Why is Cleveland, Ohio always the butt of jokes on t.v.

[Ineedadvice1989]

I live in Cleveland, Ohio. I love my city but I always see comedians and shows making fun of us. Is this because of our sports teams or..

Why are we always made fun of?

Updates

+1 y

I'd like reasons...not just shots at us, thank you

[jimfath]

First off, a dead give away of someone who's never been to Cleveland (or Detroit) is someone makes those kinds of Cleveland (Detroit) jokes or, they've been there but are the type that need to go to NY or LA to have a good time and can't survive anywhere else. I once had someone ask me how I could possible like growing up in Cleveland when they had visited there and it seemed boring to them. After asking them a few questions it turned out they weren't in Cleveland but Elyria on a layover. That's like saying New York sucks and you've only been to Newark.

So the main reason people rip on Cleveland has to do with the Cuyahoga river catching fire in 1969. The 1969 fire was not the first time an industrial river in the Great Lakes region had caught on fire, but it was the last. It was one of the key things that helped create the EPA. And it was truly needed. The air and water quality all over the great lakes was TERRIBLE. BUT Cleveland got caught holding the bag when its river caught fire and so Cleveland became the butt of many jokes overnight.

There is also some momentum built into it. Cleveland, at one time, was the wealthiest city in the country (Its worth noting that Detroit, at one time, was as well). And from that height came a slow descent into darkness. It reached it's climax when the river caught fire and the jokes just sort of stuck. It's not a destination city, for the most part, so people that don't know a thing about Cleveland just assume the jokes formulated 46 years ago are still valid or they are the "Everything that's not LA or NY is a flyover city" types.

More recently, Detroit has surpassed Cleveland as the Go-To lazy joke about a struggling city and the script is pretty much the same except. Another struggling rustbelt city that's a lazy joke for some morning show dj.

[johnny_hustle]

I'm not entirely sure, but it's the same way with Michiganders and Detroit. When people think of Michigan they always think of Detroit, but yet they don't know anything beyond that. Sure, the Detroit and Flint areas are pretty bad (worse than Cleveland crime wise and just slightly better when it comes to being a "dump") but if one is to travel to the west side and travel to the northern parts of Michigan they will find that Michigan is one of the most beautiful places in America. Hell, Sleeping Bear Dunes was voted as the most beautiful place in America, but yet if one is to say anything about going to Michigan, they don't think about Sleeping Bear Dunes, they think of Detroit and the bad economy. So, basically, people make fun of Cleveland just like people bash on Detroit and other places as SheSoSilly pointed out because they are easy targets. Jokes wouldn't become popular if there weren't some truth behind them. It doesn't matter if the "truth" was only true back in the day or if it still holds true today. Stereotypes happen because of some truth to them. Just like a lot of Northerners will make fun of Southerners for sleeping with their siblings or cousins despite the fact that incest is not a common practice anymore.

[Ineedadvice1989]

...only in west virginia, haha

[budphillips]

Detroit is the worst place in the US. Hands down, it's not close. Flint is also pure garbage.

[johnny_hustle]

Did I say otherwise budphillips?

[jimfath]

First off, a dead give away of someone who's never been to Cleveland (or Detroit) is someone makes those kinds of Cleveland (Detroit) jokes or, they've been there but are the type that need to go to NY or LA to have a good time and can't survive anywhere else. I once had someone ask me how I could possible like growing up in Cleveland when they had visited there and it seemed boring to them. After asking them a few questions it turned out they weren't in Cleveland but Elyria on a layover. That's like saying New York sucks and you've only been to Newark.

So the main reason people rip on Cleveland has to do with the Cuyahoga river catching fire in 1969. The 1969 fire was not the first time an industrial river in the Great Lakes region had caught on fire, but it was the last. It was one of the key things that helped create the EPA. And it was truly needed. The air and water quality all over the great lakes was TERRIBLE. BUT Cleveland got caught holding the bag when its river caught fire

[ShesSoSilly]

I'm not sure why everyone makes fun of Cleveland, Ohio but I do want to point out its not just you. Majority of the states have stereotypes or things people find funny leading to bad jokes. Do you know how many potato jokes I've heard because I was born in Idaho?

Or how many people ask me about Mormons or if I am Mormon just because I live in Utah now? LMAO!

[Ineedadvice1989]

Typically, Utahans are Mormon. That is how Utah originally got its shape, if you didn't know. Idaho, eh? That's cool..can't stand that they always seem to turn red, but oh well

[ShesSoSilly]

Yes I know many are but I find it ridiculous to assume everyone that lives in the state is Mormon or that everyone in Idaho knows about farming potatoes lmao. You cannot generalize such a large group of people whether its a state or race or gender etc. but it is what it is you just have to let people make their jokes/stereotypes and go on with life.

[Ineedadvice1989]

There's a town here in Ohio that was also a very mormon town...yet Ohio doesn't get called the "Mormon" state because it was JUST one city

[shadysworld]

We're famous lol. I've mostly heard several references to Cleveland especially because so many movies have been partly filmed there. But I do agree that the jokes probably have to do with the sports teams.

[Betwyn]

Aren't you the city where the River caught on fire?

[Ineedadvice1989]

Twice

[Betwyn]

And yet, you wonder why?

[TurbulentDan12]

I think its kind of the bullying effect. The city is big enough to be known but at the same time doesn't bring to mind many "great" things about it. Yes I think the sports teams do factor in because that is how many people get to know anything about other cities.

[Ineedadvice1989]

We're a small market team. We don't get players like Howard, Jeter and Rodgers

[TurbulentDan12]

Well the Cavs did have arguably the biggest athlete of them all for a while there so never say never

[Ineedadvice1989]

He left to take less money for a better team. It's also rumored that Delonte West was screwing Lebrons mom and that's why he wanted to leave

[TurbulentDan12]

Believe me I know the story. Doesn't change the fact that you can get players from a small market. Sure it's way harder but not impossible. Wait...how did we start talking about this? I thought this question was about cleveland in general LOL

[Pseudofailure]

Thinking about, there are a lot of places that people make fun of, so it's not unique to Cleveland. Most big cities or states end up with some kind of stereotype joke.

Documentary:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY

[mr90skid]

A little bit of it is because of The Drew Carey Show but I think the majority of it comes from your sports teams. When I think of Cleveland the Browns are the first thing that comes to mind and then I can't help but laugh. Too many people Cleveland is a sports s**thole.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=wGfLFmlU8zo

[DecadenceOfOrpheus]

I recall it from Drew Carey Show. You people from Cleveland are famous globally ;)

[budphillips]

Have you ever left Cleveland? It's a terrible city. That's why we make fun of it.

[ThatBritishLad]

Meh, lots of places get that. If you live in anywhere that's not London you're incestous and inbred in the UK, and if you live in London you're instantly a knife-wielding grease bucket xD

[Patranus]

Move to another city and you will find out why.

[Ineedadvice1989]

Could you be any more of an ass.?

[budphillips]

He's telling the truth.