# Greatest living American elimination game (game thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [June 16, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715 "2025-06-16T19:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/1 "2025-06-16T19:12:04Z")
Background: [Greatest living American elimination game (setup thread)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-setup-thread/1019408/1) Vote for one person each round whom you think is _least_ worthy to be called the greatest living American, and thus should be eliminated from the game. You need not have participated in the setup thread to vote. Thoughtful discussion and civil debate are welcome. No horse-trading, please - each vote should be on the merits. Voting in our first round will end at noon EST on Weds. June 18. Our nominees: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Athlete, writer, activist Buzz Aldrin: Second on Moon José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef Joe Biden: President, uniter, overcomer Simon Biles: GOAT gymnast Judy Blume: Children’s literature icon Warren Buffett: Level-headed billionaire Bob Dylan: Poet of generation Anthony Fauci: Physician, immunologist, scientist Craig Ferguson: Polymath, director-writer, comedian Jim Gaffigan: Comedian, author, commentator Bill Gates: Futurist, philanthropist, billionaire Amanda Gorman: Poet, activist, prodigy Jesse Jackson: Civil rights leader Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration Mark Kelly: Senator, astronaut, aviator Stephen King: Great American writer Spike Lee: Filmmaker, Knicks fan Jim Lovell: Apollo 13 astronaut Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist Barack Obama: President, statesman, lawyer Dolly Parton: Artist, humanitarian Mitt Romney: Senator, impeachment juror Bernie Sanders: Democratic Socialist leader MacKenzie Scott: Philanthropist, prize-winning novelist Steven Spielberg: Director, writer, entertainer Bruce Springsteen: Singer, songwriter, activist Taylor Swift: Musician, songwriter, icon Tim Walz: Honorable political messenger Elizabeth Warren: Fighting political foes Janet Yellen: Economist, Treasury secretary My vote is for José Andrés, unknown to me before now. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/2 "2025-06-16T19:15:03Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > My vote is for José Andrés, unknown to me before now. Another vote for José Andrés, for the exact same reason. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/3 "2025-06-16T19:44:36Z")
Just FYI, Jim Lovell is most notable for Apollo 8, not 13. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/4 "2025-06-16T19:47:16Z")
Most people know him for Apollo 13, and the movie, I think. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/5 "2025-06-16T19:57:15Z")
Craig Ferguson ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/6 "2025-06-16T20:00:08Z")
Janet Yellen, she does very little for me. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/7 "2025-06-16T20:25:17Z")
Mitt Romney, a failed presidential campaign and then some token resistance (once it was clear he wasn’t going to get a post in the first administration) does not make anybody “great”. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/8 "2025-06-16T21:01:38Z")
Bruce Springsteen Are we required to explain why we think our choice isn’t great? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/9 "2025-06-16T21:28:08Z")
I’ll admit that I don’t quite get why personally not knowing of someone is evidence of lack of greatness. Especially when compared to mediocre comedians and talk show hosts. Craig Ferguson for me. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/10 "2025-06-16T22:02:09Z")
Jim Gaffigan ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/11 "2025-06-16T22:40:17Z")
I didn’t even know Craig Ferguson was American. As I look through the list, I look at some names and think “I wouldn’t vote for them, but I can see why someone would.” But as much as I love Jim Gaffigan, I wouldn’t put him anywhere close to Greatest Living American. So my vote is **Jim Gaffigan**. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/12 "2025-06-16T23:50:50Z")
A few of these people I haven’t heard of, but, although I find **Jim Gaffigan** somewhat amusing, I agree that he’s over his head in this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/13 "2025-06-17T00:25:22Z")
Another for José Andrés. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/14 "2025-06-17T01:26:02Z")
Another vote for Jim Gaffigan. There are a lot of comedians who are more noteworthy - Jon Stewart immediately pops into my head. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/15 "2025-06-17T02:44:54Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Bruce Springsteen > > Are we required to explain why we think our choice isn’t great? As I wrote in the OP, “Thoughtful discussion and civil debate are welcome. No horse-trading, please - each vote should be on the merits.” ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/16 "2025-06-17T02:55:51Z")
Jim Gaffigan If somebody passes away mid thread, do we have a double elimination? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/17 "2025-06-17T14:50:25Z")
My vote this round goes to Gaffigan. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/18 "2025-06-17T19:11:53Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > …If somebody passes away mid thread, do we have a double elimination? Yes, if somebody dies while the game is underway, I will remove him or her from the list, as that person would no longer be living. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/19 "2025-06-17T19:32:13Z")
Another vote for Gaffigan. Nothing wrong about him but I don’t see a entertainer as a potential greatest living American. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/20 "2025-06-18T15:57:53Z")
I’d say Gaffigan. And I love the guy to death, really. I’ve seen him live a couple of times–if he comes to town, going to the show with my younger daughter is pretty much automatic. But I’d be hard-pressed to say there are any criteria that would qualify him for “greatest.” I doubt that he himself aspires to something that high. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715.md?page=2)