On the Subway

Janie Got a Wednesday One-Liner

Voice over employee's walkie-talkie: Okay, I really need those guns. Anyone who has one, I need it down in bridal.

–Bed Bath & Beyond

Obnoxious woman: So I said, "motherfucker, I'm not your sister–I'm your cousin. So I will shoot you."

–Uptown 2 Train

Large black man: If you ain't got no bullets, you gotsta melee!

–23rd St b/w 5th & 6th

Overheard by: Zach

Wannabe hip-hopper, trying to sell CD: It's clean music, and I ain't never shot no one!

–Union Square

20-something guy on cell: They got no right to bring up that gun charge, it's over ten years old!

–19th St & 6th Ave

Overheard by: Emily Davidson

Dude, after chatting to policewoman: I just have a thing for women in uniform! My mind says, "no, no, settle down," and my penis says, "but she's got a gun!"

–Hudson & Laight

That Show’s Just an Attack on Family Values

Mexican lady: Simpsons Movie, five dollars.
Young boy: Look, Dad The Simpsons Movie…
Dad: If you don’t shut the fuck up about The Simpsons Movie, I’m gonna throw you in front of the goddamn train!

–5 train

Overheard by: ARi

He’ll Stick the Needles in the Doll When he Gets Back to his Cardboard box

Hobo: Give me a dollar or I’ll curse you!
Tourist: No. Get a job.
Hobo: Fuck you! There, I cursed you.

–Downtown 1 train

Overheard by: Deb

Out of What, Now?

Old white husband: What are lamb chops?
Old black wife: I used to buy them for dinner all the time.
Old white husband: What are they?
Old black wife: I used to buy them for you!
Old white husband: I don’t remember, tell me what they are.
Old black wife: They’re like pork chops, but made out of lamb.

–D train

Overheard by: daniela

Dear Diary, Reynolds Admitted He Loves Me Today! Well, Almost.

Girl: Why don’t you ever invite me to the dorms?
Guy: ‘Cause if you wanna come, you should ask.
Girl: Well, do you want me to come over?
Guy: If I don’t have to study, yeah.
Girl: Well then you should invite me!
Guy: Why?
Girl: ‘Cause it would make me happy!
Guy: What the hell do I care?
Girl: Well, you wouldn’t go down on me if you didn’t want me to be at least pleased.
Guy: That…is probably the best argument you could have made.
Girl: I’m so glad no one speaks English on this train.

–1 train

Overheard by: Vicksburg

It’s Hard to Make Love When You’re Simply an A-hole

Guy #1: Yeah, but you have a girlfriend.
Guy #2: Yeah, but she needs to lose weight.
Guy #1: Hmm, well how much weight do you think she needs to lose?
Guy #2: About 40 pounds. She says to me, “Why don’t we make love anymore?” and I’m like, “Why the hell do you think?”.

–2 train

Rap Duels Just Aren’t As Good As They Used to Be

Thug #1: I’m going to beat the shit out of you like the Incredible Hulk, except I’m going to turn purple instead of green.
Thug #2: No, you’re not. You’re going to turn pink because you’re a pussy!

–Bronx-bound D train

Overheard by: Maria Endrinal

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

Wednesday One-Liners See the World With Fresh Eyes

Little boy to dad: Does the Statue of Liberty have a claw?

–Battery Park

Little boy to mother: Will you hurry up? You're slower than my aunt Jebediah in the bathtub!

–Clark St, Brooklyn

Four-year-old boy to mother: And then you fed me…from your belly button!

–Old Navy Store

Overheard by: Joyfully Yours

Little boy playing with friend: Buenos dias, reptile!

–Astoria Park

Overheard by: Julie & Zane

Blond six-year-old, looking at father's New Yorker magazine: What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? What the hell?

–Doma Cafe

Seven-year-old with Spiderman backpack: Dad, have I lost my youth?

–1 Train

Little girl with pigtails, running to sit with family: We're going to the dark side!

–Sheep Meadow, Central Park

Médico Strangelove, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bong

Teen girl: Yeah, everyone says I’m really bohemian.
Teen guy: Wait, I thought you were Mexican.

–N train
Headline by: Hawley Smoot

Runners-Up:
· “Are you poor or just pretending to be poor?” – Eli!
· “Because Of The Whole ‘Dirty Sanchez’ Thing, Right?” – Bored Beyond Belief
· “Bohemia: Czechs think it’s a Kingdom, Mexicans think it’s a beer. Our scientists have traced this rift in Space-Time to a New York N-Train.” – Hawley Smoot
· “Breaking News: Uptown Lawmakers Unanimously Decide to Build Twenty-Foot-Tall Fence Along 14th St.” – Alex
· “Either way, the Republicans will want to deport her” – Russ Wall
· “Galileo! Galileo! Galileo! Figaro! Mexico!” – aileron
· “Mary Kate and Ashley overset the Tanning bed clock” – jojo
· “No I said I want to BE in Rent, not I can’t PAY my rent” – Riley Ray
· “Poncho Profiling” – Kaleena
· “Rhapsody in Brown” – hawaiianinny
· “The venn diagram just looks like one circle.” – Duckbill Oedipus
· “Understandable, since she smokes clove cigarettes outside of Chipotle on St. Mark’s” – chris
· “We use Pinatas to hide our weed” – Fudgie D Whale
· “Yes, I’m half Czech, but you’re all conformist.” – eyp

Click here to see the new Headline Contest

© 2026 OverheardinNewYork.com
Hat Tip 🎩 to The Marketing Scientist