"The difference between Los Angeles and yogurt is that yogurt comes with less fruit"

Rush Limbaugh’s remark, "The difference between Los Angeles and yogurt is that yogurt comes with less fruit", employs humor and wordplay to convey a pointed critique of the city of Los Angeles and, by extension, its culture or demographics. The comparison rests on a double meaning for the word "fruit". On a literal level, yogurt is often sold accompanied by fruit, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, mixed in. Limbaugh pokes fun at this seemingly mundane fact. However, the humor intensifies with the awareness that "fruit" is also a longstanding slang term used to refer to gay people, often in a derogatory or dismissive manner.

In the context of Limbaugh's history as a conservative commentator, the remark takes on a sharper edge. Los Angeles, as a major cultural, entertainment, and population hub, is often portrayed in certain circles as embodying liberal values, progressive lifestyles, and substantial LGBTQ+ communities. Limbaugh's quip plays into stereotypes about urban centers, especially cities like Los Angeles, being associated with ‘alternative’ or non-traditional sexual orientations and behaviors.

At the core, Limbaugh’s comment leverages an offhand punchline to encapsulate a bouquet of criticisms: that Los Angeles is overwhelmingly liberal, that it supports or is home to a significant number of LGBTQ+ people, and perhaps that such traits are, in his view, excessive or undesirable. The joke also hints at a broader East versus West Coast, or heartland versus coastal, divide, using the suggestive humor to entertain his audience while reinforcing insider-outsider dynamics.

Beyond its direct targets, the statement functions as social commentary, succinctly blending comedy and criticism, reflecting broader cultural tensions in the United States regarding urban diversity, sexual orientation, and regional identity. Whether one finds it amusing or offensive, its brevity and provocation are central to its rhetorical power.