# Chicago in pop-culture BEFORE Blues Brothers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489 "2010-06-17T00:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/21 "2010-06-17T16:34:03Z")
Well for one thing, I haven’t seen those other two statues, and for another, isn’t “quality” in a work of art kind of subjective? All I know is that the Bob Newhart statue is perfect for lying on the couch and having your friend take a picture of you getting your head shrunk by Dr. Bob himself! see for yourself: [![](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2756347621_d54e55e339.jpg) ](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2756347621_d54e55e339.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/22 "2010-06-17T16:34:56Z")
The Chicago Fire, of course. And Mrs. O’Leary’s cow and the song “A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight”. The Chicago Fire was so inextricably a part of Chicago’s image that “The Chicago Fire” was the signature attraction for Chicago at the now long-gone amusement park _Freedomland_ in New York. The visitors got to help “put it out” by pumping on the old fire engine pumps. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/23 "2010-06-17T16:37:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > This is what I would have guessed, although my living memories don’t go quite that far back, so I can’t say for sure. > > I can say that internationally, Al Capone has, in my experience, been the first thing to come to people’s minds when I mentioned I was from Chicago. That is, until Michael Jordan supplanted him in the mid-90s as the iconic figure most associated with Chicago (thankfully.) Even since. I did some grad work at the University of Illinois. Whenever anyone went to Europe and mentioned they were from “near Chicago”, the place went deaf from fear. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/24 "2010-06-17T16:38:20Z")
Corruption, Lincoln (a little), Capone, the allegedly stolen 1960 presidential election, Mrs. O’Leary and her cow. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/25 "2010-06-17T16:51:03Z")
Al Capone. And Ditka. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489/26 "2010-06-17T16:58:28Z")
"And each time I leave, Chicago is, Tuggin’ my sleeve, Chicago is, The Wrigley Building,Chicago is, The Union Stockyards, Chicago is, One town that won’t let you down; It’s my kind of town. " [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-in-pop-culture-before-blues-brothers/543489.md?page=1)