So, for people who only know France through Pepé le Pew, that is a good joke !
So are you saying it becomes funnier if you are more ignorant about the subject?
Pretty much, milking a stupid cliche. Most Americans' only exposure to France is stereotypes they've seen, or if they're more well traveled, exposure to Parisians. Which is like if I came from another country, visited NYC, and concluded that Americans were generally pretentious, almost never made eye contact, and paid obscene amounts for rent.
Ironic that you mention the cliche joke, then follow it up with a stereotype about Americans exposure to culture.
Yes and irony is often hilarious.
That stereotype is largely true, in my experience, having grown up in the US. There are, of course, exceptions, but they're exceptions. The snotty Frenchman is the exception, though, probably borne from our disproportionate exposure to Paris. So in that case the stereotype isn't warranted.
In fact, I love the French. But I'm not above making a low-brow joke for easy karma.