# 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:** 14
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/261 "2025-07-18T17:53:21Z")
Mackenzie Scott. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/262 "2025-07-18T17:53:29Z")
Buffet ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/263 "2025-07-18T18:02:39Z")
Jose Andres ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/264 "2025-07-18T18:11:47Z")
Buffet before Gates? I mean, really? Once again, Bill “palled around with Epstein _after_ conviction” Gates. ---
**Author:** ![Bicycle\_Bill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bicycle_bill/32/6208_2.png) [@Bicycle\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bicycle_Bill)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/265 "2025-07-18T18:19:52Z")
Back to Stephen King. He’s got a potential claim to greatest living American AUTHOR, but Greatest Living American? No. _ **-“BB”-** _ ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/266 "2025-07-18T18:26:06Z")
I’m going to have to think on this for a day or so, but I certainly think that Jose Andres’ willingness to mobilize an army to feed starving people in disaster and war zones irrespective of politics and in the face of continuing threats to their own lives merits survival in this thread for a few more rounds. Donating money, writing books, and inspiring people are all well and good, but keeping people alive when you may be the one thing standing between them and starvation, that has to count for something. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/267 "2025-07-18T19:31:49Z")
I agree, I don’t understand why Andres has been attracting so many votes, but at least he has made it this far. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/268 "2025-07-18T19:33:11Z")
For reasons discussed earlier, I am voting for **Mackenzie Scott.** ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/269 "2025-07-18T21:55:16Z")
Scott ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/270 "2025-07-18T22:44:09Z")
Sticking with the black spot for Stephen King 'ven more so in that I’m a bit flummoxed that Spielberg has predeceased him. YMMV ---
**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:** [July 18, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/271 "2025-07-18T22:56:34Z")
It’s far enough in that I think it’s arguable to vote him off. Making billions happy through art that only a few could do vs millions fed which many could do if so inclined is a place where reasonable minds could disagree. Millions fed vs talk show host, not so much. My view of Jesse Jackson is pretty much as a self-promoter, but I’ll admit I’m not as knowledgeable about his civil rights work and will refrain for that reason. I’ll go Mark Kelly. Being an astronaut and senator are impressive compared to the general population, but not compared to all options. Gotta stand out in some real way. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/272 "2025-07-19T18:05:37Z")
I’m going with **MacKenzie Scott** this round. It’s wonderful that she gives away trucks full of money, and pledged to continue giving away more, but so have Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Author? So is Stephen King. Supporter of causes I support? Yeah, but so are most of the remaining nominees. Sorry, **MacKenzie** , you’re good, possibly great, but not the greatest living American. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/273 "2025-07-20T17:53:50Z")
Jumping on the Mackenzie Scott bandwagon ---
**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:** [July 20, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/274 "2025-07-20T21:37:42Z")
There’s no real low-hanging fruit any more, but Mackenzie Scott seems a little further down the branch. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/275 "2025-07-20T21:46:31Z")
Buffet ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/276 "2025-07-20T22:00:00Z")
Scott ---
**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:** [July 21, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/277 "2025-07-21T17:15:59Z")
Our votes this round: José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef - 3 votes Warren Buffett: Level-headed billionaire - 2 votes Mark Kelly: Senator, astronaut, aviator - 1 vote Stephen King: Great American writer - 2 votes MacKenzie Scott: Philanthropist, prize-winning novelist - 7 votes MacKenzie Scott, who married well and has since done a lot of good, is gone. Our remaining nominees: José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef Joe Biden: President, uniter, overcomer Warren Buffett: Level-headed billionaire Bob Dylan: Poet of generation Anthony Fauci: Physician, immunologist, scientist Bill Gates: Futurist, philanthropist, billionaire Jesse Jackson: Civil rights leader Mark Kelly: Senator, astronaut, aviator Stephen King: Great American writer Barack Obama: President, statesman, lawyer Dolly Parton: Artist, humanitarian Bernie Sanders: Democratic Socialist leader Bruce Springsteen: Singer, songwriter, activist Elizabeth Warren: Fighting political foes **Eliminated** 1. Jim Gaffigan: Comedian, author, commentator 2. Craig Ferguson: Polymath, director-writer, comedian 3. Mitt Romney: Senator, impeachment juror 4. Buzz Aldrin: Second on Moon 5. Taylor Swift: Musician, songwriter, icon 6. Tim Walz: Honorable political messenger 7. Simon Biles: GOAT gymnast 8. Judy Blume: Children’s literature icon 9. Amanda Gorman: Poet, activist, prodigy 10. Jim Lovell: Apollo 13 astronaut 11. Spike Lee: Filmmaker, Knicks fan 12. Janet Yellen: Economist, Treasury secretary 13. Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration 14. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Athlete, writer, activist 15. Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist 16. Steven Spielberg: Director, writer, entertainer 17. MacKenzie Scott: Philanthropist, prize-winning novelist Voting for our next round will end at noon EST on Weds. July 23. Sticking with José Andrés. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/278 "2025-07-21T17:17:44Z")
Buffet ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/279 "2025-07-21T17:17:56Z")
Springsteen ---
**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:** [July 21, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/280 "2025-07-21T17:28:28Z")
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