Huh, it honestly pretty interesting hearing all these stories. I'm in a fairly non-artsy region but I almost always get positive feedback even before showing my stuff, especially to coworkers or new friend groups. Like they'll say, "What, really?? That's so cool!" Sometimes with a variant of, "Many people aren't able to make that work, so that's awesome." I wonder if some of it is due to the kinds of job people have here. They're mostly production, warehouse, call center, construction, that sort of thing. Lots of working class people. But instead of looking down on it, they like to see variety.
If anything, the least enthusiasm I get is from my family. And it's not that they're not supportive, they just don't really "get" it and don't ask for more info besides the general, "how's your comic going?"
I can only really remember one time when people didn't take me seriously or it was awkward. Oddly enough, it was at a friend's party with a lot of other nerds. I had just met this one guy and was exchanging basic pleasantries with him when I was like, "Oh, hang on, I think I have a business card." And handed it to him. He basically laughed in my face and was like, "LOL what?? Who carries business cards around? No thanks." I was really taken aback and was like, "Umm, okay..." and walked away. Way to be an ass.
The other one was another girl at the same party. I told her that I made manga because I figured it wouldn't be a loaded term around anime fans. She just kind of brushed me off though, which was whatever--but later when we friended each other facebook she was like, "OH MY GOD YOU WEREN'T KIDDING, YOU ACTUALLY DO! You're actually really good!!" Uhh, thanks for assuming I wasn't, I guess. XD;
I think Vincent is right though in that it really depends on how confident you are in what you're saying. They're not going to treat it like a joke or something shameful if you don't, at the very least it'll happen less.