In a 2021 poll conducted by Lottoland, British respondents voted Donald Trump the worst thing to come out of America. On the flip side, Netflix, the TV streaming service, was chosen as the top US export by a whopping 38% of the 2,000 Brits surveyed. Surprisingly, McDonald’s took the fourth spot, ranking higher than iconic American brands like Apple, KFC, and even former President Barack Obama. Hollywood movies landed at number eight, while cultural icons Elvis Presley and NASA rounded out the top ten best things originating from the US.
A spokesperson from Lottoland, who commissioned the research to highlight its US Jackpot offerings PowerBall and MegaMillions, stated, “There is definitely great affection for the exports of the USA in this country, and it is true that no other country does it bigger or better.” The spokesperson attributed this affection to the TV shows and movies Brits grew up watching, painting an exciting and glamorous picture of American life, saying, “Much of it will come from the TV shows and movies we grew up with, which paints a picture of American life as being somehow more exciting or glamorous than the UK,” as per Swns Digital . Other beloved US exports included The Simpsons, Marvel and DC comics, and the classic New York-style hot dog.
Every single time we Brits hear the mention of trump’s name, we automatically have this image infesting our minds. TDS at its grossest. 😕 pic.twitter.com/beRHnkTWxy
— 💙Brits 4 Dark Brandon 2024💙 (@JimmyConno43961) May 10, 2024
However, some things Brits wished had stayed stateside were the confusing American political system, calling football ‘soccer,’ and the controversial artist Kanye West . Nearly half of the British adults surveyed (47%) described American sports like baseball and football as ‘too complicated.’ Nonetheless, one in five expressed a desire to move to the US, while seven in ten were content with visiting as tourists. New York City emerged as the top choice for potential relocation, with 26% selecting the Big Apple over sunny Los Angeles at 20%.
On a train in the UK on holiday from Canada. Trying to get a break from the shitshow that is the right wing extremism and then I see this in a Sunday paper. Suffice it to say the Brits, amongst others, are not happy about the prospect of a Trump win in November. #NeverTrump pic.twitter.com/eHUau4Uy1o
— kate daniels (@1katedaniels) May 5, 2024
Despite their love for America, 35% of Brits admitted to confusing Canadians with Americans. One in four didn’t know pop star Justin Bieber was Canadian, and 40% were unaware that seemingly all-American sweetheart Pamela Anderson was born north of the border. The swinging 1960s was deemed the decade most Brits would have liked to experience in the USA. While Trump was one of the things UK residents liked least about the US, former President Barack Obama was voted the best of recent times.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and all the travel restrictions, the Lottoland spokesperson added, “With travel restrictions being so tight at the moment, a visit to America feels like a pipe dream at best. But it won’t be long until the travel corridors re-open, and we can visit the US as often as we like – or can afford. In the meantime, we can get our American fix by watching Netflix, chowing down on burgers and maybe even becoming a lotto multimillionaire!” as per The Mirror .