# Ask the American **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836 "2008-09-23T14:46:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/1 "2008-09-23T14:46:53Z")
I’ve been an American all my life. I know it all. Go ahead and ask. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/2 "2008-09-23T14:49:15Z")
\*pulls up a lawn chair, opens a Budweiser \* ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/3 "2008-09-23T14:50:12Z")
Why do Americans say “doody” instead of “duty”? I kept giggling during the West Wing yesterday, cos Pres. Bartlett kept going on about “serving in the name of doody” and it sounded like he was talking about poop. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/4 "2008-09-23T14:58:10Z")
Where from in the US? Since most of my questions would be area-related. But what’s everyday America like? Yeah, pretty complex question. But how much of what we get from Hollywood and TV-shows about every-day-life is correct? (I’d be happy to further elaborate on this question if needed) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/5 "2008-09-23T15:02:37Z")
What is it like to live in California? What is it like to live in New York or somewhere else on the East Coast? What was it like to live overseas as an American? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/6 "2008-09-23T15:06:01Z")
What kinds of foods do Americans like to eat? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/7 "2008-09-23T15:09:28Z")
So what’s the deal with ketchup on hotdogs? ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/8 "2008-09-23T15:11:15Z")
Are you still in contact with Jay? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/9 "2008-09-23T15:13:26Z")
What’s the big misconception about Americans that you get from foreigners? Do you consider the US the greatest country in the world? Why or why not? What are the runner-ups? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/10 "2008-09-23T15:13:34Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > What is it like to live in California? What is it like to live in New York or somewhere else on the East Coast? What was it like to live overseas as an American? In southern California everyone is beautiful. Visitors are soonn shamed into leaving. In northern California everyone is stoned. Visitors are too buzzed to leave. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/11 "2008-09-23T15:15:28Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > Why do Americans say “doody” instead of “duty”? > > I kept giggling during the West Wing yesterday, cos Pres. Bartlett kept going on about “serving in the name of doody” and it sounded like he was talking about poop. Maybe your assessment was correct, and he was bemoaning his job conditions? A bit more dialogue - for context purposes - might be appreciated. Meanwhile, Boyo Jim, can you tell me how American’s define the word ‘humility’? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/12 "2008-09-23T15:36:27Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > Why do Americans say “doody” instead of “duty”? > > I kept giggling during the West Wing yesterday, cos Pres. Bartlett kept going on about “serving in the name of doody” and it sounded like he was talking about poop. In America, there is no difference between duty and doody. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/13 "2008-09-23T15:37:38Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Where from in the US? Since most of my questions would be area-related. > > But what’s everyday America like? Yeah, pretty complex question. But how much of what we get from Hollywood and TV-shows about every-day-life is correct? > > (I’d be happy to further elaborate on this question if needed) America is exactly like Hollywood movies, but with uglier people and slightly less gunfire and explosions. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/14 "2008-09-23T15:38:41Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What kinds of foods do Americans like to eat? Anything that doesn’t squirm on the plate. Deep-fried is better. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/15 "2008-09-23T15:38:53Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > America is exactly like Hollywood movies, but with uglier people and slightly less gunfire and explosions. And here I was expecting a slightly more serious answer… but I guess that’ll do. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/16 "2008-09-23T15:40:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > So what’s the deal with ketchup on hotdogs? ::d&r:: Since President Reagan determined ketchup is a vegetable, it has become our main healthy condiment. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/17 "2008-09-23T15:42:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > In America, there is no difference between duty and doody. Ah, so the cry of “marines, do your duty” is actually a call for a latrine break. This makes sense of a number of films I have recently watched. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/18 "2008-09-23T15:42:54Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > What’s the big misconception about Americans that you get from foreigners? > > Do you consider the US the greatest country in the world? Why or why not? What are the runner-ups? They think they’re as good as us. 😛 Everyone worth listening to considers America the greatest country in the world. Only Americans are wrth listening to. Canada is America Lite – nearly as good as us, and with cute accents. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/19 "2008-09-23T15:45:26Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Are you still in contact with Jay? Jay hangs out with Silent Bob these days. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836/20 "2008-09-23T15:47:30Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > …Meanwhile, Boyo Jim, can you tell me how American’s define the word ‘humility’? Something other countries feel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-american/464836.md?page=2)