# 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:** 9
**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 7, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/161 "2025-07-07T16:10:56Z")
Magic Johnson ---
**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 7, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/162 "2025-07-07T16:45:52Z")
Janet Yellen ---
**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 7, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/163 "2025-07-07T16:50:07Z")
Amory Lovins ---
**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 7, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/164 "2025-07-07T16:52:13Z")
Janet Yellen. ---
**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 7, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/165 "2025-07-07T16:54:27Z")
Stephen King ---
**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:** [July 7, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/166 "2025-07-07T17:02:28Z")
Once again, Jose Andres ---
**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 7, 2025, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/167 "2025-07-07T17:21:47Z")
Stephen King ---
**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:** [July 7, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/168 "2025-07-07T17:24:26Z")
Janet Yellen. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/169 "2025-07-07T17:43:25Z")
Magic Johnson ---
**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 8, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/170 "2025-07-08T01:19:20Z")
Janet Yellen Is consistency a virtue or a sign of vindictiveness? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/171 "2025-07-08T01:59:09Z")
Magic Johnson ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/172 "2025-07-09T20:01:11Z")
Our votes this round: José Andrés: Humanitarian, chef - 2 votes Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration - 3 votes Stephen King: Great American writer - 2 votes Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist - 1 vote Janet Yellen: Economist, Treasury secretary - 4 votes Janet Yellen survived both the Fed and the Treasury, but not this poll. Our remaining nominees: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Athlete, writer, activist 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 Magic Johnson: Superstar, survivor, inspiration Mark Kelly: Senator, astronaut, aviator Stephen King: Great American writer Amory Lovins: Physicist, energy activist Barack Obama: President, statesman, lawyer Dolly Parton: Artist, humanitarian Bernie Sanders: Democratic Socialist leader MacKenzie Scott: Philanthropist, prize-winning novelist Steven Spielberg: Director, writer, entertainer 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 Voting for our next round will end at noon EST on Fri. July 11. José Andrés gets my sweet sweet vote again, for the reasons already stated. ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/173 "2025-07-09T20:02:33Z")
Magic Johnson. ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/174 "2025-07-09T20:08:24Z")
Lovins. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/175 "2025-07-09T20:16:45Z")
Armory Lovins ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/176 "2025-07-09T20:21:10Z")
Magic Johnson was a great player, and co-owner of my favorite NFL team, but I’m hard-pressed to think of him as a great American in any sense. (that’s my vote) ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/177 "2025-07-09T20:29:29Z")
Magic Johnson ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/178 "2025-07-09T20:32:41Z")
I give Magic Johnson props for being the man who shoved America’s face in the fact that AIDS is not a “gay disease”, who also showed that you can live, survive and thrive even with that disease, and was also capable of some of the most beautiful basketball on the planet. But in this rather rarefied company, that only goes so far. I vote Magic Johnson. ---
**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 9, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/179 "2025-07-09T20:40:37Z")
I like Magic, but I consistently choose Kareem over him (to keep) because Kareem has been a consistent and remarkable writer and commentator on the state of America for decades. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2025, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715/180 "2025-07-09T20:49:09Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Kareem Also Magic Johnson never co-piloted a big jet plane. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-living-american-elimination-game-game-thread/1019715.md?page=10)