# How easy is it to make fun of your home city? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 6, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624 "2006-05-06T00:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [May 8, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/61 "2006-05-08T01:55:26Z")
[QUOTE=kambuckta] If you like, think of **Melbourne** as the second child of a torrid romance that created Australia. **Sydney** is the eldest kid…brash, smarmy, and shit-full of her own importance. She’s the slut of the family, and brings disgrace to the Australian name. ☹ Melbourne is the classically beautiful second kid. She is more reserved and more thoughtful than her older trailer-trash sister. [/QUOTE] Melbourne. The Jan Brady of cities. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/62 "2006-05-08T05:48:29Z")
I’m amazed that I haven’t seen more Southern US bashing in this thread (aside from the SC posts). My only problem with the typical “South” bashing is that “inbreeding” inevitably turns up somewhere. At least the folks in Boston can somewhat understand the accent thing, etc. Hell, we surely understand that little jab. But the inbreeding thing just makes most of us scratch our heads. It doesn’t happen “down here”. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/63 "2006-05-08T16:03:13Z")
[QUOTE=delphica] I am from Buffalo, and I think that has got to be one of the easiest targets in the US – Cleveland gives us a run for our money, but few other places can. The weather, the Bills, the weather, the rust belt economy, the weather, the goofy name, the weather … it never ends. [/QUOTE] Seconded. Not just the weather and dem der Bills der, dontcha’ know der, but also the tax burden (highest in the nation), the trapped-in-the-1980s culture and feel, the blue-collar mindset, the parochialism, the fundamentalist Catholicism (news of Vatican II has yet to reach Western New York), the ear-splitting accent (the harsh flat-A that would make Queens natives reel), the political corruption (yet locals keep voing those same douchebags back into office, because “He’s a good [Polish/Italian/Irish] boy!”), the goofy local culture (lawn fetes, fireman’s picnics, Dyngus Day, bingo snobbery, meat raffles, and so on), the perception Canadians have that the city is continually ablaze (thanks, Irv Weinstein), the legendary love of twofer coupons among local diners … ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/64 "2006-05-08T16:30:51Z")
Born and raised in Los Angeles, the land of fruits and nuts. Ya know, La La Land? Hollyweird? Never bothered me, though, cause I knew everyone was just jealous 😉 Now I live in Floriduh. God’s waiting room. The land of hanging chads. The pedophilic child murdering capital of the country. (don’t you go dissin’ my Devil Rays, you hear?) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/65 "2006-05-08T16:49:53Z")
If you can’t think of anything to make fun of Baltimore for, just wait for their next public image slogan. “The City That Reads” (bleeds, breeds, can’t read, etc.) “The Greatest City in America” (almost self-mocking) “Believe” (Bee-hive, Behave, B’lieve hon, Grieve) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/66 "2006-05-08T17:03:44Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Clam] How mockworthy is London? We have cockneys. And rain. [/QUOTE] Well, there _is_ the bad dental hygene and inedible food angle. (just kidding; I looooooved London when I visited) 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/67 "2006-05-08T17:33:40Z")
Waco? No. Problem. Whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/68 "2006-05-08T19:51:42Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] If you can’t think of anything to make fun of Baltimore for, just wait for their next public image slogan. “The City That Reads” (bleeds, breeds, can’t read, etc.) “The Greatest City in America” (almost self-mocking) “Believe” (Bee-hive, Behave, B’lieve hon, Grieve) [/QUOTE] Are these actual suggestions/former slogans? Because, seriously, I have nothing _against_ Baltimore, but somewhere within an easy drive of New York, Philly, and DC - hell, even Annapolis - is calling itself “The greatest city in America”? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/69 "2006-05-08T20:23:45Z")
The city I was born in? Birmingham, Alabama? I’m afraid it can’t be done. There’s just nothing to make fun of. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/70 "2006-05-08T21:21:46Z")
I live in Honolulu, go ahead and mock our weather. I mean, it’s the same thing everyday. Mid-80s with trade winds. No such luxuries as snow, icy roads, or wind chills in the winter, nor 100-degree temperatures and 100% humidity days in the summer. You try getting the sand out of your car after a January beach day. Woe is me. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/71 "2006-05-09T00:54:53Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] Here in St. Louis we have The World’s Largest McDonald’s Arch, [/QUOTE] I think of it as the Big Wicket. St. Louis: the only town (and it is just a big town) that built a monument to immortalize the people who left. :dubious: Lived here 17 years. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > ``` > I'm from Schenectady. > > ``` > > Nothing more needs to be said to be said. And I lived in a suburb of Schenectady (Niskayuna) for 10 years, do I win a prize??? Have you ever read the book: _It Came From Schenectady_ ? I got to move to St. Louis when I learned to spell Rensselaer. 🆒 (Rensselpolyinstitectute) ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/72 "2006-05-09T01:40:52Z")
Please. I was born and raised in Earlimart, Ca, population 3000. On 99 between Bakersfield and Fresno. The minimart is called the EarliMart. No bank. No restaurants with tablecloths. More dogs than people. Enough said. ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/73 "2006-05-09T03:55:31Z")
Where I grew up (northeast Iowa): There are no stoplights in the entire county (which is about the size of Rhode Island). The nearest Wal-mart and multi-screen movie theatres are in a different state. The nearest shopping mall is a 100-mile roundtrip. As teenagers we would have parties a random hayfield, a rock quarry, or if that wasn’t an option we’d just drive around the gravel roads and drink beer (the #1 rule: 8 drinks is the limit for the driver while s/he’s driving). ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/74 "2006-05-09T05:05:49Z")
[QUOTE=Exploding Oven] How easy is it to make fun of the city that you live in or have lived in? \ So, once again, how mock-able are the cities that you have lived in, or live in right now? [/QUOTE] I’m sorry, could you repeat yourself? I couldn’t hear you over all the cowbells… ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/75 "2006-05-09T05:38:23Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] If you can’t think of anything to make fun of Baltimore for, just wait for their next public image slogan. “The City That Reads” (bleeds, breeds, can’t read, etc.) “The Greatest City in America” (almost self-mocking) “Believe” (Bee-hive, Behave, B’lieve hon, Grieve) [/QUOTE] My favorite was: Baltimore, the city that reads (very slowly) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/76 "2006-05-09T06:13:57Z")
Me: “I’m originally from Barstow, CA” Every Person I’ve Said This To: “Really? I didn’t realize people actually lived there!” ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/77 "2006-05-09T07:18:06Z")
I’m from Chillicothe, Ohio, whose industrial lifeblood is the paper mill. So, every visitor, without fail: “This town _smells_!” ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/78 "2006-05-09T08:01:15Z")
The South Australian government saved everyone the bother and gave us a tourism slogan that was the butt of many jokes while it lasted… “South Australia - We’re Going All The Way” 'nuff said, really. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/79 "2006-05-09T08:12:48Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] I live in Honolulu, go ahead and mock our weather. I mean, it’s the same thing everyday. Mid-80s with trade winds. No such luxuries as snow, icy roads, or wind chills in the winter, nor 100-degree temperatures and 100% humidity days in the summer. You try getting the sand out of your car after a January beach day. Woe is me. [/QUOTE] Well, there is the harbor of sewage that will eat your flesh. > **[Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?hl=ja&q=honolulu+infection&btnG=Google+%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&lr=)** (note, the news stories are disturbing) ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624/80 "2006-05-09T08:26:32Z")
Take 1: Me: I’m from Fort Worth! Them: Ooh, where’s that? Me: An hour outside Dallas. Take 2: Me: I’m from Fort Worth, an hour outside Dallas. Them: Ooh, _Dallas_! Cue conversation about how ZOMG FLAT Dallas is when they visited. Me: You don’t say. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-easy-is-it-to-make-fun-of-your-home-city/355624.md?page=5)