Kids make fun of other kids all the time all over the world, not just in America. Any teacher will tell you that they make fun of overweight and thin kids, those with glasses, academically gifted, curly hair, intellectually impaired and the list goes on. It's called one upmanship. In my city, the Asian kids make fun of the Aussie kids and call them 'skippies'[ slang for a kangaroo] The main thing is as adults, it is up to us to teach kids to stand up for themselves and to say 'I don't like you calling me that name' or if it is within our jurisdiction, stop the name calling.

They don't.... Unless they're nerdy or something.

why are you excluding the others? americans make fun of EVERYBODY (watch family guy) :P the only problem is that when we make fun of other races, we are "being racist." and why are they making fun of asians? don't they know all us asians know kungfu, karate, taekwondo, jujitsu, bushido, etc. and can kick their butts?

the short phrase of DanO makes me think of some unexpected result of globalization. Some decades before, in most countries there was no ethnic diversity and people made fun of others because they live in the next village and were famous for something, they spoke some way, etc. now fun with or about others ethnicities is seen as a racist behaviour. up to what point? differentiation by means of fun is most of the times the most innocent way of differentiation, but this is a really difficult issue and not sure short texts here are a good means to discuss. Different places different substrata and ideologies more or less "dangerous". I know many places they don't make fun of the different but abuse them straightly and it doesn't seem to be an issue of incumbence for anyone.

As an American, I thought hard on this........... I want to be honest and yet be diplomatic. 1st... Not all American make fun of other people whether Asian or not, but the ones that do seem to be either ignorant or insensitive to the differences. (Isn't that the same way everywhere - I have noticed educated city people in China who make fun of rural uneducated people) I agree with another answer that "nerdiness" can be a factor.... what is "cool" in one culture may not be cool in another (or in the same culture but to other types of people). Second - Almost ALL Americans believe small Asian children are among the cutest in the world! The areas I see as being "made fun at".... for boys - the stereotype of high pants cinched tight with too big belt and cap and glasses (the nerdy look in any culture) or for girls with Hello Kitty pasted everywhere even if the girl may be in her 20s or 30s. That appears juvenile to most people. It doesn't help having the infamous American Idol disaster (She Bangs) by the Cal Berkley student a few years back. Believe me, many Americans make fun of anybody who is not exactly like them, eastern big city types think midwesterners are naive....not even close to being true, just a knowledge of different things and from my experience not as naive as eastern big city who have never expereinced nature or anything outside their own "world". To finish...please don't group all Americans as being calloused and insensitive just as I will not group all Asians as nerdy or camera freaks. I have friends from all over the world and it is the differences which make us interesting, yet the commonality which tightens our bond together IF WE GIVE IT A CHANCE. Please accept my apology for ignorant and insensitive Americans, and recognize stereotypes are what comedians make a living on, embrace that as long as it is not cruel.