"I'm probably one of the four or five best known Americans in the world." - Rudy Giuliani

Is he right? Who do you think are the 5 best known Americans in the world?

In no particular order, I think the top 3 are

Bill Clinton
Hillary Clinton
george w. bush

with dick cheney in 4th. But I am having a difficult time picking the 5th one. Maybe Giuliani is right.

Does he mean just in the political arena? Surely there are several singers and actors more widely known than even Bill or Dubya.

George W Bush
Tiger Woods
Homer Simpson
Madonna
Muhammad Ali

Can't think of any others who are truly famous here in Britain.The film stars seem pretty much interchangeable so none stands out as uniquely well known. Homer Simpson may be less known than GWB. However he is regarded here as more typically American. He was voted 'best American' in some British poll once.

Who is Rudi Giuliani? Is he a baseball player ?

I have no list, but Tiger Woods should top any list imaginable.IMHO.

I can't imagine that Woods is known that well in Asia. I thought of Ali, but he (and I ) may be a bit old. Certainly at one time and for a long time, Ali was close to being the best known American.

quote:

I can't imagine that Woods is known that well in Asia.

He's well-known, if not particularly liked, in Thailand. He has Chinese ancestry, too. Golf is big in Korea and, of course, Japan.

Giuliani may be right in thinking he's the most recognised, internationally, of the Republican presidential contenders, because of 9/11, and his "broken windows theory" anti-crime measures.

Michael Jackson is pretty well-known for one reason and another.

That leaves a couple of billion. Japan and Korea are but small parts of Asia.

How about Neil Armstrong? Although my students tend to confuse him with Louis.

What American would be well-known to the billions in China? Bill Gates? Nixon?

I think we'd have to limit this to politicians because Pam Anderson and David Hasselhoff are far more popular than Rudy.

quote:

Originally posted by newnickname:

Giuliani may be right in thinking he's the most recognised, internationally, of the Republican presidential contenders, because of 9/11, and his "broken windows theory" anti-crime measures.

Look, he's the only Republican candidate that anyone here is aware of or has ever heard of, and that barely He has just been in London. He came to be photographed with Lady Thatcher . Apparently this improves his credentials with the Right (association with Reagan/Thatcher times ).He did pose with Gordon Brown too and , surprisingly, with Tony Blair (that's like being identified with the current President ! Even Gordon Brown doesn't pose with Tony Blair )

The Democrats have twice as many who would be recognised here in Britain. Clinton, because of the name and history and because we are interested that you might pick someone who is not male, and Obama because he has a certain charisma lacking in politicians in general ( the media here like him for that) and because we are interested that you might pick someone who is not white.

quote:

Originally posted by newnickname:

What American would be well-known to the billions in China? Bill Gates? Nixon?

Neither of those, at a guess. Can't think that many people in Europe have heard of Bill Gates though they know Windows. Nixon is long gone from memory.It's quite likely that the mass of Chinese are more familiar with the names and faces of Ronaldinho and, perhaps, Beckham (not so much, now he 'plays' in the USA ) than they are with the President of the USA's

There may be an American who'll be more famous in China momentarily. The USA women's soccer team is competing there in the World Cup. The team plays England on Saturday, in the quarter finals, and is favourite to win the tournament.If one of them takes a star role, who knows?

The Chinese, in common with the rest of the world, are mad keen on football soccer.This women's tournament plays to packed stadia. The locals take sides at games and noisily cheer their own favoured team for each match. All big European league and cup games and some South American games get world coverage so the names and faces of the stars are known from the poorest to the most affluent homes worldwide .(Star South American talent ends up in Europe. Ronaldinho, a Brazilian, plays in Spain)

By the way, the USA's women's team has a better coach, judged from the strategy and tactics employed, than the men's national team. (Some of the players are better too )

I believe that Michael Jordan is the best known American. In all the places I've been, it is always amazing how many people love Michael Jordan even now.

Others:
Lance Armstrong
Billy Jean King
OJ Simpson
Tiger Woods
Michael Jackson
Martin Luther King Jr.
JFK

and of course Tony Blair

I think GWB has Giulliani and Clinton beat just based on the amount of hatred people have for him. Hatred is more memorable than admiration.

Of course I'm thinking of best known in a sense of facial recognition as well recognition of fame.

Rudy Giuliani is dead wrong.

Best known:

Elvis Presley
Martin Luther King
Michael Jackson
Bill Clinton
OJ Simpson

quote:

Originally posted by Elexina:
I think we'd have to limit this to politicians because Pam Anderson and David Hasselhoff are far more popular than Rudy.

Elexina, unfortunately although Pamela Anderson took American citizenship, we are still obliged to call her one of our own:

Canadian, Pamela Anderson, became a U.S. citizen on Wednesday, May 12, 2004- according to her attorney Barbara Federman.

She apparently did "fabulous" on a 10-question citizenship test (typical queries include "difficult" ones such as "What are the colors of the flag? and "What is the White House?") and an interview with immigration officials. She was then sworn in at a private ceremony in Los Angeles.

The well-endowed actress' "why switch citizenship", she said "I felt it was important to become a U.S. citizen in order to vote in the United States."

Pamela, 36, was not be required to renounce her Canadian citizenship as part of the deal. "I have no intention of giving up my citizenship in Canada and am very proud to be a Canadian."
Moono


Thank goodness for Pam (and for Canada) that those citizenship questions weren't too tough. Now we can all pretend she is originally from the US.
( Hmmm..part of her is originally from the US anyway, I guess.)

As someone that spends time on both sides of the Atlantic, I'd have to agree with Honi; Elvis, even 30 years after his death, is still your most famous celebrity.
I realise this may be tough to swallow, but Oprah, Jerry Springer, and Judge Judy are better known outside the US than Giuliani.

I really don't think Elvis should be counted, being dead at the present time. () Heck, maybe Michael Jackson shouldn't be counted. Parts of him have been dead for years.


Dance girl, I think you are being Euro-centric. I seriously doubt that many Asians know Springer or Judge Judy. I also think Jordan wasn't as well known globally as Ali, but both their times have passed. Oprah is, at least, known in Africa, or at least in parts of Africa.

And I think that Anderson should be counted as an American. The most famous parts of her were made here.

According to the same source, in March of this year Anderson and another woman are being sued for beating up some paparazzi and throwing the snoops' laptops off a balcony!

There should be more of that sort of thing, not less! Maybe some lawyer will represent the women pro bono. Or pro boner. (...giggle...)

Actually I think the most recognized American worldwide is Ronald McDonald

I go with Tony Blair as a famous American too . Nobody here in Britain remembers him now.He must have emigrated across the Atlantic. He hasn't collected his Congressional Gold Medal yet.It was awarded to him in May 2003.Has he gone to collect it and picked up citizenship at the same time?

The Labour Party Conference is on at present.Obviously none of the delegates recall his name.One trade unionist delegate talked about 'that man...what was his name' just now (Some of us in Britain think we remember a bloke called Blair being leader of the Labour Party but that may be just a mistake).

Dancegirl is right: Elvis lives, everywhere. Otherwise, Americans can be multi millionaires or billionaires through sports and shows in America yet be practically unknown here and elsewhere. Who was that woman who got jailed for insider dealing? She is famous in America but only got headlines here when she was jailed. Nobody in our media managed to explain clearly just why she was rich (I still don't understand ) And, naturally, a baseball, American football, ice hockey or basketball star is unlikely to be known where their games are not played ( i.e nearly everywhere ! Cricket, anyone?)

Martha Stewart - she is a kind of domestic advisor. She is certainly only famous in the US and definitely not well liked by many. I bet there is an equivilent person in UK - tells woman how to cook, make a pretty table setting, how to make goofy little artsy craftsy things and how to decorate the home. She has a home fabrics line that includes bedding and draperies, etc...

She's made a lot of money by having "taste" or what many think passes for it.

So the interesting story of it was that some people adore her and others, like me, really can't stand to listen to her speak.

I definitely can't imagine that anyone outside the US would care about her.