Barbara L
Traveling Welcome Wagon
I think it was Jeff Foxworthy (but don't quote me on that, LOL) who said that in the south you can say anything you want to anyone as long as you end it with "Bless your/his/her heart!" "Is this your new baby Mrs. Smith? Oh, he looks just like a shriveled up little monkey, bless his little heart!"Here in the South, we say "Bless your heart." It achieves the same end.
Whenever someone is being a jerk, someone in the crowd will almost always say, "Well, bless your heart."
All I can do is giggle because I know what's behind the remark.