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Seventies TV and Jeffrey Dahmer
What Milwaukee means in Milan
By Christy Brownfield
I have become accustomed to saying I live in Chicago which is by Canada, home to Al Capone, Jeffrey Dahmer and “Happy Days.”
I often wonder the extent of our great Milwaukee’s reach, and since being in Milan, I have become more in tune with how famous (or not) our wonderful little town is. The first hurtle when meeting people is having them recognize the name Milwaukee. If I feel they have actually heard the name, and are not merely smiling as if in recognition, it is usually accompanied by a thumbs-up and an “aaay,” as in the Fonz.
Yes, it’s true—Milwaukee has an international recognition due in part to Fonzie and “Happy Days.” I have never really been affected by the fact that Happy Days supposedly took place in Milwaukee, but since traveling to Italy, I have been constantly reminded of that fact.
In case you were wondering, however, if the Fonz is our only claim to fame, don’t worry. Milwaukee is famous for several other things, depending on who you talk to. I connected with one of my now friends on the subject of the Packers nearly making it to the Super Bowl, and had a lively conversation with another guy about the complete awesomeness of the Bucks.
While I am no sports fan, and know very little about either football or basketball, the mere fact these people were aware of my hometown teams was enough to make me pretend I was each team’s biggest supporter.
The average Italian who not associate Milwaukee with “Happy Days” is eager to point out that we are the home of “il monstro!,” or, the monster, meaning Jeffrey Dahmer. While this may be an embarrassment to most people in Milwaukee, to be connected to one of the most disgusting serial killers in U.S. history, again for me, it is comforting to know that my hometown is a place people have heard of.
On the other hand, if people have not heard of Milwaukee, I usually receive a confused nod. At this point I just say that I am from Chicago, which usually elicits a much more positive response. “Oh! Il gangster!” the Italians will cry, meaning Al Capone.
Although Chicago is usually a pretty recognizable city, it is surprising how few American cities Italians are actually aware of. According to Italians, there are just two main cities in the US: New York and Miami. (although this is a gross over-generalization, it is a common enough occurrence to warrant a comment in this article).
When I meet someone who is unaware that the US extends more west than Florida or New York, I typically explain that I live near Canada. This explanation explains both the weather and the northern location of Milwaukee.
Overall, I am typically amused by the responses Italians have to Milwaukee. I have become accustomed to saying I live in Chicago which is by Canada, home to Al Capone, Jeffrey Dahmer and “Happy Days.” Every once in a while I’ll get a shout out to “That ‘70s Show.”
I’m certainly proud of my nice little town by the lake, and each time someone knows where Milwaukee is located and offers me more than a blank nod I get a little tickle in my stomach.
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