You’re right. People can sometimes take offense at “stage directions.” I once saw a major star get upset because a word in the script was underlined for emphasis. The comic demanded and held up production until that page of the script was retyped and replaced with the underline removed. My personal belief is that whoever is at the microphone is in total control. However, with a little effort there may be a way to phrase a joke so that there is no confusion about the delivery.
