Yuk-Yuk

There was a time not long ago when you could say “Philadelphia” and people would laugh. With its blue laws and blue-bloods, Philadelphia was the standard for boring, as in: “First prize is a week in Philadelphia. Second prize is two weeks in Philadelphia.”

But, like so many cities, Philadelphia has undergone an urban renaissance. It’s no fun to make fun of Philadelphia anymore. In fact, the nation is running out of laughingstock localities. Brooklyn used to be fun to make fun of, but it lost much of its kick-me charm when the Dodgers left for Los Angeles.

New Jersey and Cleveland were sure-fire laughers. Imagine New Jersey calling itself the Garden State. Yuk-yuk. But Jerseyites have gone modern and cultural, and claim to have overcome their reputation for the mundane and tattered.

Cleveland has come a long way since the days of municipal bankruptcy and having a river so polluted that it once, reputedly, caught on fire. Clevelanders recently attracted the nation’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and are building an impressive convention business. Besides, they now counterattack whenever someone tries to puncture their civic pride. It isn’t so much fun making fun of a city if it is going to fight back without tongue in cheek. Scratch Cleveland.

Fresno made headlines by ranking last in the Places Rated Almanac of desirable metropolitan areas, but has since given way to Yuba City and demonstrated class in reacting to the television miniseries poking fun at the raisin capital. Yuba City is too small to be a national joke. President Reagan tried valiantly to make Washington the national laughingstock, but there’s nothing very humorous going on in Washington these days.

Perhaps a volunteer is needed to replace Cleveland as the nation’s funny bone. Or there could be a contest. First prize could be a week in the winning city. Second prize would be . . . well, you know.