One Polish Joke

Q: Why wasn't Christ born in Poland?
A: Because God couldn't find three wisemen and a virgin.


The majority of the Polak jokes I have heard in my lifetime have been from my grandfather, Edwin Cholewa, whose last name means "the top part of a boot" in Polish. He also enjoyed teaching his grandchildren Polish swear words, which I still remember but am too afraid to ask what they mean. While living in Chicago around my large Polish family it was clear to me why Polak jokes were funny. Now when I tell these jokes to my friends in Denver, I often get the response "I don't get it."

Do you get it? The purpose of this blog is to examine the Polak joke rhetorically. What are your thoughts as the audience?

What kind of polish stereotypes are exaggerated in Polak jokes, particularly this one? Are you familiar with these Polish stereotypes?

One thing that strikes me about Polak jokes is how many times I have heard the same joke but with the subject changed to a "dumb blonde." What if the subject were changed to a different ethnicity? Would your reaction to this joke be different if it was "Why wasn't Christ born in Mexico?" or if it were a targeting black people?