# What I've learned about American every day life from tv and movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532 "2012-09-12T19:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/201 "2012-09-24T21:45:48Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > :dubious: > Speak for yourself my friend. And most of our fellow Americans. It’s great that you evidently have a diverse peer group, but the sad fact is that this country is still overwhelmingly segregated socially. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You’ve been here for nine years and you’ve missed all the discussions we’ve had of shoes off in the house versus on? 🙂 (Yes, a lot of Canadians have a habit of taking their shoes off as soon as they come in the door. No, we don’t have heated floors - we just have a very messy outside for a large part of the year.) Somehow I have missed those, scintillating as they must have been; I can very easily conceive of Dopers going on about that for five pages. Just look at the interior/exterior school halls sidetrack in this very thread. Not that I think the explanation for the practise, as provided by **Wendell Wagner** and you, doesn’t make complete sense. It seems sensible, practical, comfortable, and slightly silly. Which is pretty much exactly how Americans describe Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/202 "2012-09-24T22:16:09Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > All American hospital receptions are manned by sassy African American women, when young males with embarassing health problems turn up. This one’s pretty true actually. I don’t know the actual numbers, but I believe African-American women form the majority of America’s nursing corps. > [@April\_R](#): > > And that the message machines which record the message out loud so they can be heard by someone in the room, while the message is being left, are super common and not outdated at all. They’re not outdated. I bought one new from Target last week. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/203 "2012-09-24T22:47:07Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > This one’s pretty true actually. I don’t know the actual numbers, but I believe African-American women form the majority of America’s nursing corps. > > They’re not outdated. I bought one new from Target last week. why in the world would you need an external message machine? > [@](#): > > Many people still have answering machines, **but phone companies now include voice mail services in their plans. By pressing only a few numbers, you can check your voice mail from your landline or another phone.** > > Read more: How to Check My Landline Voice Mail | [eHow.com](http://eHow.com) [ehow | ehow](http://www.ehow.com/how_6338738_check-landline-voice-mail.html#ixzz27RDbphyt) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/204 "2012-09-24T23:07:24Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > why in the world would you need an external message machine? Not need, want. Why fiddle around with setting up a voice mail box (which, yes, was included with my phone service) when I can just see a blinking light and press Play? ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/205 "2012-09-24T23:21:24Z")
I guess, it just seems a little archaic ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/206 "2012-09-25T00:17:13Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Ahh, the L-shaped sheets. If they don’t have them (they may be in the wash) women have sex with their bra on. Also, women are always wearing their panties while having sex as well and men are always wearing either boxers or briefs during sex. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/207 "2012-09-25T00:21:37Z")
> [@grude](#): > > At least 25% of the US population is jewish, any random group of friends will include a practicing jew most likely. Conversely, very few doctors are Jewish or Asian-American. In fact, doctors are far more likely to be African-American, though the majority are white Gentiles. Similarly, there are very few Jewish lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/208 "2012-09-25T00:24:34Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > \ It seems sensible, practical, comfortable, and slightly silly. Which is pretty much exactly how Americans describe Canadians. “Slightly silly”? I take exception to that - we’re _very_ silly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/209 "2012-09-25T00:51:46Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > I guess, it just seems a little archaic Voicemail, $5 a month for life. Answering machine $35 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/210 "2012-09-25T00:59:53Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Ahh, the L-shaped sheets. If they don’t have them (they may be in the wash) women have sex with their bra on. Related: American strippers don’t. Strip that is. Just gyrate in bikinis… very odd. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/211 "2012-09-25T04:24:56Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Also, women are always wearing their panties while having sex as well and men are always wearing either boxers or briefs during sex. This isn’t unique to American TV. I just finished watching the British “Blackadder” series, and in the fourth season episode where Blackadder is trying to find a German spy, there’s a scene where he sleeps with a nurse (well, it’s off-camera), and when he climbs out of bed he has a towel wrapped around his waist. That seems even more ridiculous than having underwear on. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/212 "2012-09-25T04:34:21Z")
> [@Apollyon](#): > > Related: American strippers don’t. Strip that is. Just gyrate in bikinis… very odd. That is how it is here. Zero nudity anywhere they serve alcohol. “Juice bars” with no alcohol can be all nude. Varies state by state. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/213 "2012-09-25T04:45:37Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That is how it is here. Zero nudity anywhere they serve alcohol. “Juice bars” with no alcohol can be all nude. Varies state by state. Different in Alaska. Full nudity with booze until 5:00 AM. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/214 "2012-09-25T15:13:00Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > This isn’t unique to American TV. I just finished watching the British “Blackadder” series, and in the fourth season episode where Blackadder is trying to find a German spy, there’s a scene where he sleeps with a nurse (well, it’s off-camera), and when he climbs out of bed he has a towel wrapped around his waist. That seems even more ridiculous than having underwear on. BLACK ADDER!!! I love that show:D (sorry for the side track, but it is really one of my fav shows of all time. I am not sure what that says about my sense of humor though, LOL) ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/215 "2012-09-25T15:14:15Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Different in Alaska. Full nudity with booze until 5:00 AM. I used to live in AK, and I can’t imagine there were many women I would have wanted to see nude :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/216 "2012-09-25T16:11:54Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Voicemail, $5 a month for life. > > Answering machine $35 bucks. You have to pay for voicemail? For realsies? Crazy. (suddenly I realize how everyone else feels when they find Americans have to pay for texts.) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/217 "2012-09-25T17:33:56Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > BLACK ADDER!!! I love that show:D (sorry for the side track, but it is really one of my fav shows of all time. I am not sure what that says about my sense of humor though, LOL) It says you have a brilliant sense of humor 😛 Edit: I was very glad to find the series on Netflix. Way back in the 1990s, I stumbled across a single episode of the show (which turns out to have been Season 4, Ep. 2 - the firing squad episode), except I came in halfway through, then never saw another episode. But it was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen. For years, all I knew was that it was called “Blackadder”, but I never got around to pursuing it any further. But it recently showed up in my Netflix suggestions as something I might like, so I pounced on it. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/218 "2012-09-25T17:47:01Z")
Me and my nervous habit ! Load aim FIRE ! I can’t help myself, I just blurt it out ! (Not verbatim ) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/219 "2012-09-27T21:52:40Z")
😛 > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > “Slightly silly”? I take exception to that - we’re _very_ silly. 😃 “Very silly?” Canadians? Oh, please. I’m from the South. 80% of us believe the gummint is concealing knowledge of aliens. My neighbors homeschooled their kids and taught them that God put dinosaur fossils in the earth to test the faith of archaeologists. Silly? Y’all don’t even come _close._😛 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532/220 "2012-09-27T22:12:38Z")
And when we Americans talk on the phone, we don’t have to waste time with what the person on the other end of the line says. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ive-learned-about-american-every-day-life-from-tv-and-movies/634532.md?page=12)