I don't get this joke from Modern Family (City mouse/country mice)
Cam: Mitchell is a snob.
Mitchell: No, I'm just discerning.
Cam: Official slogan for snobs.
When we first met, he wouldn't even look at me because I was a hick from the farm in Missouri, and he's a big **city mouse**.
Mitchell: (snorts) Who says city mouse?
Cam: **Country mice.**

I don't get this city mouse / country mice joke. I know the meaning of every vocabulary here but I guess there's more to it cause I just don't get this conversation when it's taken literally. What's supposed to be funny in this context? Is "city mouse" or similar phrase of this sort a common joke in English?
Thanks in advance!

Question

I don't get this joke from Modern Family (City mouse/country mice)
Cam: Mitchell is a snob.
Mitchell: No, I'm just discerning.
Cam: Official slogan for snobs.
When we first met, he wouldn't even look at me because I was a hick from the farm in Missouri, and he's a big **city mouse**.
Mitchell: (snorts) Who says city mouse?
Cam: **Country mice.**

I don't get this city mouse / country mice joke. I know the meaning of every vocabulary here but I guess there's more to it cause I just don't get this conversation when it's taken literally. What's supposed to be funny in this context? Is "city mouse" or similar phrase of this sort a common joke in English?
Thanks in advance!

Answer

It’s a reference to a famous children’s story. See: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=0yA9DwAAQBAJ&gl=us&hl=en-US&source=productsearch&utm_source=HA_Desktop_US&utm_medium=SEM&utm_campaign=PLA&pcampaignid=MKT-FDR-na-us-1000189-Med-pla-bk-Evergreen-Jul1520-PLA-eBooks_Juvenile_Fiction&gclid=Cj0KCQjws536BRDTARIsANeUZ59kQLu_vI8sBDxgnZA27p_mP_JFiihvsEZqQUaUhex8VsnU4Yfr0KoaAogmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Answer

Hello. I read the dialogue a few times and to be honest I can't put my finger on it! I think it has something to do with an old story talking about a mouse living in the city, and a mouse living in the countryside! It's a very famous story from Jean de La Fontaine and I think it has been adapted in many cartoons for TV etc. I guess it would be like a private joke.. but I also don't get why the plural is used at the end.
Sorry I'm not of any help! ^^ maybe somebody else will find a good explanation!

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