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I got a question and I want your opinion. In your opinion, where do you think outsiders get their perception of Cleveland from? The media? Hearsay? Social media? Stand up comics? Let me know.
The Cleveland Jokes originated in the 1960s on TV shows, Johnny Carson, and Laugh-In to name only a few. Several Clevelanders went out to Hollywood and ended up writing for these and other shows and used Cleveland as the punch line.
Think 1960s Tim Conway, Jack Riley, Jack Hanrahan; Letterman's writers were true Westsiders (Emmy winning twins Mark & Steve O'Donnell-they also wrote for Seinfeld, Chris Rock etc). Your humor is based on what you grew up around and observe. It's actually funny.
Using CLE itself as the humor has a long tradition. Clevelanders like to laugh at the city and themselves. ''The Full Cleveland'' look was funny etc. The local humor-culture was even better, Parma (Amrap), Pink Flamingos, white socks, those blue gazing balls etc.
Unfortunately, the rest of the U.S. took these CLE jokes seriously (ie. because they didn't get the joke). The Cuyahoga River in '69, Perk's hair '72, Kucinich in '77, default in '78, sports calamities in '80s, '90s, etc. and the city itself didn't look good (downtown CLE from the '70s-'00s was not nice).
The Drew Cary Show and HOT in Cleveland are examples of CLEs self-deprecating humor; Carey is a true Clevelander and Mimi Bobek was based on someone he knew for sure. Molly Shannon's classic characters were based on growing up in CLE as well.
It was called ethnic humor. That's gone now of course although HOT in Cleveland had Betty White's character from old school ethnic Cleveland.
Then Mike Polk, claiming CLE as his town (he grew up in Warren and went to KSU so I don't think he compares to the humor of the guys I mentioned above having moved to CLE as an adult) does that video. How much talented humor did that take to do? Answer: none. Then this Polk guy does a Video II. Any of us could have done these video things. Polk no doubt only came to CLE for a Browns game etc. prior to moving to CLE as an adult.
Then the freaky Ariel Castro (including his run down 'hood) and some other nasty incidents (Facebook Murder etc) did not help.
Even some visitors during the RNC would preface their knowledge of CLE being based on that video prior to actually visiting the city and, here's the key part, liking it.
Lots of cities could have been dubbed in CLE's place with these Cleveland Jokes.
I think Mike Polk should be accused of ''Cultural Appropriation'' that these PC-SJWs are going on about today...lol. The original CLE is being watered down with suburban millennials and other bland look-a-like robots etc. but that's the way is. If Polk is what Cleveland ''humor'' has come to, it's a sad day:
I suppose this is what we get today given that everyone is so serious, uptight, and way too sensitive; not exactly the ingredients of a comedy cocktail.
CLE's image is changing as a place to live and visit though as the city is getting positive exposure.
The Cleveland Jokes originated in the 1960s on TV shows, Johnny Carson, and Laugh-In to name only a few. Several Clevelanders went out to Hollywood and ended up writing for these and other shows and used Cleveland as the punch line.
Think 1960s Tim Conway, Jack Riley, Jack Hanrahan; Letterman's writers were true Westsiders (Emmy winning twins Mark & Steve O'Donnell-they also wrote for Seinfeld, Chris Rock etc). Your humor is based on what you grew up around and observe. It's actually funny.
Using CLE itself as the humor has a long tradition. Clevelanders like to laugh at the city and themselves. ''The Full Cleveland'' look was funny etc. The local humor-culture was even better, Parma (Amrap), Pink Flamingos, white socks, those blue gazing balls etc.
Unfortunately, the rest of the U.S. took these CLE jokes seriously (ie. because they didn't get the joke). The Cuyahoga River in '69, Perk's hair '72, Kucinich in '77, default in '78, sports calamities in '80s, '90s, etc. and the city itself didn't look good (downtown CLE from the '70s-'00s was not nice).
The Drew Cary Show and HOT in Cleveland are examples of CLEs self-deprecating humor; Carey is a true Clevelander and Mimi Bobek was based on someone he knew for sure. Molly Shannon's classic characters were based on growing up in CLE as well.
It was called ethnic humor. That's gone now of course although HOT in Cleveland had Betty White's character from old school ethnic Cleveland.
Then Mike Polk, claiming CLE as his town (he grew up in Warren and went to KSU so I don't think he compares to the humor of the guys I mentioned above having moved to CLE as an adult) does that video. How much talented humor did that take to do? Answer: none. Then this Polk guy does a Video II. Any of us could have done these video things. Polk no doubt only came to CLE for a Browns game etc. prior to moving to CLE as an adult.
Then the freaky Ariel Castro (including his run down 'hood) and some other nasty incidents (Facebook Murder etc) did not help.
Even some visitors during the RNC would preface their knowledge of CLE being based on that video prior to actually visiting the city and, here's the key part, liking it.
Lots of cities could have been dubbed in CLE's place with these Cleveland Jokes.
I think Mike Polk should be accused of ''Cultural Appropriation'' that these PC-SJWs are going on about today...lol. The original CLE is being watered down with suburban millennials and other bland look-a-like robots etc. but that's the way is. If Polk is what Cleveland ''humor'' has come to, it's a sad day:
I suppose this is what we get today given that everyone is so serious, uptight, and way too sensitive; not exactly the ingredients of a comedy cocktail.
CLE's image is changing as a place to live and visit though as the city is getting positive exposure.
I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't really appreciate Mike Polk Jr. He himself is actually pretty PC as well.
Perception will change when there is a reason for people to actually move to Cleveland. Right now, the biggest voices for CLE to the rest of the country are ex-pats who themselves chose to leave their hometown. It's just not that great a sell. City has to speak for itself.
I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't really appreciate Mike Polk Jr. He himself is actually pretty PC as well.
Perception will change when there is a reason for people to actually move to Cleveland. Right now, the biggest voices for CLE to the rest of the country are ex-pats who themselves chose to leave their hometown. It's just not that great a sell. City has to speak for itself.
Right, of course as people move to CLE, the whole perception changes as does the local culture...ie. boring. But that's the way it is.
People will move to or be forced to when CLE can produce enough jobs to tilt to real growth, which it will someday. In the meantime, CLE's national perception is changing for the better though.
CLE, as most U.S. cities, are losing their identities. I mentioned this before, there is a parody Polish Band known as DJ Kishka that plays around town, esp Detroit-Shoreway. No one really gets or knows it though and certainly know one can dance a Polka. Polka is kitsch in CLE now.
A couple years back a west side Irish guy made a movie The Yank, with Fred Willard and Chris Farley's bro in it. Kinda funny but can't really translate as a modern movie. I mean it's tough when the Irish families are in Westlake and Avon Lake subdivisions with 2 kids and not living off Lorain Avenue side streets in Jefferson or Kamms Corners in Cleveland with 10 kids in a 3 bedroom house with one bathroom.
Period pieces like the Russo brothers Welcome to Collinwood or Kill the Irishman are history movies of old CLE. Today you can make a romantic comedy about millennials living in Tremont I suppose.
Of course times change and all things must pass...but the replacement doesn't look all that appealing.
Btw, Polk is painful...welcome to the future Cleveland! No negative comments on the embarrassing Manziel ''comedy'' skit. Read them. Watching this guy is simply unbelievably awful. This has to be stopped...send home back to Warren.
He tries way too hard and so overboard with this ''loud'' personality schtick he's trying to pull off ie. it's fake.
Watching more of these ''comedy'' videos is shocking. This is the new CLE comedy? I actually may get ill.
This guy Mike Polk Jr. has his own show? I may not boomerang back to CLE after all...lol.
How in the hell did the Dyngus Day celebration end up in Ohio City? Millennial Kitsch again.
Right, of course as people move to CLE, the whole perception changes as does the local culture...ie. boring. But that's the way it is.
People will move to or be forced to when CLE can produce enough jobs to tilt to real growth, which it will someday. In the meantime, CLE's national perception is changing for the better though.
CLE, as most U.S. cities, are losing their identities. I mentioned this before, there is a parody Polish Band known as DJ Kishka that plays around town, esp Detroit-Shoreway. No one really gets or knows it though and certainly know one can dance a Polka. Polka is kitsch in CLE now.
A couple years back a west side Irish guy made a movie The Yank, with Fred Willard and Chris Farley's bro in it. Kinda funny but can't really translate as a modern movie. I mean it's tough when the Irish families are in Westlake and Avon Lake subdivisions with 2 kids and not living off Lorain Avenue side streets in Jefferson or Kamms Corners in Cleveland with 10 kids in a 3 bedroom house with one bathroom.
Period pieces like the Russo brothers Welcome to Collinwood or Kill the Irishman are history movies of old CLE. Today you can make a romantic comedy about millennials living in Tremont I suppose.
Of course times change and all things must pass...but the replacement doesn't look all that appealing.
Btw, Polk is painful...welcome to the future Cleveland!
I get what you mean. Though Cleveland is still doing an infinitely better job of maintaining its local flavor and culture than coastal cities. Boston is the epitome of boring in that regard. Nobody has a connection to anywhere, nobody talks to their neighbors (or knows their names). Cleveland is still overall much better than that. Though I guess I can see your concerns coming true. Hopefully Cleveland's delayed growth will end up benefitting it in this regard- people will get over all the vanities and trends of recent years and the American millennial monoculture and drift back towards localism.
I get what you mean. Though Cleveland is still doing an infinitely better job of maintaining its local flavor and culture than coastal cities. Boston is the epitome of boring in that regard. Nobody has a connection to anywhere, nobody talks to their neighbors (or knows their names). Cleveland is still overall much better than that. Though I guess I can see your concerns coming true. Hopefully Cleveland's delayed growth will end up benefitting it in this regard- people will get over all the vanities and trends of recent years and the American millennial monoculture and drift back towards localism.
Boston is also the epitome of millennial/non-local invasion.
San Francisco, the epitome of ground-zero local culture and influencing the nation's culture and lifestyle, is toast as well.
CLE is surviving somewhat with its local culture but even the locals are in the bland suburbs and don't have any local culture, or care about CLE's. The ethnic culture is dying.
As millennials, local and not, take over, CLE culture is over. Future age groups, now being called the iGeneration (1995+), will futher deaden CLE and the U.S. Every place will be everywhere.
This Polk guy gets gigs at Pickwicks and was voted best CLE comedian? No wonder the older national comedians won't play college campuses anymore.
Boston is also the epitome of millennial/non-local invasion.
San Francisco, the epitome of ground-zero local culture and influencing the nation's culture and lifestyle, is toast as well.
CLE is surviving somewhat with its local culture but even the locals are in the bland suburbs and don't have any local culture, or care about CLE's. The ethnic culture is dying.
As millennials, local and not, take over, CLE culture is over. Future age groups, now being called the iGeneration (1995+), will futher deaden CLE and the U.S. Every place will be everywhere.
This Polk guy gets gigs at Pickwicks and was voted best CLE comedian? No wonder the older national comedians won't play college campuses anymore.
When you say "the ethnic culture is dying", what do you mean? Your right cities like Boston and San Fran are the toast of the world mainly because of the tech industry, politics, tourist attractions and sports titles. I agree that Mike Polk isn't funny at all, his humor isn't only dry but cheap as well. Some people may find him funny on the Coasts because he makes jokes about Cleveland, I bet they would find him funny if he was poking fun at their city.
Allow more immigration, and you'll get more ethnic flavor. Blandness happens due to assimilation over generations. The Hispanic community in Cleveland for example is very vibrant and has the ethnic flavor that the European neighborhoods did in the past.
Allow more immigration, and you'll get more ethnic flavor. Blandness happens due to assimilation over generations. The Hispanic community in Cleveland for example is very vibrant and has the ethnic flavor that the European neighborhoods did in the past.
Boston, San Francisco, and other cities have large #s of immigrants yet are still bland.
Who is not allowing immigration in CLE? Jobs will bring immigrants, why else would they move to CLE or anywhere else?
[quote=QCongress83216;49500929]When you say "the ethnic culture is dying", what do you mean? Your right cities like Boston and San Fran are the toast of the world mainly because of the tech industry, politics, tourist attractions and sports titles. I agree that Mike Polk isn't funny at all, his humor isn't only dry but cheap as well. Some people may find him funny on the Coasts because he makes jokes about Cleveland, I bet they would find him funny if he was poking fun at their city.[/QUOTECl
Cleveland's ethnic communities have assimilated. Sure, there's good restaurants, festivals, and parades. The families from the 'hoods are out in suburbs and the generations carrying the old culture are either deceased or about to be.
These days are not dying, they are dead and buried:
Boston, San Francisco, and other cities have large #s of immigrants yet are still bland.
Who is not allowing immigration in CLE? Jobs will bring immigrants, why else would they move to CLE or anywhere else?
Lots of refugees in Cleveland. Good hardworking people, relocated here by Catholic organizations mostly. They won't be coming here with Trump in office.
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