life imitating questionable art

Orange County supervisors try to piggyback on the success of a certain like-named soap, suggest John Wayne Airport be re-dubbed "The O.C.". Other recommendations include adding highway signs that welcome people to the "O.C." (no "bitch" though) and, oh, completely making a mockery of a populous region by legislating that they redesign themselves to match a fabulous but faddish show about shallow people.

Some choice quotes from the policy wonks:

"They've got a hockey team named after a fictional hockey team in a movie. In a way, maybe this is consistent — the idea that you take something that's fictional and model real life after it."

"It is a truly great publicity vehicle. The message that they're sending may not be of concern to us. What is of interest is that Orange County is portrayed as a cool, hip place and a place with pretty people."

From Josh Schwartz:

"It was always our goal to rename the county. And the airport seems like a perfectly good place to start."

And from the voices of reason:

"The TV show is named after us."

"Lame-o"

Comments

[damore]

good oc buzz. i likey alot.

[robot mark]

I live in Orange County. It's nothing like the television show, which is actually filmed in Malibu. The coastal cities, like Newport Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente are kinda like the show, what with beautiful barefoot girls and shaggy-haired boys with pucca shell necklaces. But most of the county is just suburban strip malls, big box stores and tract housing, just like anywhere else in America. The only difference is that we don't have seasons.

As far as the airport is concerned, I don't think anyone really gives a flip that it's called John Wayne. And it's actually a convenient place to fly out of. I say go for it.