Top Ten Americans

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 7:24 am

This is hilarious. The BBC website have been running a poll for the greatest American (united studlian) ever, as part of a BBC-led global debate on the USA's place in the world. This has resulted in a shortlist of ten which they are asking for further votes on. The shortlist is (in alphabetical order):

Bill Clinton
Bob Dylan
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
Martin Luther King
Abraham Lincoln
Franklin D Roosevelt
Homer Simpson
Mr T
George Washington

Here is a link to the page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/wtwta/2959462.stm

and a link to the site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/wtwta/default.stm

I'm voting for Homer, but then I'm irreverent, and to try and beat off the challenge from Mr T!

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 10:38 am

Mr T? Bloody hell.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 10:52 am

I pity the fool who thinks that!

Besides, he's stooped to doing telephone commercials in the states! You've usually sunk a couple of levels when that happens.

Don't we have anyone else in this country to represent us any better?

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:05 am

I'd have to say the only choices here I completely agree with are Martin Luther King and Bob Dylan.

There are too many politicians on that list.

And where are America's great writers? William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, Edgar Allan Poe, J.D. Salinger.

And the film world has given us great American such as Woody Allen, Joel & Ethan Coen, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Copolla, Brian DePalma, Orson Welles, and Stanley Kubrick.

Sure, Dylan is the obvious choice, but what about George Gershwin?

And I love The Simpsons, but why does Homer make the cut?

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:45 am

Homer's winning. And he got my vote.

Mr. T? Bill Clinton? Really, just what did 'that man' accomplish? Do BBC readers have nothing else to do? Honestly, I've always thought y'all were much better educated than us, but this is making me wonder.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:55 am

... and George Washington? Surely he's a terrorist!

...

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 1:30 pm

I'm voting for Blair, closely followed by Thatcher.

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:43 pm

i don´t know about the top ten americans but i can think of the NUMBER ONE AMERICAN TODAY and that is............MICHAEL MOORE!!!!!

stormwarning · Post by **stormwarning** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 11:51 pm

I'm voting for Spiderman, Buffy and Columbo.

SweetPear · Post by **SweetPear** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 1:43 am

Right on Storm, (Hey, that's my surname)

Columbo's the man!!

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 4:31 am

Isn't Peter Falk (Columbo) a murderer??? or was that Robert Blake???

In that case, I'll cast my vote for O.J. Simpson!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 5:00 am

Top Ten Belgians.

1 ummmmmmmmmm

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 6:08 am

Jean Claude Van Damme!!!!

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 8:15 am

so lacklustre wrote:Top Ten Belgians.

1 ummmmmmmmmm

Dude, René Magritte.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 8:19 am

Belgians?

Hercule Poirot - do fictional characters count ?

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 9:25 am

The guy who invented Hoegaarden

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:37 am

Can't-remember-his-first-name Celis. I know my beer (sort of)!

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:36 am

of course fictional characters count.

e.g., Homer Simpson.

me, i vote for Buffy. she's so much better than all those damned GUYS. kicks ass and is cute too. totally american.

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:23 pm

greatest american? mel torme'.

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 3:03 pm

Buffy... ugh

cosmos · Post by **cosmos** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 3:41 pm

here's some more:

Aaron Copland
Frank Zappa
John Coltrane
Miles Davis

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 10:23 pm

Top Ten Born Americans:

Ben Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
Edgar Allen Poe
Abraham Lincoln
Geronimo
Thomas Edison
Henry Ford
T.S. Elliot
William Faulkner
Frank Zappa

...hmmmm...nobody recent...

Let's face it, since WWII, greatness has pretty much been muted out.

The Greys have it now, and someday The History Channel will give us proof.

It's just that, right now, we're too weak and coddled to handle it.
Look closely at every Republican you see. It's in there...

They hate humans more than I do. They want to eat the planet.

God is in the retail...

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 10:46 am

BlueChair wrote:Buffy... ugh

it's part of what makes her such a great american, for a BBC-generated list. she's easily hated. "insert wicked grin here"

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 9:37 pm

Ralph Waldo Emerson or Frank Lloyd Wright might figure.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 7:41 am

Mel Blanc.

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Top Ten Americans

Top Ten Americans

the number 1 american today

Who are the brain police?