Milwaukee's Greatest Cultural Export

[Benny B]

Sure, the "good land" is no New York City, Paris or Tokyo... but Milwaukee has contributed greatly to American and world culture in its own right.

It's not just goods and services... we're talking about contributions to our way of life: the arts, behaviors, values, communication, knowledge, religion, paradigms, processes, education, etc.

While unequivocally a catalyst for all things cultural, beer itself is not a cultural export of Milwaukee (as it was not invented here, it was merely revolutionized).  But even if it were, it would clearly be #1.  Think of it this way... there's nothing intellectual about a discussion on who's most influenced MU basketball throughout history; the real debate is who is #2.

So in thinking about who/what from Milwaukee has had the greatest cultural impact on society, I came up with the following.  What else is missing from the list?  (Kato Kaelin was deliberately left off the list)

People:
Gene Wilder
Spencer Tracy
Liberace
Les Paul
Golda Meir
Bud Selig
Billy Mitchell

Inventions & Innovations:
The Mechanical Typewriter & QWERTY Keyboard
Harley-Davidson
The outboard motor
The commercial airliner
Milwaukee Electric Tool (e.g. one-handed drill, right-angle drill, and reciprocating saw)
The steel automobile frame
Carmex
The modern padlock (laminated steel)

[GGGG]

Sure, the "good land" is no New York City, Paris or Tokyo... but Milwaukee has contributed greatly to American and world culture in its own right.

It's not just goods and services... we're talking about contributions to our way of life: the arts, behaviors, values, communication, knowledge, religion, paradigms, processes, education, etc.

While unequivocally a catalyst for all things cultural, beer itself is not a cultural export of Milwaukee (as it was not invented here, it was merely revolutionized).  But even if it were, it would clearly be #1.  Think of it this way... there's nothing intellectual about a discussion on who's most influenced MU basketball throughout history; the real debate is who is #2.

So in thinking about who/what from Milwaukee has had the greatest cultural impact on society, I came up with the following.  What else is missing from the list?  (Kato Kaelin was deliberately left off the list)

People:
Gene Wilder
Spencer Tracy
Liberace
Les Paul
Golda Meir
Bud Selig
Billy Mitchell

Al Jarreau
Les Paul
Steve Miller

[GooooMarquette]

What exactly are the criteria?  Not all people on your list were born in Milwaukee.

[keefe]

The Friday Fish Fry (F3) as cultural artifact

[MerrittsMustache]

Oprah

[keefe]

Candy Raisins

[GooooMarquette]

Milorganite.

[Benny B]

What exactly are the criteria?  Not all people on your list were born in Milwaukee.

Sorry... I must have deleted that when I was proofreading.  Criteria is people who were raised in the Milwaukee-area, i.e. those who predominantly lived in Milwaukee during their influential years and then went on to have an impact on national/international culture and society.

So someone like Golda Meir who was born in Kiev but lived in Milwaukee from the age of 7 until she was almost 20 is eligible; however, someone like Jeffrey Dahmer who was born in Stallis but moved to Ohio at the age of 6 and didn't return to the area until 21 is not.

Steve Miller would not qualify; Al Jarreau certainly would.

Oprah's an interesting one... she lived in Milwaukee off and on from the age of 6 until her mid teens.  However, it seems she was more influenced by her father who lived in Nashville than her mother in Milwaukee.

Milorganite is a great one... can't believe I forgot about that considering I just poured three bags on my lawn last month.

Sure it's popular and has strong traditions, but can Milwaukee really stake claim to the Friday Fish Fry?

[GooooMarquette]

Sorry... I must have deleted that when I was proofreading.  Criteria is people who were raised in the Milwaukee-area, i.e. those who predominantly lived in Milwaukee during their influential years and then went on to have an impact on national/international culture and society.

So someone like Golda Meir who was born in Kiev but lived in Milwaukee from the age of 7 until she was almost 20 is eligible; however, someone like Jeffrey Dahmer who was born in Stallis but moved to Ohio at the age of 6 and didn't return to the area until 21 is not.

Makes sense.  I raised the question because I knew Meir wasn't from Milwaukee, but you are right that her upbringing in Milwaukee was a pretty substantial part of who she was.

[keefe]

Sure it's popular and has strong traditions, but can Milwaukee really stake claim to the Friday Fish Fry?

Can one actually pronounce 'Milwaukee' without a Flashingly Fulgent Film of Friday Fish Fry (F⁵) grease lubricating one's vocal cords?

I think not.

[real chili 83]

Ahem.....

Maybe not an export, but....

[keefe]

So someone like Golda Meir who was born in Kiev but lived in Milwaukee from the age of 7 until she was almost 20 is eligible;

I think we invoke the 0-38 rule when noting that Golda Meir was graduated from what is now UWM.

[GooooMarquette]

Ahem.....

Maybe not an export, but....

I see what you did there.

[GooooMarquette]

Just realized Bob Uecker isn't on the list.

[GGGG]

Sure it's popular and has strong traditions, but can Milwaukee really stake claim to the Friday Fish Fry?

No probably not.  It's more of a Wisconsin thing along with the Brandy Old Fashioned. 

[keefe]

Gemütlichkeit

[Chili]

Well since you have Les Paul who is from Waukesha I would assume this means Milwaukee area.

So then you have Malted Milk for Malts & such (Racine)
Also, Holler House is the oldest bowling alley in the US.

[Spotcheck Billy]

the 1st automobile made in the US by Gottlieb Schoemer in 1889
Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros.
Woody Herman
Jerry Harrison
Bob Kames
Daryl Stuermer
James Lovell
Gena Rowlands
Spencer Tracy
Tom 'Billyjack' Laughlin
Alfred Lunt
Brooks Stevens
Peter Bonerz (come on you dentists!)
Father Groppi
Pat O'Brien
William Rehnquist
Tom Snyder
John Matuszak
Downtown Freddie Brown
Dan Hansen
the Hamm Bros.

[PBRme]

Randy Sprecher

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

No probably not.  It's more of a Wisconsin thing along with the Brandy Old Fashioned. 

So maybe Milwaukee is also an incubator for cultural trends that have died long ago....

Friday Fish Fry
Brandy Old Fashioned
Mustaches (despite the recent resurgence everywhere else this has been going strong for 50 years)
Cut Off Jean shorts

[GGGG]

There is no reason why either fish fries or brandy old fashioneds should have died off years ago.

[Benny B]

Well since you have Les Paul who is from Waukesha I would assume this means Milwaukee area.

So then you have Malted Milk for Malts & such (Racine)
Also, Holler House is the oldest bowling alley in the US.

Good point... so either malted milk is in or Les Paul is out.

the 1st automobile made in the US by Gottlieb Schoemer in 1889
Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros.
Woody Herman
Jerry Harrison
Bob Kames
Daryl Stuermer
James Lovell
Gena Rowlands
Spencer Tracy
Tom 'Billyjack' Laughlin
Alfred Lunt
Brooks Stevens
Peter Bonerz (come on you dentists!)
Father Groppi
Pat O'Brien
William Rehnquist
Tom Snyder
John Matuszak
Downtown Freddie Brown
Dan Hansen
the Hamm Bros.

Keep in mind... it isn't a "famous people/things" from Milwaukee list, it's a list of those people/things that have impacted our culture.  Some of these names were considered, but I had to whittle it down.  William Rehnquist, however, is definitely one I overlooked.

Incidentally, I did give strong consideration to the Jim and the Zuckers, but then I looked at my list and realized the fallacy of putting them there.

[Eldon]

Dude.  The Fonz.

Fictional or not, he is a cultural icon

[GGGG]

Good point... so either malted milk is in or Les Paul is out.

Keep in mind... it isn't a "famous people/things" from Milwaukee list, it's a list of those people/things that have impacted our culture.  Some of these names were considered, but I had to whittle it down.  William Rehnquist, however, is definitely one I overlooked.

Incidentally, I did give strong consideration to the Jim and the Zuckers, but then I looked at my list and realized the fallacy of putting them there.

The Travel Wisconsin commercials that the Zuckers have foisted upon the public should prevent them from every stepping foot in Wisconsin again.

I was going to include Rhenquist, but I'm not sure how much "cultural impact" he has had.

[Sir Lawrence]

As Michael Kenyon listed, Brooks Stevens should be on your list.  Many of his designs live on today (including the wiener mobile).