“Why don’t Mexicans have a good Olympics Team? Because everyone who can run, jump, or swim has already crossed the border.”

Matthew is a high school student from Southern California.  The informant heard the joke, first, from his friends and then, later, from his grandfather. Laughing, the informant says that he would share the joke with his teachers, but in actuality he says he would only share the joke with friends at school.  He thinks the joke is funny because it is stereotypical and – laughing again – partially true.

This joke represents a well-known stereotype within American culture.  The joke assumes that the Mexicans living in Mexico are not athletic enough to make it into America (illegally) and thus do not have a good team for the Olympics.