A question about Tucson

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I've just watched an episode of Family Guy in which Peter became too intellectual after going on a trip to New York and San Francisco.
Lois therefore sent him to a trip to Tucson, Arizona, in order to bring back the old Peter as she thinks it's the dumbest city in the country.

Do you Americans really hold such an opinion of that city?
If so, is that opinion really justified?
If not, where does that reputation stem from?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I’ve seen that episode haha. I’m not sure why they would’ve picked Tucson. I always figured the dumbest city in the US would be like Ft. Lauderdale, Waco, or Madison

Madison, Wisconsin?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I’ve seen that episode haha. I’m not sure why they would’ve picked Tucson. I always figured the dumbest city in the US would be like Ft. Lauderdale, Waco, or Madison

Madison, Wisconsin?

Yeah I went there once and the people are nuts

I thought that city were a sanctuary for upscale left-wing intellectuals?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I've been to Tucson, and some of those trips were for academic conferences. There seemed to be the typical cultural activities I would expect for a university city of that size. I've also never heard anyone reference Tucson that way.

That's what I thought, too.
There is another Family Guy clip about Tucson, whose characterization of that city seems to be more accurate.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I think the writer of that was from Phoenix. There's a regional rivalry.

Ah, okay, I got it.
I thought the assumption of Tucson being the dumbest city of the US was actually scientifically sound. 😏