How can I avoid embarassment and harassment when there's a 99% chance some thing terrible will happen?

You have to not let it get to you, or at least don’t show that it gets to you. If you react to it, people will keep doing it. Its only fun for the people antagonizing you as long as they get a reaction out of you.

Or another option is to laugh along with them at yourself. When its no longer hurt full to you people usually stop having fun with it.

although both of those are easier said then done :P.

Try to not let the things people say bother you, once they realize that it does not bug you they will usually stop picking on you. Just think of it this way, these people are not worth being upset over, the only persons opinion who matters is your own. You can’t go through life trying to live up to the image of what people want from you. Be yourself and just be happy with what you got, the people who pick on you are immature and will soon come to realize that picking on people will get them no where in life.

embrase the embarassment and yah act like nothing has happened

Just Be confident and believe in yourself (and GOD)