Asians

Dude #1: She’s just got this, y’know, Asian air about her.
Dude #2: Yeah?
Dude #1: She’s got this, like, totally anime look.
Dude #2: Yeah?
Dude #1: Yeah, but I wish she were really Asian.

–88th & 1st

Overheard by: Beeeej

Heavy-set and sweaty bus driver to woman with pizza: Lemme…uh…have that pizza. (woman smiles awkwardly, thinking it's a joke) I wasn't kidding. Lemme have that pizza. (woman holding a bag of cookies gets on bus with child)
Heavy-set and sweaty bus driver: Oh, lemme just…uh uh…have one of these…uh uh…cookies. (takes cookie)
Small Asian woman (taken aback and extremely confused): What? You can't take these.
(bus driver stuffs cookie in mouth and ignores woman)
(later)
Bus driver, on PA: Lady, these are some good cookies.

–Uptown Bus to Met from Port Authority

Stoned Asian #1: I don’t know, man. My buddy used to do that all the time and he’s got, like, three brain cells left.
Stoned Asian #2: Dude, I don’t care. All I know is if it’s bad for you, it must be hella-good!

–Astor Pl

Small Asian girl, crying on cell phone: Where are you guys?
Security guard: No talking on cell phones!
Asian girl: But… But I lost my friends.
Security guard: And no crying either!

–The Met

Asian girl #1: We can pretend you’re a celeb — claim to be Lucy Lui’s cousins or something.
Asian girl #2: I used to be able to pass for Michelle Kwan… Don’t know how much of a celeb she is, though. People have asked for my autograph. I looked much more like her when I was younger.
Asian girl #1: Oh my god, I would sell your kid pics on eBay if I had no conscience.

–6th Ave & Waverly Pl

Overheard by: christine y0

Young black guy with flyers: Flyer?
Young Asian girl: No, thanks. (walks away)
Young black guy with flyers, yelling: Aw, c'mon! I like China people!

–Times Square

Overheard by: ellie

Asian guy: Are there really this many Israelis in New York?

–61st & 5th

Overheard by: Adam Shprintzen

Tourist girl: What’s a knish? I don’t know about these flavors. Can I get a plain one?

–Yonah Schimmel’s Knishery, Houston Street

White girl: There’s really no difference between gay guys and Jewish guys…Just the hat and a little ass-fucking, but other than that they’re pretty much the same.

–184th & Bennett

Girl: I don’t know if it’s an ego thing or what, but Jews really turn me on!

–French Roast Cafe, West 11th Street

Overheard by: Dottie McFarland

Asian chick #1: Yeah, my dad is mad tan, so at the beach everyone thinks he’s Mexican.
Asian chick #2: Oh, that sucks.

–Queens

Woman, picking up rubber ball, to employee: Oh, what can you do with this?

–Scholastic Store, Soho

Freshman girl: What do we, like, throw in the recycling bin?

–Leon M. Goldstein High School

Overheard by: Robert Gleyberman

Woman, descending stairs onto train platform: Oh my god! Is that a train?

–Penn Station

Overheard by: curious to know what else she was expecting to see at a train station…

Random tourist to young Asian kid: Do you sell fake bags?

–Canal Street Station

Astute shopper: Do you take Duane Reade cards here?

–Duane Reade

Overheard by: fellow customer

Guy on cell: Bagels with butter? Where am I gonna get that?

–Upper East Side

Overheard by: sarahjane

Asian girl: I don’t know why, but I heard that all filipino people, all they eat is chicken wings.
Asian guy: What did you say?
Asian girl: Seriously, my maid, my boyfriend’s maid, my sister’s maid, all they ate was chicken wings.

–44th & 5th

Overheard by: Ahmad Zubair Sahar