pet died?” Little more personal. More likely to be a sensitive subject. Not so much small talk.
“Small talk” is somewhat non important conversation about what are generally non controversial and only surface level matters.
“What do you do for work? Do you like it?”
“I’m a <blank>, I enjoy it. What about you?” If we get more in depth and start discussing things like fears and motivations then we can move beyond small talk, but cursory questions about family or where you live or pets are all in the category of “small talk.” So like- “Ever have pets? What pets? Names?” Small talk. “How did it make you feel when your pet died?” Little more personal. More likely to be a sensitive subject. Not so much small talk.