Saturday, June 27, 2009

Can a Stereotype be Funny?

I attended Gaby’s middle school graduation earlier this week. I was dressed nicely (upon my wife’s strong suggestion.) As an aside, some of the girls were dressed as if they were getting ready to sit in a storefont window in Amsterdam. Gaby had on a sensible black dress and flats.

Today, a boy approached Gaby and asked, “Was that your dad with the glasses at graduation?” (Everyone in NYC has Lasik, I’m the last person in the Manhattan under 80 yrs old left wearing glasses.)

Gaby says, “Yeah, why?”

Kid goes, “Doesn’t he work for NASCAR?”

Gaby says, “Yeah, why?”

The kid says, “Because he looks like a classy New Yorker, not someone who’d work for NASCAR.”

2 comments:

Barry said...

Nothing wrong with looking like "a classy New Yorker" instead of a NASCAR guy. We have a problem with stereotypes in Kentucky, too. Did you know that, mysteriously every Election Day in Kentucky, the dead rise from the grave and vote alphabetically? Enjoying the blog. Best of luck with the book!

Joe said...

Gotz, Did the kid specify what precisely it was that made you "look" classy.