“La Jolla!” 
I once had a landlady who’d moved from La Jolla to St Paul. God knows why…
Late boomer (1960), of course I know it
Only when he put in the bear trap teeth as a Tasmanian she-devil…
The gag was first used in a 1945 wartime cartoon. Bugs and Goering also dressed up as Wagnerian characters, and this was later reworked into “What’s Opera, Doc?”
Train leaving on Track 5, for Anaheim, Azuza, and Cuc…amonga!
I bet a lot fewer people will get that one. I was born in 1951, and I remember the Jack Benny TV show using it.
Looney Tunes used it too. They especially liked Cuc…amonga.
I remember that phrase more from Jan & Dean.
I certainly am.
Ha, and in my head that was immediately repeated several times, more slurred each time. One of the best episodes of television ever. I also tend to start shouting “HA! GUARD! PARRY! THRUST!” when I’m holding a stick.
The mistake Garth made was saying that he dressed up as a girl bunny. That isn’t true; he was either trying to look like a human or a Tasmanian She-Devil.
On your way to the Carrot Festival therein? Gen-X, and Mel was a God!
Okay, now you’ve got me worried. I was a 50’s kid in San Diego, watched a LOT of TeeVee, LOVED the old WB cartoons as a child (and still do), thought I’d seen them all numerous times, and yet the Albuquerque line rings no bells for me. Can you (or anybody) determine how many times Bugs delivered the line? Or is this thread an elaborate hoax to gaslight me?
It has its own TVTropes reference!
Born in '77, and not sure what that makes me, but I knew the reference.
Then I moved there.
Now I take that left turn, when leaving the VLA and head home.
Tripler
I took that left turn in Feb '00, on the way to ND, too.
Thinking back, it took me many years to make the connection of Bugs’ reference to the city in New Mexico. I had no idea that’s how the city was pronounced. It was a big “a-ha!” moment when I finally realized it.
Un homage du Cuca…monga.
Presumably its funny because its true.
'61, I checked the link to make sure it wasn’t some obscure reference as opposed to the obvious.
I’m 50 and don’t remember a time not knowing it. My 15 and 12 year olds would have no idea. They grew up with Arthur, Caliou, and Wonder Pets.
My late brother was born in Albuquerque in 1947. No idea what my parents were doing there, since they came from Chicago and eventually ended up in California (I guess they turned right at Albuquerque) and then Minnesota (much to my chagrin).
I always suspected my brother got a real thrill whenever he told people “I was born in Albuquerque.” I’m surprised he didn’t use a Brooklyn/Bronx accent when he said it.
I guess nobody got this one. It’s from early-1970s TV:
Yep, that’s the song called “Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque.”
If you turn wrong at Albuquerque, do you end up stuck in Lodi again?
Born in '64, yes knew the reference, yes tried to say the phrase in my best Brooklynese (Al-ba-coy-kee).