Why are people so nasty to Joe?

In NY they treated him by how he looked, a hustler. I think because he was a dishwasher he was lowest on the ladder. He hated the job but wanted to say goodbye to his friend and pick up his pay.

In New York City Joe Buck looks like a tourist who has come in from out of town and doesnt know the ropes at all so he is treated like a naive idiot because of that, also because nobody in New York walks around in public wearing a Cowboy hat and costume unless they are either a Southern tourist or are a Hustler/Male Prostitute, so Joe was treated like crap because he was identified as what he was, both of which were true.

In Texas Joe had never worn his Cowboy outfit into the diner and his boss Mr. Evers didnt like him wearing it there either because he was not a Cowboy and was supposed to be there to work, in the book he was late to work but didnt care because he was there to pick up his paycheck and leave, so his boss was pissed off at Joe for coming in late for work dressed up as a cheap looking Cowboy, when he should have been wearing his normal work clothes, even Ralph asks him with an attitude if he is coming to work because he hasnt started working yet like he is supposed to do and normally does, and the older lady also whines because they are backed up because Joe is late for work, he has made them work harder, in the opening credits everyone is angry at Joe buck for being late for work when he is due there at Four O'Clock PM until Midnight, he is goofing around and trying on his Cowboy outfit and preparing his quitting speech because he doesnt care about being on time at all.

So in Texas Joe was late for work and backing things up, i got the impression that he probably didnt work very hard at washing dishes and talked to much when he was supposed to be working, so Mr. Evers and Ralph didnt like him very much, he had probably been late for work before too, Joe doesnt seem like the best or the smartest worker either, so he would logically be treated like crap, in New York he looks like a fish out of water and is treated like it too, he really brings it on himself, but looking like a Hustler was deliberate and kind of the point too, he had to show himself off to the rich ladies to make money, but he underestimated the Male Prostitute market in NYC, maybe he should have gone to Los Angeles instead, get an acting job or porno movie role somewhere, lots of work for Hustlers in LA.

Believe it or not, that was basically the culture back then. People were generally callous and often cruel. More often than not. I lived in that time and I was constantly shocked at the joy and amusement people would find in their cruelty. Not just in the big cities, but mostly so. Be glad you were born when you were. The world, despite the obvious crap (wars, etcetera) is honestly getting better and kinder all the time.

As if the culture is much different today? NYC is not made up of mostly nasty people. I hope the film didn't make give audiences that impression. We didn't observe him 24/7 dealing with people. Hustling in L.A. would had been difficult also, unless he was bi/gay, and not as accessible by public transportation