Exactly - it is contempt behind the layers of eye rolls and small laughs.
Where I worked last as a case manager, we were told that if we had a client’s partner or family member trashing in the guise of being cute, we were to put a stop to it by saying excuse me, but that teasing is not funny, so don’t do it here. It always shut them up and gave you the opening to engage the client in conversation, because it was about them after all, not the family member...