My first thought about the Ethiopia comment was that it was to do with chicken and starving people, race didn't even cross my mind until @Solid Snake said it to me. I can't be the only one.
It definitely makes more sense that it's about starving Ethiopians, right?
For non Americans yes. There were similar jokes when I was a kid and Ethiopia had famine in the 80s (when I was a kid).
But yeah it has racist overtones in America due to stereotypes.