The Local Icons That Reveal Portland's True Character

Tomorrow is a notable convergence of Portland’s most iconic moments: Nov. 12 is both Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding’s birthday and also Exploding Whale Day — the anniversary of when state officials tried to use dynamite to dispose of a dead whale, with disastrous results.

To celebrate, the City Cast Portland podcast asked local comedians for their favorite icons and iconic moments in the city’s history. Here’s an excerpt of what they shared:

Alleyways

“My Portland icon is the many alleyways of Portland. The real Portland lurks in the alleys. You can find paintings that people just hang up on their fences for some reason. A little native plant garden with hand-painted signs. And — this is most important — a 100% chance you will see some chickens.” — Raz Mostaghimi

• Related: Why locals hang out in the alleys in Foster-Powell. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Ursula K. Le Guin

“ Ursula was born in California, but she spent most of her life in Portland, Oregon. If you've never read any of her work and you're listening to this, you live in Portland; you probably like books. Grab yourself a copy of ‘Left Hand of Darkness.’” — Ryan King

• Related: Check out a new exhibit on Le Guin. [Street Roots]

The Release of ‘Fight Club’

“Portland's most iconic moment happened on August 17, 1996, when a little-known Portland author named Chuck Palahniuk released his novel ‘Fight Club.’ That novel, based partially in Portland's anti-consumerism and DIY scene, went on to revolutionize dorm room posters for over a decade, and had the distinction of making every guy that read it awesome and smart.” — Craig McCarthy

😆 Upcoming event: Sketchgiving, a comedy show produced by podcast guest Jay Flewelling, opens Friday and features all three of these comedians.