Race

White girl: I’m sorry, I don’t have any money.
Black guy: I didn’t ask you for nuthin’, lady!

–57th & Lexington

Guy: I want to go to FIT so I can hook up with girls.

–27th & 7th

Girl: I mean, I got shat on at Harvard.

–9th Street & 2nd Avenue

Overheard by: Kamran Javadizadeh

Woman: Is there a special event going on at Columbia this summer? Because I’ve seen a lot of Asians around.

–116th & Broadway

Overheard by: Carrie

Hipster girl: I mean, I’ve got like, over 160 facebook friends. Does that not mean anything?

–56th & 6th

Overheard by: Joyce Shen

Sociology professor: No one knows what the hell Derrida is talking about, but we all pretend we do anyway.

–Columbia

Overheard by: djlindee

A family of Hasidic Jews–mother, father, 4 children–are on the boat. A young boy turns to his father and asks: Why do they have so many kids?
Father: Well, after World War II, they had to get their numbers back up.

–Statue of Liberty Ferry

Overheard by: Lux Garner

Asian girl #1: Who’s that guy that’s not Steve Harvey?
Asian girl #2: Cedric the Entertainer.
Asian girl #1: Yeah, he might have been in The Cookout.
Asian girl #2: Oh my God, that’s so racist. “Who’s that guy that’s not Steve Harvey?”
Asian girl #1: Well, you knew who I was talking about!

–McDonald’s, 85th & 3rd

Overheard by: Aisha Moore

Chinese girl: I hate it when non-Chinese people make my Chinese food.
Puerto Rican guy: Yeah, when Chinese people make it, it tastes like greed.
Chinese girl: What did you say?
Puerto Rican guy: Relax. Italian food tastes like lazy complacency.

–49th & Broadway

Woman: So how was the blind date?
Man: Ugh, you know. He’s tall, white, and a vegan. The same as every man in this world.

–Union Square

Overheard by: Mike Drucker

Guy: Hey, how you doin’?
Bum: Ah, shit. It’s the White man!

–116th & Amsterdam

Girl on cell: Hey, that’s not fair! If you get to be Mr. Incredible, why am I Jewgirl?

–Washington Square Park

Guy on cell: Does anyone in Romania have ice cream?

–Tompkins Square Park

Overheard by: Greg Ashley

Woman: Why is it every time a guy beats his dick over the phone it sounds like a helicopter taking off?

–20th & 6th

Overheard by: phyllis pisacano

Girl: what do you call this style of architecture? Ugly road-houses?

–Mott Haven

Overheard by: yev

Guy: Isn’t England a state of the US, like Colorado?

–Alt.Coffee, Avenue A

Overheard by: dewo

Guy flipping through cell: Damn, why the fuck have I only got White people on here?

–27th & 7th pizzeria

Overheard by: dbrock

Fashion girl: How do you start a zoo? Do you buy the animals first or the place to put them?

–Conde Nast Building, Times Square

Overheard by: Jax

Crazy guy: Are your French Fries made with beef?

–McDonald’s, 85th & 3rd

Overheard by: Marc Cassata

Guy: Is it technically depression if you’re depressed because you can’t date a Gap model?

–Bryant Park

Overheard by: ProcrastYNate

Tween girl: …when her water broke, she rode her bike to the hospital. How ghetto is that?

–B44 bus

Lady: They better give me my money back or I’m gonna get 7 on my side!

–K-mart, Staten Island

Overheard by: tony

Store guy on cell: Nah, man I can’t go out tonight! I’m broke! I just paid for an abortion.

–Pathmark, Cherry Street

Overheard by: Jubie D.

Suit: I need to go uptown, where they know the difference between a hot dog and a frankfurter.

–The Water Club, E. 23rd Street

Overheard by: Dave

2 Black teens sit at a table together, comparing the shopping they’ve just done. One gets up to ask for a cigarette from a middle-aged Asian dude sitting nearby. The Asian dude ignores the teen.

Black teen #1: Man, I hate Chinese people.
Black teen #2: Yo son, watch what you’re saying. Look around you.
Black teen #1: I don’t give a shit, man! I fucking hate
Chinese people.
Black teen #2: Besides, I’m pretty sure they’re Korean.

–Greenstreets, 32nd & Broadway

Overheard by: enkie