Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Dec. 18., 2011, Reno Gazette-Journal.

Once, it’s been said (by Auric Goldfinger, in Ian Fleming’s “Goldfinger”), is happenstance.

Twice is coincidence.

And three times is enemy action.

Having been the target of jokes in “Glee,” “The Muppets” and “Saturday Night Live” (let’s not even waste time on “Reno 911”), Reno residents should admit that there’s some enemy action going on.

At the very least, someone is trying to tell us something … and we should be listening.

The essence of comedy writing is stereotype and exaggeration.

Stereotype saves the writer a lot of time and effort. “The Muppets” didn’t have to go to a lot of trouble to explain that Fozzie Bear was down and out as the movie began. All the writers needed to do was put him in a tribute band in a dive casino in Reno. The viewers got the message.

That’s the stereotype.

Those of us who live here also know that it’s exaggeration. No one took Seth Meyers literally, after all, when he announced on “SNL” last week: “According to a new list, the least happiest city in America is St. Petersburg, Florida. But that’s only because Reno, Ne-vah-da, finally killed itself.” Everyone understands that it’s an exaggeration based on a commonly held stereotype.

Fair enough. Let no one say that we in rundown Reno don’t have a sense of humor.

Read the whole story