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Americans have long been exporting their pop culture to the world. With TV shows and movies being among the most consumed global American exports, it's no surprise that US actors and directors are recognized all around the globe. However, for all of us non-Americans out there, sometimes the silver screens get us all dazed and confused. Do American people really drink from those red plastic cups at parties? Do they really wear shoes inside their houses? Is homecoming really such a big thing as movies make it out to be?

But we're gonna need a true expert's opinion on the matter—our Bored Panda readers living in the US! So scroll down below to read all the questions that people had about the things they saw on TV and feel free to share your answers!

#1

221Lauren Report

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Felix Feline
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Living in a college town I can attest that yes they do. It's all anyone talks about, and the traffic jams are awful. High school football here is just as bad.

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#2

euricawithhope Report

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Andres Tejeda
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its the easiest reference for us and a football field is 100yards or 300 feet or 91.44 meters.

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#3

PaigeImogenxx Report

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Kristin Scarbrough
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We say goodbye, or something like it. It's an idiosyncrasy of script writing, not Americans.

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Ericka s
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Retail worker here. No you guys do NOT say goodbye or anything like it. I can count on one hand the number of times someone has said goodbye at the end of a call in the last 15 years I've done the job.

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Sean Harrison
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do Foreigners really believe everything they see in movies and TV?

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Bender Bending Rodríguez
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do USAians really believe what they see in 'HOLLYWOOD' movies and TV about the rest of the world? Answer to your and my question is the same.

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elfin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I imagine it's to save time since it would not add to the story. In real life we say goodbye.

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Philler Space
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's based on an old screenwriting technique that cuts anything that doesn't advance the plot. Polite goodbyes kill movie momentum, especially when said phone call has just relayed important information to push the plot forward.

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BreGerEu
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly. It is the same with dialogues in books. They are reduced to just the necessary stuff.

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glowworm2
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always say goodbye on the phone--although with my boyfriend--we'll always say "Bye for now."

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Hedy Hahn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That’s TV stuff. I watch Acorn and Britbox and the UK people don’t say goodbye either. Is that rude there too?

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Rick
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah this is like one of those cliches when a down-on-their-luck person in a TV show or film rings up a bank because they need a loan or something and then they slightly get a bit desperate and beg and suddenly they’re like “Hello? HELLO?” And the phone call has been cut because they’ve been hung up on. Does. Not. Happen. Unless someone is being very threatening or swearing a lot, you can not just hang up the phone on a customer because you feel like it and they pleaded with you for a couple of seconds. Yet it’s routinely recreated in tv shows and films throughout the years lol

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Karen Gavaletz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, that is a movie thing or a rude habit of your strange Aunt.

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Daria B
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's because in films phone calls are usually made from suspicious people who will drive the character who received the call into stunts filled actions.

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Laura Maeflower
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This annoys me so much! It's a film thing used to save time mainly, but I notice it every freaking time.

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Drive Bee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's considered rude here, too. I don't know why they do it in movies.

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Peter Showers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most people do you say goodbye in conversation. I’ve noticed that too but I never said anything about it out loud.

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Randy Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats just poor script writing. We all say hi, hello, cya, goodbye, love ya.

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This has always bothered me. It actually takes me out of the moment because I'm thinking, 'How did they know the other person was done with the conversation?'

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Pug Pug
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like to ask people if this sounds like a phone hanging up? then just hang up - 8 heads in a duffel bag

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LaDonna Hulcy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a total guy thing...it also shows you that we do not value woman.

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Bev Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that’s just a movie thing. I’ve only ever heard people be polite and sayngoodby e, or at least take care. And “love you” if applicable.

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Tim Scott
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have never experienced this and also hate to see it in movies.

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Andrea Anthony
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we do say goodbye and that weird quick of movies/TV makes me crazy

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Ty Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s just TV/Movies. Every second of screen time is important. Anything that doesn’t move the story is cut out. Notice guns don’t recoil. Not possible if shooting real bullets instead of blanks. Newton’s third law. Also lead doesn’t create sparks.

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Shart
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Screenwriting is different than normal conversations

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Siena Valenta
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ummmm...That's called a movie. If you were actually having a normal conversation with one of your friends that had nothing to do with superpowers and creepy people who are coming after you, yeah, of course you would say goodbye.

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Mal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This bugs the hell outta me in tv shows. And no one closes doors. AND their coffee cups are empty.

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Perfumista Perfumista
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For the same reason people don't nail time meet places or times, it takes up valuble screen time with nothing that adds to the program.

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Aelised
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of my conversations end in a feedback loop of 'Yup, bye' between myself and the person I'm speaking to.

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deanna woods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whenever I get off the phone I say goodbye and so does the other person.

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CORRINE STANLEY
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i mean, i say bye. sometimes people just say, "I have to go!" and then hang up

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Bored Silly
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

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Leslie O
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know anyone who hangs up without saying goodbye. I've never noticed that in movies-- unless the character is supposed to be an a-hole!

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#6

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Erin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my relatives from Ireland come to visit, they love to play with the garbage disposal. Even the people in their 60's think it is hilarious. They refer to it as "the murder sink".

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#7

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#9

disposablefilms Report

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Erin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in school, it was hard boiled eggs. Now they have high-tech baby dolls called Baby Think About it. It is a Life Skills class that teaches you how to be an adult.

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#12

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Kristy P
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The "funeral" is usually in a church and then a burial service graveside.

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#14

RiverrunStately Report

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Catlady6000
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is especially true in small towns. The largest parking lot in town is the local teen hangout

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#15

sam_pIant Report

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Hedy Hahn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, Homecoming is really big here in the US. Celebrating at high school and university.

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#18

KatieBelsey Report

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Keith Nolen
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because Americans have been sold the lie (mostly by Nestle, thank you!) that bottled water is better than tap water in some way. In truth most of the bottled water IS tap water.

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#22

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Hedy Hahn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We do call them Kleenex all the time probably because that brand is what we used.

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#24

ThandekaMsane Report

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Dynein
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that is to avoid accidental advertising? I'd think that in most (industrialized) countries, the typical bags offered by stores have the store logo all over them...

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#25

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ROSSELAIRA EUGENIE CRUZ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess it depends. My family and friends only do photoshoots for weddings, 18th birthdays (girls), 21st birthdays (boys), or someone's first birthday.

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#26

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Erin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Chicken and waffles is a religious experience. I live in the Midwest and some of the best chicken and waffles in the world is right here in Indianapolis at Maxine's Chicken and Waffles. Another awesome place is in Harlem (where chicken and waffles was invented).

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#28

Fkatiee Report

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April Simnel
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ground meat with binders like egg and breadcrumbs, and can also have minced onions and peppers (capsicum), and seasonings that's all mixed together and baked in a loaf pan in the oven. Most people make it with just ground beef, but when I was little in the 70s, in our home it was made with ground beef, pork, and veal, and we had it maybe once a month with homemade mashed potatoes and brown gravy, and a green vegetable. I don't eat meatloaf now. It's not horrible, it's just not my first choice for comfort food.

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#30

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April Simnel
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the big cities, all you need to do is raise your arm on a busy street. I've lived in NYC almost 30 years now, and no one yells "TAXI!" here. I grew up in a smaller town, though, and in the smaller places, you pretty much have to call a taxi in advance. I never flagged a cab until I moved to NYC.

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Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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