Here’s a fast way to make an L.A. local instantly dislike you
Say one of these things.
No, we don’t all surf. No, we don’t all eat kale with a side of Botox. And yes, we’ve heard every single Hollywood joke you can think of — twice.
Whether you just moved here, you’re visiting, or you're trying not to get roasted at a party in Silver Lake, here’s what not to say to someone from L.A. (unless you want to get hit with the death stare over your overpriced iced matcha).
**1. “So, do you see celebrities all the time?”
This is the equivalent of asking someone from Chicago if they live inside a pizza. It’s lazy.
Sure, people spot celebs here — but that doesn’t mean we’re starstruck 24/7. Most locals will casually mention,
“Oh yeah, I saw Zendaya at Erewhon once… she was just buying oat milk,”
and then move on with their day.
Acting amazed makes it obvious you’re not from around here. We’re used to famous people doing boring stuff. You don’t stop traffic over it.
2. “Ugh, I could never live here. The traffic is insane.”
We know. Believe us — we know. We sit in it, scream in it, text our exes in it, and still somehow manage to be 20 minutes late to everything.
But if the first thing you bring up is the traffic, you sound like a tourist with no imagination.
Also… you chose to drive down Sunset Blvd at 5pm. That’s on you, babe.
3. “It’s so fake here.”
Big yikes.
Yes, some people are fake. Some are plastic. Some are both. But L.A. is full of artists, immigrants, students, single moms, hustlers, and creatives just trying to pay rent and breathe under palm trees.
So when someone says “L.A. is fake,” they’re often just parroting what they saw in a Netflix teen drama. The city’s way more layered than that.
Ask a struggling actor working two jobs if their life feels fake. I’ll wait.
4. “OMG I love In-N-Out. I had it every day I was here.”
In-N-Out is sacred. But every day? Now you’re just offending your own taste buds.
Also, locals don’t hype it up like it’s heaven on a bun. We respect it. We grab it on the way home from a shoot. We know when to order it Animal Style and when to skip the line and go to Tommy’s instead.
But if you bring it up like it’s some religious experience… we’ll just smile and nod.
5. “The weather is always perfect here, huh?”
It was.
Then came the heat waves, the “atmospheric rivers,” the wildfire smog, the freak hailstorms in the Valley…
In early 2023, people in L.A. posted videos of snow in Malibu. Yes, actual snow. That’s not “perfect.” That’s confusing.
So yeah, it’s nice 80% of the time. But don’t jinx it.
6. “Do you even have seasons?”
Yes — they're just not the kind you’re used to.
Here in L.A. we have:
Pilot Season (when everyone’s auditioning like their rent depends on it — because it does)
Awards Season (good luck booking a table in West Hollywood)
Fire Season (no jokes here — it's real and dangerous)
Coachella Season (self-explanatory. Hide your Instagram.)
7. “Isn’t it all just Hollywood?”
Hollywood is… weird. It’s where hopefuls go to make it, tourists go to cry, and locals go to avoid eye contact.
But L.A. is so much more than Hollywood.
There’s:
Koreatown (some of the best food in the city)
Highland Park (where hipsters go to thrive)
South L.A. (rich in culture and community)
The Valley (don’t sleep on it — Studio City has secrets)
Reducing L.A. to “Hollywood” is like calling New York just Wall Street.
8. “I bet everyone’s super chill and laid-back.”
HA. You’ve clearly never watched someone lose their mind trying to parallel park near Abbot Kinney on a Sunday.
Yes, there’s beach energy. Yes, some folks are vibing.
But there’s also:
Type-A screenwriters panic-emailing at 2am
Makeup artists up at 4am
Tech bros pitching apps mid-spin class
L.A. has its chill days… but this city runs on ambition and caffeine — not zen.
Real-Life Example
Back in 2022, a TikTok went viral where a guy moved to L.A. and kept asking locals why they were “so fake.” One barista clapped back with:
“We’re not fake. We’re just tired of pretending to be polite to people who show up talking trash about our city.”
It got over 3M views — and yeah, she became an L.A. icon overnight.
So, What Should You Say Instead?
Try asking:
“What’s your favorite spot most people don’t know about?”
“How long have you been here?”
“What keeps you in L.A.?”
Ask with curiosity — not judgment — and you’ll get way more than a surface-level convo.
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