Public Speaking - Ethnic Expressions Are Funny Only If You Are Ethnic

A well-known humorist, Doc Blakely, does a dialect bit that has been very
successful, but he is extremely good at it. When using dialects, if you are not
good at the particular dialect, it appears you are mocking the ethnic group to
which it belongs.

There are lots of funny ethnic sayings and words. Try to resist using them
unless you are making fun of your own background. In a business setting, it is
much too risky to joke about another person's race, religion, or dialect.

If you are Polish, it may be OK to tell a Polish joke now and then. If you are
Jewish, you are the only one who really knows about matzo balls, schmatas and
schnooks. Remember both Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butts and Secretary
of the Interior James Watt were forced to resign because of "Jokes that were
deemed insensitive and insulting to minorities." If you want to use ethnic humor,
use Outer Slobovia or some other OBVIOUSLY comic, nonexistent country in
your jokes.

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