Author Archives: Reed Moreno

Joke

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Piedmont, CA
Performance Date: April 17, 2008
Primary Language: English

Racial Joke

What do you call one black guy being chased by sixty white guys?

-The PGA Tour.

The informant, Ilana was told this joke by her friend Calvin in her hometown of Piedmont California. She really likes the joke because of the unexpectedness of the punch line. She says she would tell this joke when other people have already told a racial joke because the unexpectedness of the punch line is increased. She likes the joke because it sets the listener up to hear something derogatory about African Americans, but instead highlights the skill of African-American golfer Tiger Woods.

The joke is obviously a reaction to more traditional racist jokes. It uses the familiar “what do you call a” joke format while setting up a situation of racial conflict. The joke’s punch line is somewhat ironic because the joke leads you to think about situations of racial conflict and the punch line delivers a wholesome answer to the question, while pointing out an oddity within the sport of professional golf.

Riddle

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Piedmont, CA
Performance Date: April 17, 2008
Primary Language: English

A man leaves from home and goes right. Then her turns left, then left again. He makes one final left and returns home. What is his profession?

-He’s a Baseball Player

The informant, Ilana, learned this riddle from a homeless man in Oakland, CA in early January 2008. Ilana says that she makes it a habit to talk with homeless people. The man that told her the riddle was one of the friendliest homeless people she has ever met. The riddle was one of three the man told her, but it stuck out in her mind because she thought it was very clever. Ilana explained that the answer is a baseball player because the riddle describes a person running the bases. Ilana said she would tell the riddle if a group of her friends were telling riddles. After hearing the homeless man’s three riddle Ilana gave him a few dollars.

The riddle makes use of a vague description of an action. A person must interpret the action described in the riddle in order to solve it. If one were to solve the riddle, it would demonstrate that person’s ability to think creatively outside of the box. The homeless many was obviously using his riddle telling ability to panhandle people in an attempt to get them to give him money. His begging tactic is very shrewd and inventive.

Drinking Song

Nationality: Scottish, Lebanese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: February 17, 2008
Primary Language: English

Rugby Drinking Song

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he’s got holes in his hands

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he’s got holes in his hands

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause his father fixes matches

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause his father fixes matches

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only has 12 friends

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only has 12 friends

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only drinks red wine

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only drinks red wine

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only knows ten rules

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause he only knows ten rules

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause the cross would give him flashbacks

All x2: Jesus can’t play rugby ‘cause the cross would give him flashbacks

Chorus: Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

All x3: God we’re only kidding

All x3: Jesus saves

According to the informant, Matt the song is sung to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Matt says the rugby team he is a part of sings the song at after game celebrations and really anytime the team gets together to drink. While singing team members may only hold their cup in their left hand. The song is not definite in length or form. According to Matt the first line of each verse can be started by anyone, who has an idea for why Jesus can’t play rugby. To start a new verse a person must put their cup on their head and then say the line they have come up with. If the team approves of the line, they repeat it and the song continues. However if the person messes up or the team disapproves of the line, they dip their hands in their drinks and flick their drinks upon the person who messed up while chanting, “Redeem thyself” until the person come up with a suitable line. Matt says the song lasts until no one can come up with another verse or until the team simply gets bored of singing the song.

Matt told me that the song is a really good way for the team to bond and enjoy having a few beers together. The song is always performed in a very jovial manner. Everyone has fun while singing it, even if they are forced to redeem themselves. He thinks that the song will likely live on as a rugby team tradition. Although he identifies himself as a Catholic, he doesn’t see the song as blasphemous because it is sung in a light and joking manner. He also says the song is really more about rugby than about Jesus. Matt was taught the song, after joining the rugby team, at a post practice get together. He said it was easy to learn and made him feel connected to the team

The song is obviously a very good way for the team to come together and bond. The slightly socially taboo nature of the song makes the participants feel all the more close. The song makes use of many puns that are formed by comparing bible terminology to rugby terminology. The song is a way to demonstrate knowledge of rugby and to show an individual’s creativity through the creation of a funny lyric. The song is a way for the teammates to blow off a little steam after a game or practice and enjoy a few drinks.

Toast – Ireland

Nationality: Irish
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Rancho Mirage, CA
Performance Date: April 12, 2008
Primary Language: English

May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.

The informant, Brendan Murphy, says his family uses this toast at family gatherings right before everyone begins to eat. Brendan learned this toast from his grandfather, who is a native of Ireland. Brendan says his grandfather always proposes the toast. One time Brendan’s dad started the toast and it was weird for Brendan. He says that the eldest patriarch of the family is supposed to start the toast. According to Brendan, the toast is way of wishing everyone present good fortune throughout life. Brendan likes the toast because he sees it as a family tradition that is distinctly Irish and he is very proud of his Irish heritage. Brendan hopes to continue using this toast at family gatherings and wants to propose the toast at some point in his life.
The toast has several elements that make it seem distinctly Irish. First the presence of the devil and heaven in the toast relate to the strong Catholic beliefs many Irish people hold. The devil is obviously seen as a malicious figure in this toast. The toast being about good fortune also suggests it is Irish as beliefs about luck are ubiquitous in Irish culture. The toast is essentially saying may you be so lucky that you get to heaven before the devil realizes you have died. Wishing someone luck in the afterlife is wishing him or her a lucky life in general. Although the quote is not specific to their family, the family has adopted it, so it must have had some special significance to them at some point.

Slogan

Nationality: African-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Piedmont, CA
Performance Date: April 17, 2008
Primary Language: English

Sports Slogan

We Believe

The informant, Ilana, is an avid Golden State Warriors fan. The Golden State Warriors are a traditionally mediocre NBA team. We believe has become the official slogan of the team. However, Ilana reports that the slogan had a much less official beginning. At the close of the 2006-2007 season the Warriors made the NBA playoffs, but were facing a heavily favored Dallas Mavericks team in the first round of playoffs. Ilana reports that a man from Alameda, CA brought a sign to the game that said simply “WE BELIEVE”. The sign was a hit and all the people in the stands around him picked up on the phrase. The man began making shirts that said we believe on it and the crowd began to use it as a chant. The team then approached the man about taking the slogan over. The man agreed, although Ilana doesn’t know if he was given any sort of compensation for creating the slogan. The team then printed signs and made shirts for every fan that attended the rest of the playoff games. Ilana has one of the shirts printed by the team and says it is one of her favorite possessions. The Warriors went on to upset the Dallas Mavericks. Ilana thinks the slogan became so popular because it expresses the sentiments of Warriors’ fans in a concise manner.

The slogan we believe is obviously a banner under which Warriors fans can unite. The slogan obviously captured a sentiment shared by the fans because of its meteoric rise in popularity. The slogan suggests that although the past may have been rocky, the team’s fans have faith in the team right now. It is interesting how quickly the Warriors organization was able to key in on the popularity of the slogan and make it official. The slogan has become the motto of the Warriors because it describes them as a team. The slogan has been featured in many sports articles like this one from ESPN http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=3139200. The articles use the slogan as a way to describe the fan’s feelings about the team’s recent success after many years of mediocrity.