The funniest city in America

Between Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

Full disclosure, I am a transplanted mid-westerner and I went to school in Chicago, so I am a bit partial to Chicago. Also, I was transplanted to the mid-west from northern California, and being from Norcal I despise L.A. (sort of like the Scots despise Englandshire).

I have never been to New York.

Obviously, which city is the funniest is subjective. LA has the advantage being the home of Hollywood and some of the best comedy clubs in America as well as being the destination for aspiring performers from around the world, but I will state my case for Chicago.

Chicago is not known for great stand-up, but it is known for great improv. In fact the comedy that New York is arguably best known for, Saturday Night Live, has made a living poaching talent from the Second City: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alumni_of_the_Second_City . Also, Northwestern University (the place where people who couldn't get accepted into the University of Chicago end up) has a reputation for producing great comedy. David Schwimmer, Stephen Colbert, Zach Braff, Jane Curtin, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ana Gasteyer, Shelley Long, Gary Marshall, Tony Randall et al.

Also John Hughes set so many of his movies in the Chicago metropolitan area. Ferris Beuller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation were all set in Chicago metro and almost all the rest of his movies featured Chicago or the mid-west in some way.

Other notable 'Chicago' comedy films that I can remember liking:
The Blues Brothers
Some Like it Hot
Adventures in Babysitting
High Fidelity
Home Alone
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Wayne's World
most Vince Vaughn films
Am I missing any good ones?

I know that I am fighting a losing battle with Los Angeles being home to Hollywood and the Laugh Factory. There are a lot of great LA comedies, The Big Lebowski and Swingers come to mind as featuring L.A. well.

I think what makes Chicago such a great place for comedy and films in general is its Midwestern setting and its very recognizable skyline. Mid-western winters instill a sharp wit in people who are strong enough to survive when Mother Nature is trying to kill you. People also seem more real in the Midwest, whereas in NY and especially in LA people seem much more shallow.

So, what say you? Which city is America's funniest?

Schenectady. It just sounds funny. Honorable mention to Yeehaw Junction, Florida. Might as well throw Intercourse, Pennsylvania, in there too.

Quote: DaButt @ March 6 2010, 3:44 PM GMT

Schenectady.

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Quote: DaButt @ March 6 2010, 3:44 PM GMT

Might as well throw Intercourse, Pennsylvania, in there too.

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Been there. Its not as funny as you might think

Quote: deckard @ March 6 2010, 3:47 PM GMT

Been there. Its not as funny as you might think

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Same here. Yeehaw Junction, too.

Quote: DaButt @ March 6 2010, 3:44 PM GMT

Schenectady. It just sounds funny. Honorable mention to Yeehaw Junction, Florida. Might as well throw Intercourse, Pennsylvania, in there too.

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Schenectady may sound funny, but man is it a bit depressing to drive through.

Pennsylvania has some great city names, outside of Intercourse you have Blue Ball and King of Prussia. I think Walla Walla, Washington takes the cake though.

As to the OP's question... I gotta go with New York. Setting for Coming to America, Seinfeld, 30 Rock, the Conan O'Brien show that wasn't canceled, The Daily Show and Colbert Report, The Muppets Take Manhattan, think that's enough said!

Chicago would be second and Los Angeles would be third.

Quote: MTpromises @ March 7 2010, 9:45 PM GMT

Schenectady may sound funny, but man is it a bit depressing to drive through.

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You want depressing to drive though, try Nevada. There is plenty of great country in Nevada, but I5 goes through the absolute worst part of it. Reno at the western end (could probably rival Schenectady in its depressingness) and in the east is West Wendover, which is where the self-hating Mormons go to gamble. Nothing in between but the 'armpit of America' Battle Mountain.

Quote: deckard @ March 8 2010, 12:06 AM GMT

You want depressing to drive though, try Nevada.

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I love every square inch of Nevada, but maybe that's because I was born there. The desert is probably my favourite environment. I think I could be one of those weirdos who lives in a decrepit mobile home on 5 acres of desert and be perfectly content.

Quote: DaButt @ March 8 2010, 12:10 AM GMT

I love every square inch of Nevada, but maybe that's because I was born there. The desert is probably my favourite environment. I think I could be one of those weirdos who lives in a decrepit mobile home on 5 acres of desert and be perfectly content.

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C'mon, Battle Mountain?

I agree that Nevada is America's hidden gem precisely because the only parts most Americans know of it are Vegas, Reno and the I5 corridor. Jackpot in Northern Nevada is an amazing town, but the only people who know of it are the locals and the truck drivers who use route 93 as a shortcut between 94 and 5.
Central Nevada along Highway 6 is very nice. I haven't spent much time there, but there are some great mountain ranges that are not know by most outdoorsmen.

As for the Desert, it is one of the features I miss most about the West. I love the Mojave, especially the area around Joshua Trees. I have done a lot of climbing there.

But the I5 corridor is horrible no matter what you think about deserts. The people of Battle Mountain nicknamed their town 'the armpit of America' themselves!

Where were you born, if you don't mind me asking?

Quote: deckard @ March 8 2010, 12:30 AM GMT

Where were you born, if you don't mind me asking?

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Las Vegas, back when the population was something like 60,000. My parents worked at the nuclear weapons test site.

The Mojave is my favourite part of the country. I was just there last weekend.

Like the one in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?!

Quote: deckard @ March 8 2010, 1:04 AM GMT

Like the one in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?!

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Yep. My father worked there as a soldier from 1956-8 and a civilian from 1962-6. He was present at about 50 above-ground nuclear blasts in Nevada and the Pacific.

Very cool.