Cleveland Doesn't Rock, If You Will
The concept of Cleveland sucking is such a cliche (the ironic Drew Carey intro, that episode of 30 Rock, "Hello, Cleveland!", Cleveland actually sucking), that at this point it might seem played out. But this faux commercial from the "Cleveland Tourism Board" is somehow still totally funny:
As a native Floridian, I've earned a lifelong case of geographical schadenfreude, but, like, sorry Cleveland. (Thanks for the tip, Aileen!)
Posted by Lindsay at 12:30 PM in Viral Video
Tags: Cleveland
wow. that was way better than i expected. so the big draw to cleveland is that people still use payphones?
Score = 0
obvs the draw is maybe seeing that guy.
Score = 1
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I like that kind of humor.
Score = 6
Arrow up on this video.
Score = 15
Cleveland might suck, but Akron doesn't. Have you actually ever been to Cleveland? Please post your experiences there that give you the authority to make such a judgement. Thanks!
Score = -18
HAHAAHAHHA
Score = 6
as a Cleveland native I will say this is all true. Very accurate depiction. I would laugh but it's too sad.
Score = 8
I was going to suggest that someone make a Detroit tourism video, but that might be too :( to contemplate.
Score = 16
You know how there's a movie about the Haunting of Connecticut? I think there should be a slew of movies based on seemingly nonthreatening towns. Like The Cleveland Horror, Screams from Buffalo...Salt Lake Reign of Terror.
Score = 16
The Abomination in Springfield? The Skinning of Des Moines? The Carson City Throwing-Up-In-the-Mouth-A-Little-Bit?
Score = 17
i hope THIS GUY or DRIFTER doesn't see this video.
:( for them...
but otherwise - hilarious.
The Midwest IS depressing, but I fuckin love it!
Score = 3
He's the guy who invented Cleveland!
Score = 5
i wanted to be all "HEY YOU ARE ALL JERKS FOR LIKING THIS VIDEO," but then i watched it, and as much as i like cleveland... it's true. sigh.
Score = 2
That was funny, and I hate Cleveland, so it works on two fronts.
Also, I hate Florida. WHERE'S MY FLORIDA VIDEO?!
Score = 2
Jack: "It's so schadenfreude."
Liz: "No it isn't. That's not how you use that word."
Use discretion with German loanwords, please!
Score = 6
Drifters still exist? And Cleveland has a bunch? I think I want to go to Cleveland now.
Score = 5
I grew up in Cleveland and, yes, it sucks. That's why I moved away. but still...
GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAVS ALL THE WAY!
but seriously, no way any city tops Seattle in drifters.
Score = 1
wow a lot of Clevelanders reading videogum - me too!
Cleveland has the distinction of repelling hipsters therefore it is the coolest place in the states.
I live in Portland now which sucks in comparison - but the weather is nicer.
Um, and the Drew Carey intro is actually not ironic.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is there, as the term was coined there. It's a depressed steel town and (rock) music is important to people. Mostly it's classic rock style crap, but there is also a strong punk and house/techno scene.
It's a short drive to NY/Philly/Pittsburgh/Detroit/Chicago. You can rent a nice house for cheap, and people are nice there as well.
Growing up there in the 70's & 80's, I went to quality affordable all ages shows several times a week, at the Phantasy, in the Flats, in basements.
But yeah this video does capture a certain side of it. These shots were all taken within the same area of downtown. Looks like a high school made video though;
I doubt it is really a "Cleveland tourism board" video.
Score = -21
Obviously, that's why Lindsay posted it as "Cleveland Tourism Board" and not Cleveland Tourism Board. I have my doubts about you, though.
Score = 2
I think Cleveland was maybe a bit different in the '70s and '80s. Columbus is more of the place to be now, which is saying A LOT.
Score = 1
You really think the Cleveland Tourism Board produced that & not just some funny local guys? It kinda makes me wanna move to Cleveland. They're so retro.
Score = 1
YEAH CLEVELAND! REPRESENT! WE ARE ALL WITNESSES! PAY PHONES, BABY! WOOO!
Btw, that bit about W. 6th? It's funny because it's true.
Score = -2
Tampa - palm trees = Cleveland
Score = 7
Oh man, they show my favorite hot dog vendor next to the Terminal Tower!
Score = 0
This video was made by a local cleveland comedian Mike Post who has been on local cleveland TV and does a web series called man in the box (nothing to do with alice in chains). i saw him once at a comedy show. fairly funny. Cleveland has a long history coming from its local tv channels. clveland tv personality Ghoulardi, who did the loveboat voiceover, was paul thomas anderson's dad. and dorf came out of a ghoulardi spinoff. crazy cleveland tv.
Score = 1
damn I just had a HUGE discussion yesterday with my friends about how I'm tired of defending ohio, haha.
but what someone said about columbus is true - columbus is the place to be.
I will say though, I live right by youngstown, and a tourism video for that might rival detroit's.
Score = -1
Aw, shee-it. I'm Akron-adjacent and, yeah, Youngstown is the brunt of many of our sad, sad jokes.
Score = -1
Two lulz. First, guy/girl who said s/he "doubted that the Tourism Board made it." Not the sharpest tool in the shed. (Same person said that it's a short drive from Cleveland to NY.) Second, two of you said that Columbus is where it's at. Two of you. Columbus. Columbus Ohio.
Score = 8
compared to the REST OF ohio, yeah, columbus is where it's at.
Score = 4
Columbus is great. It's one of the better midwestern cities and definitely the best city in Ohio. Yes, it's becoming kind of a hipster mecca which is annoying, but aside from that it's got something for everyone, whether you are a city mouse or a country mouse.
Score = 2
Not to hate, but "hipster mecca"? Really? I mean, c'mon.
Score = 5
Driving directions to Cleveland, OH
463 mi – about 7 hours 36 mins
Score = 1
but west 6th is really where you go if you're a douchebag
real talk
Score = 3
Weirdly, Cleveland has a great art museum and a world-class orchestra. Too bad no one cares about that stuff in Cleveland.
The biggest virtue that Columbus has over Cleveland is that there are actually young people there -- b/c of OSU. Walking around Cleveland is like walking around some sort of weird "Children of Men" set.
Score = 7
You know why people still make fun of Cleveland - because we're awesome. If we were truly 100% pathetic, no one would care. Besides all the things mentioned above and Harvey Pekar, I’ll add that Cleveland has spirit – even with our shit economy and shit sports teams, we never stop believing. As they say, “Cleveland: You’ve Got to be Tough”.
Score = -3
lakewood!
Score = 3
i lived there for 22 years, moved away for 6, and now i want to go back. heard they are gonna build a thunderdome...could be sweet.
Score = 1
Chicago > New York
Score = 0
Cleveland ROCKS! I grew up in the "Mistake on the Lake" and spent many summers at Put-In-Bay and lots of nights at Shooters or Fagan's in the flats! Clevelanders are some of the hardest working hardest playing and friendly people I know! Someone will stop to help if your broken down and we LOVE our Rock -N -Roll, beer & football !!!! I live in California now and love it but my values and work ethic come from Cleveland and I love the city and all it's people!!! GO CLEVELAND and oh yeah...Pittsburgh sucks (we love that rivalry too)!!!
Score = 0
Cleveland ROCKS! I grew up in the "Mistake on the Lake" and spent many summers at Put-In-Bay and lots of nights at Shooters or Fagan's in the flats! Clevelanders are some of the hardest working hardest playing and friendly people I know! Someone will stop to help if your broken down and we LOVE our Rock -N -Roll, beer & football !!!! I live in California now and love it but my values and work ethic come from Cleveland and I love the city and all it's people!!! GO CLEVELAND and oh yeah...Pittsburgh sucks (we love that rivalry too)!!!
Score = -1
Ohio = White Africa
Score = 1
Lots of Ohioans on here...have any even mentioned Cincinnati? Ew.
Poor Clevelanders, they are a proud people. I live in Dayton and Cleveland is a cultural mecca compared to this hellhole. I visit my friends in Cleveland once every couple of months and there is always something for us to do up there, so it isn't that bad. It's no Dayton.
Score = 0
Where are the potholes????
Score = 0
I was raised in Cleveland when it was one of the 10 largest cities in the country, with booming industry that had dangerously polluted Lake Erie. Its downtown was usually deserted and no one with two nickels to knock together lived in the city. On the other hand, it had many beautiful suburbs with good schools and the ethic of very little public transportation since you could own a car, thus keeping out the riffraff. Well, since then, industry, as this "faux commercial" notes, has fled, as it has most of the country and Cleveland must re-invent itself. Perhaps this time, it will be for the better. Despite the harsh winters, its location is geographically excellent in terms of commerce, the land is fertile (or at least was) and opportunity to get it right this time might be tantalizing to some. Go for it!
Score = 0