I laughed out loud at this. When I lived in NYC/Jersey City, I found it funny that New Yorkers would avoid Times Square with as much zeal as tourists would gravitate to it. I never hated it--I enjoyed watching the zaniness unfold around me. If you find yourself in Times Square, seek out The Rum House for a nice drink or Jimmy's Corner for a dive bar with a great jukebox. (Not everything in Times Square must be avoided like the plague.)
@augieray gonna make a note of that, cos while I do love to be a real tourist sometimes, I really like to get a feel of a place by going where locals do..