Workplace Discrimination Against, and Jokes About...well, just about everybody

prnewswire ^ | 11/13/02

[Brian Mosely]

Workplace Discrimination Against, and Jokes About, African Americans, Gays, Jews, Muslims and Others, According to Harris Interactive Survey

Discrimination Against Several, But Not All, Minority Groups, Including Women, Is Believed To Be Widespread

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Older people, gays and lesbians and people with disabilities are perceived by many to be frequent victims of workplace discrimination. Other groups viewed as frequent victims of workplace discrimination by smaller, but still substantial, numbers of people include women, African Americans and Muslims. On the other hand, relatively few people believe that Jews, Asian Americans or Hispanic Americans are often discriminated against.

This survey also finds that workplace jokes about women, gays and lesbians, and older people are relatively common, while fewer (but still substantial numbers) recall hearing jokes about Asian Americans, people with disabilities, Muslims and Jews.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll(R), which is based on online interviews with a nationwide cross section of 2,203 adults surveyed between August 26 and September 2, 2002. Harris Interactive(R) conducted this survey in collaboration with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm.

Because the sample used in this poll was quite large compared to most published opinion polls, it was possible to analyze the responses of five of these groups and compare their replies with those of all adults. These results show that African Americans are much more likely than the general public to see blacks as victims of discrimination, while gays and lesbians are also significantly more likely to see themselves as discriminated against.

When it comes to jokes, gays and lesbians and Hispanics are more likely than other groups to report hearing jokes against people like them. Women, on the other hand, are less likely to recall hearing jokes about women, presumably because men are more likely to make these jokes to other men when no women are present.

  Some specific findings about the perceptions of discrimination are:
  *  Fully 50% of African Americans feel that blacks are "often" victims of
     workplace discrimination, but only 18% of all adults believe this to be
     true.
  *  Almost half of gays and lesbians and bisexual adults (45%) feel that
     they, as a group, are often discriminated against at work.  Nearly a
     third of all adults (29%) perceive this level of discrimination against
     gays and lesbians.
  *  Relatively few people perceive Jews (5%), Asian Americans (5%),
     Hispanic Americans (12%) or Muslims (14%) as frequent targets of
     discrimination.  Only one of these groups is large enough to be
     analyzed separately; relatively few Hispanics (16%) believe their group
     is often discriminated against.
  *  Over a quarter of women (27%) believe they are frequent victims of
     discrimination.

When it comes to jokes told in the workplace about minorities, more people recall hearing jokes about women (53%), gays and lesbians (44%), older people (38%), African Americans (37%) and Hispanics (32%) than about the other groups.

However, substantial numbers report hearing jokes about all of the nine groups we asked about, including Jews (29%), Muslims (29%), people with disabilities (26%) and Asian Americans (25%).

Most of those who self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (64%) recall hearing jokes about their group at work, as do 50% of Hispanics.

TABLE 1

PERCEPTIONS OF WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST EIGHT MINORITIES AND WOMEN "How often do you think the following groups experience discrimination in the workplace, and, for example, are fired or dismissed from a job, are harassed,

or denied promotions or job advances - never, rarely, sometimes, or often?"

  Base:  All Adults
                                            "OFTEN"    Gap Between
                                                       All Adults and
                                                       Group Discriminated
                                                       Against
                                              %
  Older adults, aged 65 and older
   All adults                                32                 +7
   People aged 65 and over                   39
  People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual
   or transgender
   All adults                                29                +16
   Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender     45
  People with disabilities
   All adults                                21                 NA
   People with disabilities                  NA
  Women
   All adults                                19                 +8
   Women                                     27
  African Americans
   All adults                                18                +32
   African Americans                         50
  People who are Muslim
   All adults                                14                 NA
   Muslims                                   NA
  Hispanic Americans
   All adults                                12                 +4
   Hispanic Americans                        16
  Asian Americans
   All adults                                 5                 NA
   Asian Americans                           NA
  People who are Jewish
   All adults                                 5                 NA
   Jews                                      NA
                                 TABLE 2
           HEAR JOKES AT WORK ABOUT EIGHT MINORITIES AND WOMEN
"Have you ever heard someone at your current or most recent job tell jokes
                   about any of the following groups?"
  Base:  All Adults
                                               "OFTEN"     Gap Between
                                                           All Adults
                                                           and Group
                                                           Discriminated
                                                           Against
                                                  %
  Women
   All adults                                    53             -8
   Women                                         45
  People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual
   or transgender
   All adults                                    44            +20
   Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender         64
  Older adults, aged 65 and older
   All adults                                    38             +3
   People aged 65 and over                       41
  African Americans
   All adults                                    37             -2
   African Americans                             35
  Hispanic Americans
   All adults                                    32            +18
   Hispanic Americans                            50
  People who are Jewish
   All adults                                    29             NA
   Jews                                          NA
  People who are Muslim
   All adults                                    29             NA
   Muslims                                       NA
  People with disabilities
   All adults                                    26             NA
   People with disabilities                      NA
  Asian Americans
   All adults                                    25             NA
   Asian Americans                               NA
  Methodology

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between August 26 and September 2, 2002, among a nationwide cross section of 2,203 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education and number of adults in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. "Propensity score" weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online survey is not a probability sample.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research through wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com/) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market-and opinion- research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com/ .

[Feiny]

Do Clinton jokes count?

Jerry Falwell was seated next to President Clinton on a recent flight. After the plane was airborne, the flight attendant came around for drink orders. The President asked for whiskey and soda, which was brought and placed before him. The attendant then asked Reverend Falwell if he would also like a drink. The minister replied, "Ma'am, I'd rather be Raped by a brazen whore than let liquor touch my lips." Hearing this, the President handed his drink back to the flight attendant and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a choice."

[cardinal4]

A priest, a rabbi, a white, a black, a muslim, a parapelegic, and Jeffrey Dahmer are all in a lifeboat.....

[Feiny]

Did you hear about the South Carolina redneck who passed away and left his entire estate in trust for his beloved widow?
She can't touch it till she's fourteen.

---

What's the difference between a good ol' boy and a redneck?
The good ol' boy raises livestock.
The redneck gets emotionally involved.

---

How do you know when your staying in a Kentucky hotel?
When you call the front desk and say "I've gotta leak in my sink"
and the person at the front desk says "go ahead."

---

How can you tell if a Texas redneck is married?
There is dried chewing tobacco on both sides of his pickup truck.

---

Did you hear that they have raised the minimum drinking age in
Tennessee to 32?
It seems they want to keep alcohol out of the high schools!

---

What do they call reruns of "Hee Haw" in Mississippi?
A documentary.

---

How many rednecks does it take eat a 'possum?
Two. One to eat, and one to watch out for traffic.

---

Why did God invent armadillos?
So that Texas rednecks can have 'possum on the halfshell.

---

Did you hear about the $3,000,000 Tennessee State Lottery?
The winner gets $3 a year for a million years.

---

A new law recently passed in North Carolina:
When a couple gets divorced, they're still brother and sister.

---

What do a divorce in Alabama, a tornado in Kansas, and a
hurricane in Florida have in common?
Somebody's fixin' to lose them a trailer.

---

A Mississippian came home and found his house on fire, he
rushed next door, telephoned the fire department and shouted,
"Hurry over here. My house is on fire!"
"OK," replied the fireman, "how do we get there?"
"Shucks, don't you still have those big red trucks?"

---

Why do folks in Kentucky go to the movie theater in groups of
18 or more?
'Cuz 17 and under not admitted.

---

What do you get when you have 32 rednecks in the same room? A full set of teeth.

[Feiny]

We got Clinton & rednecks, the only other unprotected one is the Pope:

The pope had become very ill and was taken to many doctors, all of whom could not figure out how to cure him. Finally he was brought to an old physician, who stated that he could figure it out.

After about an hour's examination he came out and told the cardinals that he knew what was wrong. He said that the bad news was that it was a rare disorder of the testicles. He said that the goods news was that all the pope had to do to be cured was to have sex.

Well, this was not good news to the cardinals, who argued about it at length. Finally they went to the pope with the doctor and explained the situation.

After some thought, the pope stated, "I agree, but under four conditions."

The cardinals were amazed and there arose quite an uproar. Over all of the noise there arose a single voice that asked, "And what are the four conditions?"

The room stilled. There was a long pause...

The pope replied, "First the girl must be blind, so that she cannot see whom she is having sex." "Second, she must be deaf, so that she cannot hear with whom she is having sex." "Third she must be dumb so that if somehow she figures out with who she is having sex, she can tell no one." After another long pause a voice arose and asked, "And the fourth condition?"

"Big tits" replied the Pope.

[Feiny]

A guy walks into a bar with his pet monkey. He orders a drink and while he's drinking, the monkey jumps all around the place. The monkey grabs some olives off the bar and eats them, then grabs some sliced limes and eats them, then jumps onto the pool table, grabs one of the billiard balls, sticks it in his mouth, and to everyone's amazement, somehow swallows it whole.

The bartender screams at the guy, "Did you see what your monkey just did?"
The guy says "No, what?"
"He just ate the cue ball off my pool table---whole!"

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me," replied the guy, "He eats everything in sight, the little bastard. Sorry. I'll pay for the cueball and stuff."
He finishes his drink, pays his bill, pays for the stuff the monkey ate, then leaves.

Two weeks later he's in the bar again, and has his monkey with him. He orders a drink and the monkey starts running around the bar again. While the man is finishing his drink, the monkey finds a maraschino cherry on the bar. He grabs it, sticks it up his butt, pulls it out, and eats it.

The bartender is disgusted. "Did you see what your monkey did now? he asks.
"No, what?" replies the guy.

"Well, he stuck a maraschino cherry up his butt, pulled it out, and ate it!" said the bartender.

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me", replied the guy. "He still eats everything in sight, but ever since he swallowed that cue ball, he measures everything first."

[Rytwyng]

Conspicuous by their absence from the survey are questions relatiing to "blond jokes" and "redneck jokes." Nobody bothered to survey about these, despite their universality.

Apparently it's still open season on whites.

[cardinal4]

What do you call a bunch of Blondes in circle?

A dope ring!

[Feiny]

Dan and his wife were working in their garden one day when Dan looks over at his wife and says: "You're butt is getting really big, I mean really big. I bet your butt is bigger than the barbecue. With that he proceeded to get a measuring tape and measure the grill and then went over to where his wife was working and measured his wife's bottom.

"Yes, I was right, your butt is two inches wider than the barbecue!!!" The wife chose to ignore her husband. Later that night in bed, Dan is feeling a little frisky. He makes some advances towards his wife who completely brushes him off.

"What's wrong?" he asks. She answers: "Do you really think I'm going to fire up this big-ass grill for one little wiener?

[Feiny]

As taken from the personnel files of employees in a large US
corporation:

"Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom..and.. has
started to dig."

"His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity."

"I would not allow this employee to breed."

"This employee is really not so much of a 'has-been', but more of a
definite
won't be'."

"Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a
trap."

"When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet."

"He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."

"This young lady has delusions of adequacy."

"He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve
them."

[Feiny]

Two executives working in the garment center are having lunch together. Goldstein says to his friend, "Last week was one of the worst weeks of my entire life."

"What happened?" asks Birnbaum.

Goldstein moans, "My wife and I went to Florida on vacation. It rained for seven days and seven nights, so my wife went out and spent thousands of dollars on the credit card. I came back to New York and found out that my rat brother-in-law accountant has been ripping me off for millions. And to top it all off, when I came in to work on Monday morning, I found my on having sex with my best model on my desk!"

"You think you had a bad week?" responds Birnbaum. "My week was even
worse! I went to Florida on vacation with my wife and it rained for seven days and seven nights, so my wife went out and spent thousands on the credit card. Then, when I got back to New York, I found out that my rat cousin accountant has been ripping me off for millions. To top it all off, when I came in to my office on Monday, I found my son having sex with my best model on my desk!"

"How can you say that your week was worse than mine?" asks Goldstein.
"It was identical!"

"You shmuck!" replies Birnbaum. "I manufacture menswear..."

[Feiny]

Two women waiting at the Pearly Gates strike up a conversation. "How'd you die?" the first woman asks the second. "I froze to death," says the second.
"That's awful," says the first woman. "How does it feel to freeze to death?"

"It's very uncomfortable at first," says the second woman. "You get the shakes, and you get pains in all your fingers and toes. But eventually, it's a very calm way to go. You get numb and you kind of drift off, as if you're sleeping. How about you, how did you die?"

"I had a heart attack," says the first woman. "You see, I knew my husband was cheating on me, so one day I showed up at home unexpectedly. I ran up to the bedroom, and found him alone, watching tv. I ran down to the basement, but no one was hiding there, either. I ran up to the second floor, but no one was hiding there either. I ran as fast as I could to the attic, and just as I got there, I had a massive heart attack and died."

The second woman shakes her head. "That's so ironic," she says. "What do you mean?" asks the first woman.
"If you had only stopped to look in the freezer, we'd both still be alive."

[RobRoy]

That is a white male joke and I feel discriminated against. I hope the tears don't short out my keyboard.

[Feiny]

Where does an Irish family go on vacation?
A different bar.

Did you hear about the Chinese couple that had a retarded baby?
They named him Sum Ting Wong.

What would you call it when an Italian has one arm shorter than the other?
A speech impediment.

Did you hear about the dyslexic Rabbi?
He walks around saying, "Yo"

What do you call an Alabama farmer with a sheep under each arm?
A pimp.

Why do drivers education classes in Redneck schools use the car only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays?
Because on Tuesday and Thursday, the Sex Ed class uses it.

What's the difference between a southern zoo and a northern zoo?
A southern zoo has a description of the animal on the front of the cage, along with a recipe.

What's the difference between a northern fairytale and a southern fairytale?
A northern fairytale begins "Once upon a time.."
A southern fairytale begins - 'Y'all ain't gonna believe this shit..

[cajun-jack]

3 cajuns coming down the river in a boat...at the landing there is a game warden..as soon as the boat touches the bank, 1 guy jumps out and runs like hell down thru the woods...the game warden takes out after him...after about 1/2 a mile the warden tackles him....wrestles him to the ground and demands to see his fishing license...the coonass (cajun) says "sure officer and produces a current license...the game warden, breathing heavily (gasping) is really pissed...asks "if you have a license, why in the hell did you run???" coonass replies, the other 2 guys didn't have!!!!!!! yeeeeeee haaaaaaaw

[Feiny]

1. What do you call a cupboard full of lesbians?
A licker cabinet.

2. What do you call an Eskimo lesbian?
A Klondyke.

3. What do you call 100 lesbians with guns?
Militia Etheridge.

4. Why can't lesbians diet and wear make-up at the same time?
Because they can't eat Jenny Craig with Mary Kay on their face.

5. Why do lesbians like to be reincarnated as whales?
So they can have 10-foot tongues and breathe out of the tops of their heads.

6. What do you call 2 lesbians in a canoe?
Fur Traders.

7. What is a lesbian dinosaur called?
A Lickalotapuss.

8. What do you call a lesbian with long fingers?
Well Hung.

9. What do lesbians call an open can of tuna?
POTPOURRI.

10. What did the lesbian vampire say to her partner?
See you next month.

11. Did you hear that Ellen Degeneres drowned?
She was found face down in Ricki Lake.

12. How can you tell a tough lesbian bar?
Even the pool table doesn't have balls

13. Do you know what drag is?
It's when a man wears everything a lesbian won't.

14. What do you call lesbian twins?
Lick-a-likes.

15. How can you tell if a lesbian is butch?
She kick-starts her vibrator and rolls her own tampons.

[Feiny]

Three handsome male dogs are walking down the street when they see a beautiful, enticing, female Poodle. The three male dogs fall all over themselves in an effort to be the one to reach her first, but end up arriving in front of her at the same time.

The males are speechless before her beauty, slobbering on themselves and hoping for just a glance from her in return. Aware of her charms and her obvious effect on the three suitors, she decides to be kind and tells them "The first one who can use the words "liver" and "cheese" together in an imaginative, intelligent sentence can go out with me."

The sturdy, muscular black Lab speaks up quickly and says "I love liver and cheese."
"Oh, how childish," said the Poodle. "That shows no imagination or intelligence whatsoever." She turned to the tall, shiny Golden Retriever and said "How well
can you do?" Um. I HATE liver and cheese," blurts the Golden Retriever. "My, my," said the Poodle. "I guess it's hopeless. That's just as dumb as the Lab's sentence."

She then turns to the last of the three dogs and says, "How about you, little guy?"
The last of the three, tiny in stature, but big in fame and finesse, is the Taco Bell Chihuahua. He gives her a smile, a sly wink, turns to the Golden Retriever and the Lab and says, "Liver alone. Cheese mine."

[cardinal4]

What do you get when you cross a crooked politician with a a crooked lawyer?

Chelsea!

[Feiny]

A Texan walks into a pub in Ireland and clears his voice to the crowd of drinkers. He says, "I hear you Irish are a bunch of drinkin' fools. I'll give $500 American dollars to anybody in here who can drink 10 pints of Guinness back-to-back."

The room is quiet and no one takes of the Texan's offer. One man even leaves. Thirty minutes later the same gentleman who left shows back up and taps the Texan on the shoulder.

"Is your bet still good?", asks the Irishman. The Texan says yes and asks the bartender to line up 10 pints of Guinness. Immediately the Irishman tears into all 10 of the pint glasses drinking them all back-to-back.

The other pub patrons cheer as the Texan sits down in amazement. The Texan gives the Irishman the $500 and says, "If ya don't mind me askin', where did you go for that 30 minutes you were gone?".

The Irishman replies, "Oh...I had to go to the pub down the street to
see if I could do it first".

[cardinal4]

Why does Hillary always wear Ol Crusty?

If she wore a dress you would see her balls.....