Race

Old tourist woman to daughter, about gangsters shouting slang to each other: Is that French?
Daughter: No… That's Ebonics.

–Broadway & Waverly

Overheard by: Noah

Dude: Yeah, so on my senior trip this girl won a bunch of Swarovski crystals…
Girl: Was she rich?
Dude: Well, she’s a minority, so I wouldn’t think so.
Girl: Good. I would hate it if she was rich.

–Wendy’s, Parsons Blvd

A bike messenger almost plows through the crowd at a crosswalk.

Messenger: You gotta look! You gotta look!
Black Woman: Nigger, you look! You ain’t drivin’ no car!

–44th & Madison

Middle aged dude #1: My son has a black roommate, by choice. French black, but black just the same.
Middle aged dude #2: (silence)
Middle aged dude #1: He says the Asians are the funniest. He's in a band with some Chinese guys.

–Starbucks, Union Square

Overheard by: Tall Skim Latte

How We Got Clubbed on Vacation

White tourist chick #1: Oooh, look — a black cop being friends with a white cop!
White tourist chick #2: Take a picture!

–Macy’s Parade balloon inflation, 81st & Central Park West

White hip girl #1: You know it’s funny I like to date and have sex with black and Italian men, but I can’t eat dark meat.
White hip girl #2: Wow, really? That is weird.

–CVS, Brooklyn

Overheard by: Heather C

Tourist son: Wow, is this high school?
Tourist dad: Yup, you gotta be like Asian to go here.

–Stuyvesant High School

Skinny Asian man to large black woman: You too fat!

–4 train

Overheard by: LP

Cultured concert connoisseur: I think this girl was from California. She spoke Asian and Spanish.

–Webster Hall

Overheard by: ak

Hipster, sitting next to Asian women: Awesome. Asians have tiny asses!

–R train, Canal St

Overheard by: Matt Hartwick

Hipster chick: Asians eat the darndest things.

–Lower East Side

Overheard by: Lesley

Asian fag hag: Of course it doesn’t sound right! I’m a girl doing gay porn!

–West Village

Overheard by: megan

Asian woman suit: I’m really just tired of being a mobster.

–Wall St & Nassau

Hobo lady to Asian-looking girl: If I speak in your language, will you give me some money? Heeeyyyaaah! Karate chop!

–44th St & Lex

Overheard by: Made my morning

Girl #1: He wasn’t even that cute. Like, not good-looking at all.
Girl #2: But you fucked him?
Girl #1: Of course, he was Puerto Rican.

–Williamsburg

Overheard by: Jim VB

White man to another: Before he shows up, you should probably know this guy’s a top 100 digger.
Black man: What’d you call me?!
White man: Uh, I just said… We’re nerds. It means we’re nerds.

–Starbucks, Astor Pl