New York City is sometimes called the “Big Bad Apple,” a combination of “Big Apple” and “bad apple” (as in “every barrel has a few bad apples”).
 
Early “Big Bad Apple” citations were similar to “Big Bad Wolf” of fairy tales. “Bad” sometimes meant “good,” as in the Michael Jackson album Bad (1987). “The big, bad apple” was printed in the Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, WV) on August 25, 1974. “That bastion of sophistication—the Big Bad Apple—New York” was printed in the Tampa (FL) Times on May 15, 1975.
   
In 2020, along with the “defund the police” movement, “Big Bad Apple” often meant a big “bad apple.” “the big bad apple #BigApple #NYPD” was posted on Twitter by r. daneel on November 10, 2019. “New York use to be dubbed The Big Apple. Nowadays it is known as THE BIG BAD APPLE due to Cuomo, Delazio & AOC” was posted on Twitter by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 14, 2020. “Not in New York. It’s called the Big Apple for a reason! Now it the Big Bad Apple! The police are so corrupt, you have to say it twice! Big Bad Apple; Big Bas Apple!!!” was posted on Twitter by darren b on July 29, 2020.
     
   
Newspapers.com
25 August 1974, Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, WV), “Speaking of Books,” pg. 26M, col. 1:
The big, bad apple
(Review of Street Games by Rosellen Brown.—ed.)
 
Newspapers.com
15 May 1975, Tampa (FL) Times, “An innocent abroad hears some media ‘biggies’ talk” by Kathleen Shea, pg. 13-A, col. 1:
How fares a young woman, sequestered in the South much of her life, who travels alone and apprehensive to that bastion of sophistication—the Big Bad Apple—New York?
   
Newspapers.com
3 October 1975, The Evening Sun (Baltimore, MD), pg. C9, col. 1:
All Municipals Spoiled
Big Bad Apple In The Barrel
By J. A. Livingston
 
Newspapers.com
7 October 1982, The Journal Herald (Dayton, OH), “Off the Beat” by D. L. Stewart, pg. 13, col. 1:
Summer in the city: It’s the Big, Bad Apple
 
Google Groups: talk.politics.guns
Does Glock know?   
Lawrence Degala
10/15/97
(...)
I used to live in the Big Bad Apple… 
 
Google Groups: alt.comics.fan-fiction
[Beast] The Ballad of Trish and Henry [R] 1/3
Menshevik
12/24/00
(...)   
Then it’s over for tonight, Trish and Hank have left the building. The way things are in the Big Bad Apple, it takes a while until we find a place to deposit Scott’s car, and when we do, it is a few blocks away from our Tribeca apartment.
   
Google Groups: soc.retirement
Sanitizing New York for the Republicans
Rita
7/26/04
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 11:53:27 -0400, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Cameron Smithes)
wrote:
>
>Gee, you’ve given very specific directions to the Big Apple red light
>districts.
>
>SOMEHOW, YOU FORGOT TO GIVE DIRECTIONS TO THE VD CLINICS.
 
Oh there’s one on every street corner.  The Big Bad Apple takes care of its own.
     
IMDb
Adventure to Fitness (2011– )
Big Bad Apple
30min | Animation, Short, Adventure | Episode aired 24 September 2012
Welcome adventurers! Today we travel to the land of skyscrapers, busy streets, and millions of people ... New York City. But this famous “city that never sleeps” has suddenly fallen silent and come to a mysterious standstill! ... Your mission is help Mr. Marc wake up New York City and get this important metropolis back on its feet! Be swift, be safe, and be adventurers!
—Jackson
   
YouTube
Tourist Tips on Surviving, THE BIG BAD APPLE… As in NYC!!
Aug 4, 2015
Sydney Bell TV
IM BACKKKKKK
Hello Fellow Subscribers! I am so happy to be back! I just got home from college stuff NYC and noticed a lot of tourists, who were badgering me questions! So I decided to make a video on how to Survive THE BIG, BAD, APPLE… As in NYC;) So like, subscribe and comment below, and I hope you enjoy!
 
Twitter 
BIG BAD NEW YORK FUCKING CITY!!! THE BIG BAD APPLE!!!! WE’RE PLAYING THE GRAMERCY THEATER ON NOVEMBER 21ST W/ BOSTON MANOR, MICROWAVE, AND SELFISH THINGS! LAST TIME WE WERE IN NEW YORK IS WAS FUCKING LIT!!! ARE YOU GOING OR WHAT???
BUY A FUCKING TICKET:
Heart Attack Man
official.heartattackman.com
7:26 PM · Oct 23, 2019·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
r. daneel
@gyzkard
the big bad apple #BigApple #NYPD
Quote Tweet
Eric Umansky
@ericuman
· Nov 9, 2019
1/ On Halloween, my family saw NYPD converge on a group of black teenagers in Brooklyn. My wife and our 6-year-old daughter saw an unmarked NYPD car going against traffic *hit one of the boys.*
I asked the police about it.
They say it didn’t happen.
Show this thread
7:07 AM · Nov 10, 2019·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Kim Powers
@KimPowersABC
The Big Bad Apple. NYC!
Quote Tweet
Brilliant Books
@Brilliant_Books
· Feb 14
Roll Call! Raise you hand if you’re a follower of ours who doesn’t live in the Traverse City area. Where are you following from?
10:57 AM · Feb 14, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Parker Denton
@ParkerDenton
It ain’t a few bad apples it’s one BIG BAD APPLE! Defund the NYPD!
9:05 AM · Jun 6, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter     
@𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕛𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕠 and 4 others
@gaijintendo
Replying to @NYGovCuomo
NEW YORK: THE BI̶G̶ ᴮᴬᴰ APPLE
2:49 PM · Jun 6, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
SHELLBSmiling face with smiling eyes⭐⭐⭐
@sharonlb21
Replying to @NYCMayor
NY… THE BIG BAD APPLE
LAWLESS AND DEMOCRAT RUN
JUST LIKE MINNEAPOLIS AND SAN FRANCISCO
SHAME ON YOU DEMOCRATS Angry face
5:53 AM · Jun 8, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Brandon Arnette
@BrandonArnette
Replying to @AOC
Exact reason why NYC is falling apart. The big BAD apple
8:05 AM · Jul 1, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter   
White Whale
@Kefka999
The big bad Apple!
Quote Tweet
NYC Scanner
@NYScanner
· Jul 5
TRIPLE SHOOTING IN THE BRONX: 306 East 171 Street. #NYPD requesting a Level 1 Mobilization Response. Two victims likely to die.
8:24 PM · Jul 5, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
@Sjbrooks03
New York use to be dubbed The Big Apple. Nowadays it is known as THE BIG BAD APPLE due to Cuomo, Delazio & AOC.
9:22 PM · Jul 14, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
darren b
@b4people
Replying to @soledadobrien
Not in New York. It’s called the Big Apple for a reason! Now it the Big Bad Apple! The police are so corrupt, you have to say it twice! Big Bad Apple; Big Bas Apple!!!
3:04 AM · Jul 29, 2020·Twitter for iPhone