City of Tucson officials are seeing red over a modern streetcar parody Facebook page, “Ride the CLITT,” which has exploded since its creation over the weekend, tallying up over 1800 “likes.” The fake page will more than likely surpass the popularity of the official Tucson Modern Streetcar Facebook page by Monday afternoon. Before the source of the page was identified, a flurry of finger-pointing made the rounds in the usual downtown political circles, adding yet another layer of tension to what is already a sensitive issue for the city as it ramps up to the official streetcar launch celebration on July 25th.
Ride the CLITT and its sexually charged acronym C.L.I.T.T. (Community Link Integrated Transit of Tucson) has many Facebook users wondering if the parody site is an official, awkwardly titled Sun Link-sponsored page or an Onion-like parody. To further add to the confusion, official Sun Link press release posts are mixed with Ride the CLITT’s own photoshopped maps and promotions, all of which are dripping with innuendos and double entendres.
The page is actually the mastermind of longtime local art activist and Food Truck Roundup creator David Aguirre. In a statement sent to the Tucson Weekly, Aguirre explained his motivation: “Ride the C.L.I.T.T. has a $100 budget for advertising on Facebook. With that, I’ve been able to bring Tucson’s modern street car into greater awareness with the public. The public loves it’s modern street car now, more than it did before Ride The CLITT showed itself. I hope the page will inspire others to get out there and make stuff up informing us who we are as a community.” Aguirre also cited Seattle’s similar “Ride The S.L.U.T” web prank as inspiration.
According to the TucsonSentinel.com, many at City Hall and some associated with the Regional Transportation Authority are not pleased, so far as even considering possible legal action. One city worker familiar with Aguirre’s activities, but did not wish to be identified, told the Tucson Weekly, “I’ve heard about it, but I haven’t paid much attention. Most of us are too busy making sure the launch is a success to worry about things like this.” One former colleague had less kind words, accusing Aguirre of preying on Tucson artists as a “slumlord” while “pretending to be a champion of the arts” for years.
Aguirre is no stranger to controversy in Tucson’s art community, from his ties to the Steinfeld Warehouse or Citizens Warehouse and BICAS, and like most local artists, has experienced friction when dealing with the city. As is the case with any polarized scene in our tight-knit community, emotions run high and loyalties often lead to exchanges like this back and forth, from the pre-online comment, snail-mail era of the Weekly, when a week’s time between replies allowed such priceless quips as “Sounds like the pot calling the kettle noir.”
A person who only wanted to be identified as a “former arts organization board member” had this to say to the Tucson Weekly regarding Aguirre’s Ride the CLITT project:
It’s sad that just when Tucson is marking an advancement that will help it move forward, that some people who have been profiting from Tucson’s dysfunction are trying to undermine our progress. The author of this prank has long been pretending to be a champion of the arts but has, over many years, preyed upon Tucson artists as a slumlord, through the many master leases he’s had in the warehouse arts district. He’s taken control of multiple arts organizations and bled them of their resources for personal gain. Enough. I believe he fears that Tucson might be getting its act together, which would hurt his tried and true method of exploiting the local artist community.
In response, Aguirre told the Weekly, “That statement is so far out there, I wouldn’t know where to begin to address it. I’m a long time advocate of the arts and innovation who’s not afraid to put myself out there to get something done that is good for the community. Ride the CLITT is an example of that. There are far more people that are glad for it, but there are a handful who bring something else to the moment. I’m with those who are glad that someone is stepping forward and doing something positive, and fun and creative.”
Aguirre’s other current projects include the aforementioned Food Truck Roundup, the mobile art gallery Planet Rabbit and Dinnerware Artspace, where he serves as Executive Director for what is now Dinnerware’s 9th incarnation.
Prior to Aguirre’s admission of his involvement in the streetcar parody, speculation over the identity of the prankster ran rampant through Tucson’s political social circles, with rumors flying and pointing fingers opening old wounds. Stay tuned for the inevitable public statement from Sun Link, the city, RTA—whoever wants to touch this sticky situation.
David Aguirre’s complete statement regarding Ride the CLITT:
On Facebook, “Ride the CLITT” reminds us that we needn’t take ourselves too seriously. C.L.I.T.T. stands for: Community Link Integrated Transit of Tucson. The Facebook page was created on July 11th, 2014.
Tucson’s Sun Link modern streetcar is changing our community. With that change comes some public anxiety.
There is plenty of information on Sun Link in pamphlets and online, but it’s like having to take your vitamins: No taste, and not much fun swallowing it all. Why not a cultural, humorous, home grown approach to becoming more comfortable with the changes that Sun Link will bring?
In Seattle, there is something called “Ride The S.L.U.T” (ridetheslut.com), which is a humorous embrace of Seattle’s changing culture, happening in part, because of their modern streetcar.
Ride The CLITT is about becoming more comfortable with the changes associated with Sun Link, which, has been going through testing for months. It’s a mysterious beast with the computer bark. Until the public can ride it on July 25th, it’s an empty robot passing through.
Ride The CLITT on Facebook: It’s about adjusting to new things. It gets your attention from a different angle, and makes it fun and participatory, plus the concept is run by common people just doing their thing. Someone from the community puts energy into it, and everyone sees that, and appreciates that someone out there is doing something fun that they can participate in. It’s an improvisational event unfolding on the Facebook page.
In Tucson, we have Tucson Eat Yourself, which has another, more formal name, too. It’s creating a local lingo, and makes things more fun, and is not a slap on the event itself. In fact, just the opposite. Soon, locals will refer to Sun Link as “The Clitt”, and they’ll be proud of it, and they’ll have to explain to visitors why they call it that, and they’ll laugh.
In recent months, I’ve been asking myself: As a community, who are we? Who, and what, do we want to be? We are quirky in Tucson. We’re independent. We’re tolerant and we’re thoughtful. We’e thinkers and partiers. We’re musicians and artists and writers. So, let’s create things that say that to the world.
To me modern streetcar isn’t really about transportation. It’s an identity adjustment opportunity.
I’m using humor to reveal truths. I want people to be able to see something from an unexpected angle.What’s the future of Ride The CLITT?
I still need to reveal the backstories of selected drivers and future riders, the streetcar fairies. And then, there’s CLITT: The Movie still in pre-production, but getting close to casting. The story of the streetcar that didn’t make the cut. Where is it now? Coming soon: Hi Fi on a train. And of course, Clitt Food Truck will be joining the Tucson Food Truck Roundup serving some very interesting tacos. Tshirts are in production and will be available for sale on July 18th.
Ride the C.L.I.T.T. has a $100 budget for advertising on Facebook. With that, I’ve been able to bring Tucson’s modern street car into greater awareness with the public. The public loves it’s modern street car now, more than it did before Ride The CLITT showed itself.
I hope the page will inspire others to get out there and make stuff up informing us who we are as a community.
David Aguirre
Creator of Ride The CLITT.
This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2014.
Good on David. He’s such a funny person. I’m happy to hear that this was his doing.
As for threats of legal action: Go fuck yourselves, sue-happy Tucson officials.
Legal action? Get real. This is the best publicity the city didn’t pay for! Good grief.
City officials are considering legal action? Someone needs to have that operation to have the stick removed.
I believe the “humor” and innuendo Mr. Aguirre is trying to create on his Facebook is very dysfunctional and degrading.
“Ride the SLUT” was funny in part because the actual name is so close; to unwittingly call it the “South Lake Union Trolley” instead of “South Lake Union Streetcar” is an honest and hilarious mistake. Like a bad Seth MacFarlane bit, “CLITT” is just made up for the sake of being shocking, and not even remotely clever. The best thing anybody bothered by this can do is ignore it. It will go away.
CLITT sounds better than Tucson’s stupid “Modern Day Street Car” which sounds like the Beverly Hillbilly’s calling their pool a “Cement pond”. Get with it Tucson your a long way from anything Modern Day.
That statement by the “former arts organization board member” is supremely ironic. Profit(eer)ing from Tucson’s dysfunction is exactly what the streetcar represents.
it’s awesome.. it’s funny and it gets a bunch more attention to the streetcar aka CLITT which is how i refer to it now
“speculation over the identity of the prankster ran rampant through Tucson’s political social circles, with rumors flying and pointing fingers opening old wounds. “
I want to know more about this
Over 2000 likes thanks to Tucson Weekly and Tucson Sentinel.
I am now in my 44th year as a 12 year old, but even I didn’t find it very funny.
Now that is funny!
i would say that Mr. Aguirre is a cunning lingualist.
Tucson’s pathetic attempt to join the rest of the state which is flourishing, by flushing millions upon millions of tax payer dollars on this folly trolley is just another example of the incompetent city leadership who seem hell bent on bankrupting our once beautiful city. They should be thanking Mr. Aguirre for generating at least a smidgen of interest in this money pit they call a street car. The mini train at Tucson Mall will have more paying riders than the CLITT lol.
1. The streetcar is great. 2. David is hilarious. 3. You haters are boring, uninformed and dumb. 4. Thank god for the First Amendment.
The streetcar project cost as much as approximately four hundred buses. Just let that sink in.
The parody speaks for itself.
The “former colleague” that takes anonymous potshots at Aguirre apparently cannot speak for themselves but must hide in the shadows.
It’s a cheapshot, Dan Gibson and James Hudson, to publish an anonymous statement that intends to defame someone. Chickenshits all of you!
Sorry gotta go catch the CLiTT.
Way to go David!
The C.L.I.T.T. is too limited in its scope. Streetcars, trolleys, call them what you will. But if the trolley is running slowly from start to finish, maybe The C.L.I.T.T. can be called, The C.L.I.T.T. Tortoise. Jus’ sayin’.
A new slogan!! “RIDE The C.L.I.T.T. TORTOISE! Slow and Steady wins You the race to Your destination”. No?
Laugh or rant on this, what is NOT funny is how much the Trolley Folley will deplete the city’s general fund to pay for operation and maintenance of this unsustainable boondoggle. Calling it a CLITT gives it too much of a positive spin!
Hey Fraser, the word is Linguist. No such thing as a LINGUALIST. And the joke is an old one.
would be funnier if david wasn’t personally profiting from it or promoting his own events with it
Yes, it’s a boondoggle. No, it does get passengers anywhere they could not already go by bus. But it’s here so we might as well get some laughs out of it, otherwise it’s just here anyway. Ditto SonoranWinds above, “Ride the C.L.I.T.T.” has generated more awareness of and positive sentiment for the electric bus than RTA, COT, and SunTran have all done over the past year combined, just accept the gift and say “thank you” like yer mums taught you.
Ah yes, the Streetcar to Nowhere!
How about sweeping out a bus once in awhile or cleaning the seats?
Are there Vegas odds on how long it will take before they start cutting back on the schedule due to low ridership? Or how long the city will pour money into it to save face?
This is no small thing, and in fact it could even grow larger.
I love that the SunTran folks plan to run BUSES behind the Folleycars, to handle expected overflow riders.
Yeah, that’s why I voted NO in 2006. We did not “need” another trolley, and we well COULD have purchased AND run additional buses, had there been any demand for this route.
In the meantime, back onto the #1 bus. It goes a lot farther, and faster, than the Folleycar ever will.
Danny Gallardo:
Do you just wait around to correct spellings. And yes it’s an old one. I think you just don’t like me for my political views. I am going to enjoy this…….for a long time.
Dear city officials: shut up, it’s funny.
Shouldn’t you be more concerned with issues that actually effect the city significantly? The fact that a comedy page on facebook is even something they find worth getting up in arms about shows you how out of touch with reality and how inattentive of actual issues they are. Why is a joke page on facebook even a blip on city officials’ radar?
In Seattle, “Ride the SLUT” wasn’t a parody originally. The original name was the South Lake Union Trolley. Only after the “Ride the SLUT” T-shirts appeared did the City of Seattle modify its name slightly to South Lake Union Streetcar.
A desire named a streetcar?
Aguirre’s concept of “humor” is sophomoric.
This is sattire… one of the oldest forms of humor. A lawsuit about this will be a flop and a frivolous waste of taxpayer money… Although it sounds like it’s been a project full of financial waste. To get up in arms about this only brings more attention. I’m from the Seattle area and wouldn’t have ever seen this if it hadn’t become such a big deal in a short amount of time.
I was born and raised in Tucson. My best friends father is the one who brought the trolly back. It was a good way for 4th Ave. to make money and get the college students to the bar district. Less DUI’s and actually fun to ride after last call.
I find this highly humorous and it sure set my funny bone off.
I doubt the city has any legal standing. As I understand it, the parody is protected as a form of “Fair Use” under copyright law. The First Amendment also protects parody because it’s a type of free speech. In my opinion, the city would be hard pressed to make a successful case out of the mockery. Besides, any publicity is good publicity for a parody, even a juvenile one. Lame Disclosure: I am not a lawyer. I could probably play one on TV.
Not a lot of thought was put into the name. I am sure there is a lot of offended people.
The waste of Tucson taxpayer’s money on this silly streetcar is entirely more problematic. How about an investigation of that?