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After Noticing These 30 Things Americans Do In Movies, People Are Wondering Whether They Do Them In Real Life
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!
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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.
Its the easiest reference for us and a football field is 100yards or 300 feet or 91.44 meters.
We say goodbye, or something like it. It's an idiosyncrasy of script writing, not Americans.
This is especially true in small towns. The largest parking lot in town is the local teen hangout
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.
Yes. I'm steady moving goddamned pillows out of the way so I can use the sofa or bed. F'n millions of them.
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I own zero throw pillows, I think they are just a waste of money and time taking them on and off before bed etc.
Completely agree. They look nice as a decoration, but would be too much of a hassle for me! I like to get in bed without having to move any amount of pillows. Occasionally I use a second pillow to sit/lay down more upright, since I spent a lot of time in bed due to a lack of energy because of my chronic diseases. But 1 or two pillows is more than enough for me. And the second pillow is not for decoration!
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It depends on how lonely you are lol. I have/prefer about 3 blankets on my bed, and 2-3 pillows. I like sleeping extra cold, so I put my fan on high and snuggle up into 2 blankets, use 1 pillow to sleep on, and then pretend the other blanket and pillow are a person and I snuggle up to it and fall asleep within 2 or 3 minutes lmao. Also I kick in my sleep so it's just an extra blanket for my toes lol.
That my friend could be (and prolly is) my doppelgänger. I do the exact same thing!
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I have about eight on my bed. Not everyone does this, but those who have decorative comforters and they really love a nice presentation on their beds do this
Throw pillows on the bed is how one can tell if a man is married or gay.
We currently have 8 regular bed pillows, 3 throw pillows and 2 shaped likes pugs. Makes it soft.... and pillow fights are great fun at any age.
I have 10! It looks pretty when guests come over. Otherwise they're generally on the floor.
Its not a set american thing. It seems to be a personal choice all over the world. I see throw pillows in any countries bedrooms and living areas.
it depends. I have a few pillows but that is just to make sure my nest is comfy when I go to sleep. The people who have to have their beds looking like a showroom are insane.
My wife has 7 on our bed that I have to move every night before we can go to bed, and 4 on our living room couch I have to move to sit down, I don't know why, I think it is an obsession she needs counseling for.
it's an evil marketing plot that many american homemakers have fallen victim to
Again, depends on the person. I can't stand having more than two pillows, regular not throw.
some women do it. It was a trend years ago. It's silly. Take them off the bed every night, put them back in the morning. Sometimes it looks nice, but pfttt
I hate them. This is a Boomer creation and they are on the floor when I stay at my family's that has them.
I used to have a couple of throw pillows on my bed until I lived with a man. then I gave up.
I have two regular sleeping pillows on my bed, and no throw pillows. I depend on the color/design of my duvet and pillow covers to please my eye.
It depends on the household. I have no interest in it, my sister's whole house is made of decorative pillows. It's obscene.
Nope I have one pillow. My grandmother, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.
Eh, depends on personal preference. Generally when I think of someone having a bunch of unnecessary pillows on a bed, I think of "silly teenage girls" (although that's it's own preconceived notion). Some people consider having different shapes and sizes of pillows on a bed "fancy". I think of them as dust collectors that get in the way.
LOL, this a essential question. I wonder too. Le'ts see the truth. As a French I have one for my feet and thats it.
Its a braindead fecking chick thing... world fecking wide. What 1) a waste of money 2) waste of space 3) a social climbing look at me thing too.
it's a female american thing... i think promoted by store catalog makers.
I guess it depends. My family and friends only do photoshoots for weddings, 18th birthdays (girls), 21st birthdays (boys), or someone's first birthday.
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.
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.
Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Did Americans have self-drive cars five decades before the rest of the world? Because in films a driver never seems to look anywhere near the road.
They are filmed in the vehicle while the vehicle is being towed by another vehicle. It allows them to act out the script while being safe from accidents.
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Dear Panda, you know what would be a refreshing change? Ask why other countries do things that are considered odd, weird, or " hilarious ". I don't know, maybe start with Norway.
I think these lists are predominantly US based because US media is consumed globally. We in Australia don't see much from Norway for eg, so the tropes aren't as ingrained.
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Why do foreigners expect to find uniformity of thought or behavior in a country full of individuals and people from other places?
Exactly. And, please, people, note how this question doesn't apply exclusively to the USA, this is also a problem directed towards other regions and countries too.
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Idk, I am not from USA, not even near, but all of these things seems pretty normal to me...
I replied to a bunch of these 'cause I'm trying to provide legit answers. Others did so as well. Good luck ya'll. (Full disclosure, I recycled the 'Boston Harbor' joke.)
Movies and TV =/= real life, no matter what country or region you're talking about.
Ok judging by the pizza icon, I thought these questions were going to be about pizza. They were not, , but I came here to answer pizza questions g----mn it (LOL): YES --- we love pizza and eat a ton of it. God bless Italy. YES --- we fold our large triangular pizza slices down the middle before eating. This is to control the drip of any grease (or to siphon it right into our mouths). YES --- people do eat pizza with their hands, but can also use a knife & fork. To each their own! YES --- we eat pineapple on pizza, but those that do often don't admit it for fear of persecution. YES --- Chicago deep dish is a thing. But it's only good when it is FRESH. If you walk into a pizza place and order a slice, it'll taste bad because it's probably been sitting around and wasn't made especially for you. So if you're gunna deep dish, get a whole pie fresh and made custom. I recommend Lou Malnati's! They ship too :) Thank you for coming to my TedTalk lol
I don't care about persecution! I EAT PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA AND LOVE IT. Feels so good to get that out there! The only thing I found unusual was the pizza being called a pie. This is just a comment - not a criticism please note folks. Call it what you like - just enjoy it. Best pizza I ever had was, perhaps unsurprisingly, in Italy (Lake Garda!) Thank you for the Pizza TedTalk, Foock Auff.
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I think it's great for us all to be curious about other country's culture and traditions. What bothers me is when some people start to judge each other for where they come from. Regardless of the seemingly strange things we may do, we were all born where we were born. We didn't put in requests before birth. So we should all celebrate the beauty of our differences and have respect for each other's home no matter where it may be. Because we all love and respect our homelands. And we all deserve respect.
* standing ovation ^ That was beautiful! @bluecustardangel; I appreciate you!
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Do Americans really get to have cap and gown graduations right from primary school? Here in nz you only do cap and gown ceremony when graduating tertiary education
What grades are primary? We have kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school.
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I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought that a lot of these things were incredibly stupid. I understand that certain things are not common the world over, but most people know that the way a particular place is portrayed on tv is not how it really is. Also, I don't understand how a lot of these things are so weird and mind blowing. I am certain that not everyone in French small towns breaks into song like in Beauty and the Beast. I am certain that not all Germans wear lederhosen everyday. I just wish that the world, especially in these times, could forget all of this stuff and just get along.
I think as American tv is a dominant force in a lot of places, it is essentially the only reference point for American culture for some places and ppl, especially in far off or isolated places like where I am (nz). Most of my pop culture knowledge comes from the Simpsons parodying events etc
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My company had some of our coworkers from Denmark working in our office in Indiana not so long ago. One of our coworkers got married and invited the people from Denmark to join us at the reception. Well, they played the Hokey Pokey and the people from Denmark thought we were playing a joke on them. They had never heard or seen such a thing for children in their entire lives. They couldn't believe it.
I find the questions a bit stupid. I ha e one very intelligent one though. Do Americans always eat ice cream from the same 10 l. bucket? Because it's freaking disgusting.
Do you mean when you see a character on TV get out a fairly large carton of ice cream and spoon straight from it - typically a women who has been dumped? Sometimes shared with a female room-mate. I've seen that on a number of sitcoms (Friends - the women get a tub for Chandler). I just assumed that it was an exaggeration tbh. The characters in these programmes clearly don't eat that much ice cream!
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I used to admire the US. Seventies, eighties. Growing up. Now, I'm just glad I don't live there. What's wrong with you?
Nowhere seems to be getting better these days though - don't you think? Mass consumerism and greed has many downsides.
Load More Replies... Do Americans actually use that yellow pencil for everything? I see those pencils all the time in movies, like when police writing reports and stuff
Ok, I thought this was gonna be a fun read, but no. These questions are way too friggin stupid. Like "do Americans really have a salad with dinner".. or "do people really eat pb&j-sandwiches".. And what is meatloaf.. Like REALLY!? You never tried any of those? I saw like 3-4 questions here who were actually good.
Not everyone's had those things. Pb&j's and meatloaf are things that are less common outside of the US. It's like a Swedish person demanding to know why Americans haven't tried Knäckebröd.
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Why is everything super-sized in the US? Food portions are insane and the cars are immense. Also: why do you guys turn the AC in public buildings and offices to Arctic settings?
2 different questions. Super Size is about McDonald's and they started that trend. The AC is on because men wear a wool suit and a jacket so they need to be cooled off. Women always end up feeling cold and have little heaters under the desk and a sweater hung on the back of their chair.
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Do Americans really knock on doors instead of ringing the doorbell? Some houses in the movies are so big but no one uses the doorbell
#21 really?! How is eating potato chips as a side with your lunch weird?
Kind of tired of the "I can't believe Americans..." Any one of these could be answered"yes" or "no" I'm 62. Not a football fan. Never had a garbage disposal. Went to one high school homecoming, never at college. Never heard of chicken and waffles. Did grow up saying "Sir" and "Ma'am" and if films are to believed, that equates to students saying"Yes,Miss..." We tend to continue what we grew up saying and doing.
I think that it can safely be said that if it is in a movie, or on t.v., Americans do it. There are always exceptions, but it is like asking the British, do you always curtsey/bow when the Queen walks by, or do you just stand there?! Of course you curtsey/bow when she walks by! What people see actors doing on film and t.v., regardless of country, are every day things that are done. While some may do it, and others don't, it just depends on location, upbringing, and personal preference.
You all think it is weird that we have to pledge allegiance to our country every day since we were 4/5 years old? I thought it was weird. I still think it is weird. If I can't vote then what is the point of my allegiance? Plus, you know if Russia bought me a pony, 4 year old me would have broken that allegiance right quick.
The kinds of questions you ask if you've never been to America but have seen tropes of on tv your whole life?
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This guy has fewer downvotes than Daniel Lewis
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Did Americans have self-drive cars five decades before the rest of the world? Because in films a driver never seems to look anywhere near the road.
They are filmed in the vehicle while the vehicle is being towed by another vehicle. It allows them to act out the script while being safe from accidents.
Load More Replies... Dear Panda, you know what would be a refreshing change? Ask why other countries do things that are considered odd, weird, or " hilarious ". I don't know, maybe start with Norway.
I think these lists are predominantly US based because US media is consumed globally. We in Australia don't see much from Norway for eg, so the tropes aren't as ingrained.
Load More Replies... Why do foreigners expect to find uniformity of thought or behavior in a country full of individuals and people from other places?
Exactly. And, please, people, note how this question doesn't apply exclusively to the USA, this is also a problem directed towards other regions and countries too.
Load More Replies... Idk, I am not from USA, not even near, but all of these things seems pretty normal to me...
I replied to a bunch of these 'cause I'm trying to provide legit answers. Others did so as well. Good luck ya'll. (Full disclosure, I recycled the 'Boston Harbor' joke.)
Movies and TV =/= real life, no matter what country or region you're talking about.
Ok judging by the pizza icon, I thought these questions were going to be about pizza. They were not, , but I came here to answer pizza questions g----mn it (LOL): YES --- we love pizza and eat a ton of it. God bless Italy. YES --- we fold our large triangular pizza slices down the middle before eating. This is to control the drip of any grease (or to siphon it right into our mouths). YES --- people do eat pizza with their hands, but can also use a knife & fork. To each their own! YES --- we eat pineapple on pizza, but those that do often don't admit it for fear of persecution. YES --- Chicago deep dish is a thing. But it's only good when it is FRESH. If you walk into a pizza place and order a slice, it'll taste bad because it's probably been sitting around and wasn't made especially for you. So if you're gunna deep dish, get a whole pie fresh and made custom. I recommend Lou Malnati's! They ship too :) Thank you for coming to my TedTalk lol
I don't care about persecution! I EAT PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA AND LOVE IT. Feels so good to get that out there! The only thing I found unusual was the pizza being called a pie. This is just a comment - not a criticism please note folks. Call it what you like - just enjoy it. Best pizza I ever had was, perhaps unsurprisingly, in Italy (Lake Garda!) Thank you for the Pizza TedTalk, Foock Auff.
Load More Replies... I think it's great for us all to be curious about other country's culture and traditions. What bothers me is when some people start to judge each other for where they come from. Regardless of the seemingly strange things we may do, we were all born where we were born. We didn't put in requests before birth. So we should all celebrate the beauty of our differences and have respect for each other's home no matter where it may be. Because we all love and respect our homelands. And we all deserve respect.
* standing ovation ^ That was beautiful! @bluecustardangel; I appreciate you!
Load More Replies... Do Americans really get to have cap and gown graduations right from primary school? Here in nz you only do cap and gown ceremony when graduating tertiary education
What grades are primary? We have kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school.
Load More Replies... I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought that a lot of these things were incredibly stupid. I understand that certain things are not common the world over, but most people know that the way a particular place is portrayed on tv is not how it really is. Also, I don't understand how a lot of these things are so weird and mind blowing. I am certain that not everyone in French small towns breaks into song like in Beauty and the Beast. I am certain that not all Germans wear lederhosen everyday. I just wish that the world, especially in these times, could forget all of this stuff and just get along.
I think as American tv is a dominant force in a lot of places, it is essentially the only reference point for American culture for some places and ppl, especially in far off or isolated places like where I am (nz). Most of my pop culture knowledge comes from the Simpsons parodying events etc
Load More Replies... My company had some of our coworkers from Denmark working in our office in Indiana not so long ago. One of our coworkers got married and invited the people from Denmark to join us at the reception. Well, they played the Hokey Pokey and the people from Denmark thought we were playing a joke on them. They had never heard or seen such a thing for children in their entire lives. They couldn't believe it.
I find the questions a bit stupid. I ha e one very intelligent one though. Do Americans always eat ice cream from the same 10 l. bucket? Because it's freaking disgusting.
Do you mean when you see a character on TV get out a fairly large carton of ice cream and spoon straight from it - typically a women who has been dumped? Sometimes shared with a female room-mate. I've seen that on a number of sitcoms (Friends - the women get a tub for Chandler). I just assumed that it was an exaggeration tbh. The characters in these programmes clearly don't eat that much ice cream!
Load More Replies... I used to admire the US. Seventies, eighties. Growing up. Now, I'm just glad I don't live there. What's wrong with you?
Nowhere seems to be getting better these days though - don't you think? Mass consumerism and greed has many downsides.
Load More Replies... Do Americans actually use that yellow pencil for everything? I see those pencils all the time in movies, like when police writing reports and stuff
Ok, I thought this was gonna be a fun read, but no. These questions are way too friggin stupid. Like "do Americans really have a salad with dinner".. or "do people really eat pb&j-sandwiches".. And what is meatloaf.. Like REALLY!? You never tried any of those? I saw like 3-4 questions here who were actually good.
Not everyone's had those things. Pb&j's and meatloaf are things that are less common outside of the US. It's like a Swedish person demanding to know why Americans haven't tried Knäckebröd.
Load More Replies... Why is everything super-sized in the US? Food portions are insane and the cars are immense. Also: why do you guys turn the AC in public buildings and offices to Arctic settings?
2 different questions. Super Size is about McDonald's and they started that trend. The AC is on because men wear a wool suit and a jacket so they need to be cooled off. Women always end up feeling cold and have little heaters under the desk and a sweater hung on the back of their chair.
Load More Replies... Do Americans really knock on doors instead of ringing the doorbell? Some houses in the movies are so big but no one uses the doorbell
#21 really?! How is eating potato chips as a side with your lunch weird?
Kind of tired of the "I can't believe Americans..." Any one of these could be answered"yes" or "no" I'm 62. Not a football fan. Never had a garbage disposal. Went to one high school homecoming, never at college. Never heard of chicken and waffles. Did grow up saying "Sir" and "Ma'am" and if films are to believed, that equates to students saying"Yes,Miss..." We tend to continue what we grew up saying and doing.
I think that it can safely be said that if it is in a movie, or on t.v., Americans do it. There are always exceptions, but it is like asking the British, do you always curtsey/bow when the Queen walks by, or do you just stand there?! Of course you curtsey/bow when she walks by! What people see actors doing on film and t.v., regardless of country, are every day things that are done. While some may do it, and others don't, it just depends on location, upbringing, and personal preference.
You all think it is weird that we have to pledge allegiance to our country every day since we were 4/5 years old? I thought it was weird. I still think it is weird. If I can't vote then what is the point of my allegiance? Plus, you know if Russia bought me a pony, 4 year old me would have broken that allegiance right quick.
The kinds of questions you ask if you've never been to America but have seen tropes of on tv your whole life?
Load More Replies... This guy has fewer downvotes than Daniel Lewis
Load More Replies... 