Middle East man, exiting his vendor cart: But I miss you!
Retreating American woman: You have, like, five wives and three girlfriends.
Middle East man: No! I do not!
–13th & 5th
Overheard by: Colleen
Archive for the ‘Multiculturalism, Overheard Style’ Category
Giving Racism the Boot?
Italian woman #1: He looks like a sand digger!
Italian woman #2: What’s that, like a bug?
Italian woman #1: No, you know, a sand digger.
Italian woman #2: What’s that?
Italian woman #1: A camel jockey! That’s what people in Bay Ridge call them, sand diggers, because they are always shoveling sand in the desert.
–John & Pearl
Still Boasting About the Mayflower
Chick: So, where are you from?
Guy: I’m from Brooklyn.
Chick: No, you have an accent.
Guy: Oh yeah, well, my parents are Eurotrash.
–Broad & Exchange
And There’s Nothing Worth Stealing in There
During trailer for horror movie where young girl peeks in door of creepy house and says, ‘Hello?’…
Thugette: Why they be goin’ into some abandoned-ass house like that?
Thug: ‘Cause they white.
–Court Street cineplex, Brooklyn
Overheard by: MrStench
That’s Why They Call It a . . . Never Mind
Chick #1: Ahh! Why am I, like, sweating?
Chick #2: What is your shirt made of, cotton?
Chick #1: Well, it’s from Forever 21, so it’s probably dead Chinese children.
–Columbia University
Overheard by: Magnolia Thunderpussy
Dr. King Must Have Been Dreaming
White guy on cell: Yo, shit nigga, this shit the bomb!
Black guy: If you close your eyes, he almost sounds like the real deal.
–Houston & Varick
Overheard by: Adam Nathan
Or You Should Be Good at Math and Stop Talking
Little white boy: Will someone tell him that the Indians were playing the Yankees the other day!!?
Little Indian boy: Will someone tell him that Indians don’t play baseball? I should know, I’m Indian!
–2 train
She Listens to Foreigner Backwards
Old woman: “Free“? Nothing’s free around here! That’s what’s wrong with you immigrants, always looking for something for free!
Businessman lady: I said “sweet”, not “free”.
Old woman: I know what you meant!
–Zeytuna, William & Maiden Lane
Ask Her If She Knows Lena
Two guys are speaking Russian.
Girl: Are you guys from Russia?
Guy #1: Yes.
Girl: No way! My grandma’s from Germany.
–Washington Square Park
Overheard by: MP
Parkinson’s Isn’t Contagious
Man: Excuse me…I just wanted to let you know that I was walking just outside this station and a large, black man just grabbed and shook me and started saying something crazy.
MTA lady: Did he take anything from you?
Man: No. But he was crazy and he shook me!
–Clinton-Washington Avenues station
Overheard by: Marla Shu