"Fightin’ Words" from WHOOPEE

Is Franklin boring? According to “WHOOPEE” – the self-appellation of an oldies station in the Berkshires officially known as WUPE -- Franklin is not only boring, it is the fifth most boring city in the whole state.

In a ranking that was as unscientific as it was snarky, an anonymous writer skewered the top 10 most boring cities. Franklin was sandwiched between Number 4, Braintree, “the home to two presidents (John Adams and John Quincy Adams) and two people who signed the Declaration of Independence (John Adams and John Hancock). However, reading the Declaration of Independence over and over repeatedly is probably more exciting than anything happening in Braintree,” and Number 6, Methuen. That Essex County City, was apparently deemed less boring than Franklin, because “it once legally changed its name to 'The City Known as the Town of Methuen.' [Hmmm, sounds familiar!] ‘That actually seems kind of cool, like it could be the title of a book or something. They get points for that.’

And, speaking of books, our own little burgh was acknowledged as `home to the nation's first public library!’ The author said, “That leads me to believe there's a book somewhere there about how boring of a city Franklin is.”

Ouch. No mention of cultural districts, the theater scene, book store, art gallery, sports, or restaurants and shopping?

Incidentally, WHOOPEE named Leominster, which “takes the cake as the most boring city in the Bay State,” as Number 1.

It turns out WUPE is based in Pittsfield (dare we say, sounds like the pits?)...