Joke, Anglo-American

Ruhit Ahsan, Male, 18

UC Berkeley Undergraduate, Bengali-American
Bengali, English
Berkeley, CA
25 September 2013

Text:
Q: How do you start a parade in Mexico?
A: You throw a penny down the road.
Q: Who is the richest person in Mexico?
A: The person that gets the penny.
Q: Where is the best place to hide the penny?
A: Under a bar of soap.

Texture:
The particular string of jokes was presented by the contributor with few bodily
movements: slight hand motion to portray a penny being rolled down the street. However, the
tone and facial structure of the speaker were widely affected as they alternated between a serious
and joking manner when exhibiting the question and answer respectively. My colleague would
also often scope the audiences expressions looking for a sign for whether a member in the
audience knew the answer or provide sufficient time for the answer to be revealed by the orator
or constructed by the audience. As soon as one of the question-response was over, he quickly
moved onto the next set in order to keep the mood alive and the thought of the previous joke
fresh in the minds of the listeners. At the end of the performance, he covered his mouth to hide a
snicker at the most racial part of the joke.

Context:

Ruhit Ahsan
The performance of this series of jokes was during one of our Anthropology 160AC
discussions, where we were required to present a joke in our small groups about a different
ethnic background from our own nationality. Everyone was very hesitant and uncomfortable,
beating around the bush trying to justify themselves in hopes of avoiding hurtful confrontation
from the target of the cultural joke. Then all of a sudden to break the ice, Ruhit got everyones
attention and proceeded to perform. There was a sense of worry that hit the audience, as there
were three Hispanics in our group. But without a care in the world, dedicated to accrue some
laughs, Ruhit continued to end his series of jokes. At the end of the joke, the GSI stopped by and
asked how the audience felt, and to our surprise those of the Hispanic heritage were very amused
as some of the more Anglo-Americans were bothered.
Through group analysis, we found that he learned the form from his friends back in
Connecticut where he lived for most his life.
He revealed to us that he too was worried about the reactions of the group because he
often told this joke to those not associated with the Hispanic background. From his performance,
we observed that these set of jokes could possibly incorporate the Mexicans from being able to
make them laugh, but could also alienate the speaker from those affected by the joke.

Analysis:
Through the lectures by Professor Charles Briggs and the readings pertaining to folklore,
we discussed that the performer must put themselves on a pedestal to be criticized or praised
when the person at whom the joke is depicted as something he or she is not (Basso 38). From
the previous example, the situation could possibly tilt in either direction as the audience changes
because everyone has a different outlook on what pertains to as funny or serious. It is quite

Homin Kwark

Ruhit Ahsan
interesting to note the reactions of those whom the joke targeted in context, as they were the ones
that found the performance the most funny, while the rest of the audience were still worried
about what feedback the others might think. The substance of the joke being mainly racist
reflects on the Kevin Bassos notion that jokes can be paradoxically dangerous and funny
(Basso 43) for the contributor was on thin ice.

Homin Kwark