February 14, 2010
It’s not because Herb Caen got hot under the collar about it.
And yeah, I know it was practically the official name of the City in the decades following the Gold Rush — a moniker beloved by locals and visitors alike.
In fact, here’s Exhibit A on the pro-Frisco side, a song sung by thousands of ’49ers to the tune of Oh Susanna:
“I soon shall be in Frisco and there I’ll look around,
And when I find the gold lumps there I’ll pick them off the ground.
Oh, California, that’s the life for me … “
Fine.
I don’t care. I’m not going there.
My own aversion to the undignified moniker of “Frisco” comes straight from the regal lips of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico.
In 1872, the good Emperor issued the following edict:
“Whoever after due and proper warning shall be heard to utter the abominable word “Frisco”, which has no linguistic or other warrant, shall be deemed guilty of a High Misdemeanor, and shall pay into the Imperial Treasury as penalty the sum of twenty-five dollars.”
As far as I’m concerned, thus endeth the discussion.
But not in Hollywood! In fact, this little rant was inspired by Paul Potocky’s post over at SF Bay Timeless (or whatever the heck it’s called): Hollywood calls us Frisco!, a very entertaining list of the films which have helped to perpetuate the irritating misnomer.
By my calculations, Hollywood owes about eleventy bazillion dollars to Norton’s Imperial Treasury.
Pay up!
14 responses to ““Frisco”? I think not.”
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March 2, 2010 at 4:31 pm[…] issue recently came up on Sparkletack, the excellent blog of the San Francisco history podcast, which links to a nice post on Frisco […]
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February 14, 2010 at 4:21 pm
That quote is solid gold! LOVE IT! And where can I get on the list for the eleventy bazillion dollar payout?
February 14, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Truth is, your highness Queen Kelly, I’m having a bit of trouble locating Hollywood’s bookkeeper. That said, YOU OWN THAT LIST. :)
February 14, 2010 at 7:18 pm
“Frisco” isn’t so bad, really –– matter of fact, we’re embracing it: it’s 2010 and the history of city’s motorcycle, street racing and general car culture has been all about the Frisco for years. Now, if you wanna get in a discussion about East Coasters (especially New Yorkers) calling the city “San Fran” in that especially nasal cavity-reverbrating way that makes me a little embarrassed to hail from the region (now that I call this city home), that’s something to get drinks over…
February 14, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Hey Stoner – funny you should mention the “San Fran” thing. I had a line in the post about that ridiculous (and frankly ridiculing) nickname, but then deleted it. I TOTALLY agree, except that it sounds even worse to me with flat mid-western vowels in each word. Argh.
February 15, 2010 at 7:26 am
Yeah, in my daily business dealings, I run across that “San Fran” mess in conversations and I immediately know where the other person is calling from. Sounds absolutely horrible and hurts the ears, really. Another one that I’ve heard coming from the East Bay hip hop culture: the “Yay Area…”
Wha….?
February 18, 2010 at 10:14 am
Frisco is a suburb of Dallas. Really! The apparent civic anchor is Pizza Hut Park. Put Frisco, TX in google maps and you’ll even get photos.
February 19, 2010 at 12:45 pm
“Frisco” irritates me but I don’t really know why. It just sounds tacky. “San Fran” is almost as bad. Maybe I should lighten up a little!
February 20, 2010 at 2:56 am
Ye I know what you guys,and girls, are on about. My name is William,when I was a kid my friends used to knock on my door and ask if Willie was coming out to play,my mother would reply there is no Willie here,but there is a William staying at this address. Oh yes that’s mums for you.
February 20, 2010 at 3:03 am
Are we ever to hear Richard’s dulcet tones again?.Perhaps he has lost his voice and is not letting on!. Still keeping up to speed all the way from Bonnie Scotland. Lang may yer lumm Reek.(may you always have coal to put on your fire).
March 2, 2010 at 10:08 am
This distinction is really hard to enforce, but maybe the main thing is that “Frisco” should not be uttered by out-of-towners. As even Herb Caen noted, “The toughest guys on the old S.F. waterfront, neither rubes nor tourists, called it Frisco, and no effete journalist would have tried to correct them.” (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/10/14/DD67721.DTL&type=travelbayarea)
And if you grew up in the SFC hearing 11-5, Andre Nickatina, RBL Posse and other San Francisco rappers, you know that Frisco has been considered a pretty cool nickname by native youth from the 4-1-Fever since at least the early 90s. (For example, Google “Frisco Andre Nickatina,” but careful as the lyrics are pretty offensive.)
That doesn’t mean that it sounds right uttered by a newscaster from New York — thus my suggestion that only San Franciscans should be using it.
But far more egregious, as noted above, is “San Fran.” It sounds horrible and is an instant giveaway that one is not from the ‘Sco.
It’ll all probably change in a generation or so, though — after all, as your blog documents, San Francisco is all about change. Thanks for the great work.
August 2, 2010 at 3:52 am
Doesn’t everyone just know that it’s “The City.” There is no other. Los Angeles is sprawl, but we are in a city.
August 2, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Well done that man. this Sparkle tack seems to have lost its sparkle,, . It is non . Love from Scotland
August 6, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Ya’ll dumb. Frisco born and raised 26 years 3rd generation yay area we out here fog city bitches fuck a tourist and fuck your life.
Eamon, you had the time, patience, and intelligence to say what I couldn’t. Thank you.
“This distinction is really hard to enforce, but maybe the main thing is that “Frisco” should not be uttered by out-of-towners. As even Herb Caen noted, “The toughest guys on the old S.F. waterfront, neither rubes nor tourists, called it Frisco, and no effete journalist would have tried to correct them.” (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/10/14/DD67721.DTL&type=travelbayarea)
And if you grew up in the SFC hearing 11-5, Andre Nickatina, RBL Posse and other San Francisco rappers, you know that Frisco has been considered a pretty cool nickname by native youth from the 4-1-Fever since at least the early 90s. (For example, Google “Frisco Andre Nickatina,” but careful as the lyrics are pretty offensive.)
That doesn’t mean that it sounds right uttered by a newscaster from New York — thus my suggestion that only San Franciscans should be using it.
But far more egregious, as noted above, is “San Fran.” It sounds horrible and is an instant giveaway that one is not from the ‘Sco.
It’ll all probably change in a generation or so, though — after all, as your blog documents, San Francisco is all about change. Thanks for the great work.”