Part of the challenge is separating ideological or philosophical conceptions of “Americanness” from more literal ones. I tend to favor the more literal approach of seeking manifestations of lived American experiences, as opposed to portrayals of more abstract American “ideals,” or “themes.” Some people might say Star Wars is very American, for example, but I wouldn’t... at least, not by the criteria I’m using here.
Song that kind of captures early 21st Century would be American Ride. It has a more satirical take of American culture and makes fun of stereotypes of American people and Society
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned that Green Day's American Idiot (the song but also the album), because that's a very american song (and album). While Green Day wrote it as a protest to the policies of the Bush Era, they make many allusions to how, in America, things are portrayed as being rosy and the American Dream being the end all/be all, and then reject it as propaganda. It might not be as culturally dense as The Simpsons, but American Idiot is a fantastic example of modern American pop culture being brought up in media.
I think I love earthbound so much because it shows a Japanese interpretation and understanding of America much the same way that Americans interpret Japan over here, which is to say in a shallow and very visual heavy way.
I think the story of trying to get a baseball or some other item from a house with a "monster dog" is quintessentially American. Especially when it turns out the "monster dog" was not actually as monstrous as you thought. Has anyone done any analysis on the "monster dog" trope of American children's media?
"America and Canada are part of the same culture. It's fine. It's fine." For some reason I needed to hear that. That's such a small profound line, and it makes me feel unity with Canada despite our made up little border.
Canada is like the place that still had an allegiance to England, but because of its geography, could not help but be Americanized in many aspects. They still haven't accepted Fahrenheit and the imperial system. We must push harder LOL.
I'm a Canadian living in Michigan. I resonate so fully with our countries having a common culture even as we cling desperately to regional distinctives. I love your last line. "America and Canada are part of the same culture. It's fine. IT'S fine."
Indeed. I’m from Michigan and my mother’s family is from Ontario (London). I now live in Japan and it has become even more obvious to me that the US and Canada are one large cultural unit with regional variations.
LA, Vancouver, Toronto, and New York all have more in common with each other than any of those cities do with rural Quebec or Alabama. Most Anglo-Canadian provinces have more in common with the US than they do with Quebec, and most non-Southern American states have more in common with those provinces than they do with the deep south. There are regional differences but it's mostly very similar. As a Midwestern/Mountain West American, I relate more to my Canadian relatives than I do to Alabamans. And even Quebec and Alabama have more in common with the rest of Canada and the US than they do with France or the UK or anywhere else.
I owe you a huge thanks for making videos like this. Growing up and living in the American midwest if I so much as hinted at the fact that I like American culture I get beat down. Videos like these are pretty much the only place where our culture is appreciated in any way.
I truly love Over the Garden Wall. It really shows the folklore side of America that not many mediums of entertainment tend to focus on. The New England style forests, the old colonist-like clothes, it's all so good. I want to live in that universe.
Ben Jones New England is my favorite part of this country and aside from Québec, is where my mom’s family as well as my dad’s family more recently settled. It’s impossible to capture truly well on film I think and is why you rarely see it used as the setting.
Yep over the garden wall is amazing and has a very New England feel to it. I also love how they portray the football game and party on Halloween night, it feels very familiar, even reminds me of being in grade school (and like Wirt was not invited to the parties lmao)
I would say that Red Dead Redemption 2 deserves a spot because it really doesn't rely on it "Western" theme. It feels like a period piece and has fun with a ton of still relevant issues that eventually shaped the modern US. Even it's map is a carefully constructed caricature of America and it's history.
I love that you can take apart cultural items like this without straying into the political- very deft analysis all around. Truly an enjoyable video to watch. Awesome work, JJ!
This reminds me of when I was in Japan. There was a kid watching Zootopia in the car.m and it got to the DMV scene. I started laughing uncontrollably and everyone else was confused as to why. I tried explaining it. It didn’t work.
That's like the only scene I have seen from that movie. All the workers being sloths is just brilliant! It's so perfect. Yes, you're at the DMV take a number it'll be a 6 hour wait even though there's only 10 ppl in line.
LOL. I was in Sicily in a hostel and Moonrise Kingdom was on tv, a very American movie, wes anderson about an alternate boy scouts. They were like why is he laughing?
YES what a great example of American culture I remember absolutely dying when a reference to speaking in tongues was mentioned. So much of I was packed with American references and parody
My friends and family like to make a big thing out of how different/better Canada is from/than the USA. To which I respond: Minnesota and Alberta (two places I've called home) have more in common than Alberta and Quebec or Minnesota and New York.
Having lived in Maine 6 miles from the New Brunswick border I suspect every single Canadian province is very similar to every single adjacent American state
Strangely enough, As a life-long New Yorker for nearly 40 years I felt far more at home in Tokyo when I visited there than when I visited other places in the US. I think I'm just comforted by ultra-urban environments.
I adore Norman Rockwell. One of my favorites is when he got just a little bit political with "The Problem We All Deal With." His triple self-portrait of him painting himself from a mirror and an old photograph is great, too.
Not Warhol he could have as easily been in Paris or London there would probably have been some changes on specifics but maybe not but nothing in his art really screams America so much as Pop Culture as even then Pop culture was becoming more universal.
@@FakeSchrodingersCat i disagree. Warhols art, and pop art in general, was all about America, specifically the rising consumerism after World War 2. You can see that in his paintings of things like coke bottles, Campbell's soup cans, and even celebrities. His paintings of American celebrities commented on how celebrities were essentially a product, which is shown by Andy repeating the image multiple times
Even though you mentioned that country music is more regional, one singer I think is very distinctly American is Johnny Cash. Aside from his massive hits like “I Walk the Line” or “Ring of Fire” he made many songs that shed light on American culture and issues in the 1960s-70s such as “Man In Black”, “Singing in Vietnam Talkin’ Blues” and “What is Truth?”. I don’t know of many albums that were more socially aware than his promotion of the issues of American Indians, Prisoners or the downtrodden and poor than Bitter Tears, Man in Black or Live from Folsom Prison. Another good album (and song) which I think also details this well is “Ragged Old Flag” from 1974, which was his reaction to the turmoil of Vietnam and Watergate.
Star vs. the Forces of Evil has a bunch of references to streets and neighborhoods in LA. Hey, even Marco's dad is from Mexico so it feels even more accurate.
I am so happy folks are still bringing up Over the Garden Wall. I remember watching it when I was a child and really, really liking it. It has so many great themes and is amazing atmospherically.
What a great video! And I think you made good criteria of what could be considering purely "American culture" because everytime I *thought* something could be considered "American" it turned out to be regional (i.e. Appalachian folk). I think you'll find that music (not as much TV shows just based on the fact that TV shows are meant to appeal to a wide variety of individuals in the US) would be better applied to regions of the US (as is the case in Canada I am assuming). These kind of videos are really cool and I'd love to see a comparison between different Canadian cultures compared to one another (i.e. Alberta to Quebec or Newfoundland). You could do the same thing for the US (i.e. Appalachia vs the Deep South or West Coast) as well and it would be just as entertaining. Thanks my favorite simp!
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a good show that parodies the idea of American sitcoms. It's also filled with a lot of American stereotypes, so I'd say it is a good representation of American culture.
I think the tv shows Stranger Things and Gravity Falls are great representation of American culture. The character of Spider-Man is super American and I think The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota by Weird Al is one of the funniest repetitions of a certain type of cultures in America as well
Hey JJ. I love all your videos, especially ones like these, because they teach me to look at broader social themes from multiple perspectives. I've never really noticed how the media has forged different definitions of what it means to be American. You did an awesome job explaining it. Love your videos because they make me think constructively. Keep up the great content!
Come to think of it, John Hughes is one of the most "American" directors I could imagine. Basically all of his movies are based around traditional Midwestern American (or broader American) culture. Based around American families and specifically American teenage culture of the 80s.
@@pottingsoil Grew up in Northeast Ohio! Almost all of the John Hughes movies take place in the Midwest (most of them Illinois/Chicago). Ope, just realized I wrote "traditional"... culture. That's definitely not the right word. But you get what I meant.
JJ I know you often lament that your channel isn't huge, but I love it how it is. The smaller audience keeps your videos intimate, I don't know how to explain this, but it feels like they would be ruined if they got bigger. I love seeing you discuss YOUR interests-- maybe I'm just being selfish!
TV series Dobie Gillis might have been inspired by Archie Comics with Maynard G Krebs, name Gilligan could have been inspired by Gillis and Bob Denver played Maynard G Krebs, Gilligan and a character similar to Gilligan: Dusty in series Dusty's Trail which was similar to Gilligan's island, Wagon Train and F Troop.
Loved this and appreciate the fact a Canadian is bringing to us. I have to take exception with your statement that country music is regional though. Maybe it used to be, but you can find many, many country music fans in all fifty states. Last August, Billboard's top three hits were all country songs. I'm really sad you left country music out. But, it's fine. It's fine.
Try reading any book by Hunter S. Thompson! He traveled America in the 60's-70's and wrote a first-person account of really crazy stories relating to themes like the San Fran hippie movement, the Hells Angels, and the 1972 presidential election.
It's talking about a specific part of America though, it very closely follows one man and those who he interacts with. It doesn't question many societal issues, but the man driving a Pontiac Aztec is the most American thing I've ever seen. I think the wire should be mentioned though.
@@mr.blonde8808 you wouldn't relate 100% but it's still pretty American. Think that applies to many movies from different regions of America. I don't even know how to word what I'm tryna say lol. But you know how most of American things are from the cultures of the east coast and the south yet people in the west coast still relate to them as American. It would be like that but reverse for breaking bad.
@@kayzeaza Are you American? Have you had first hand experience with America's health care system? If yes, then you at least speak from personal experience. If not, then consider yourself ignorant. As a Canadian living in the U.S., I have great things to say about the health care here. It's far from perfect, but America is still the place to go if price isn't an object and you need the best quality medicine known to man.
J.J. I've really enjoyed these American pop culture vids. You should make other cultural ones like "most American foods" or "most American sayings" or "most American moments in history" stuff like that
So, I love anything I can take ownership of as an American. I love talking with people from all around the world about their cultures and what they thing about my culture as an American. As you pointed out in the last video, it's cool because most Americans don't really feel like that have any kind of culture that is uniquely American. Anyways... I feel like an entire series or even a whole channel could even be dedicated to highliting Americanisms and culturally unique American things. If you went on to go more into this in other videos, I would definitely continue to watch, like, and enjoy them. I love American arts, American holiday traditions, American consumerism and it's hand in every aspect of the American life, and of course, uniquely American food, phrases, family dynamics and cultural stigmas about time management and money... The list just goes on. I love America. (side note: I also love other places too. I love the whole world, but America's really cool too.)
I just saw Forest Gump a few weeks ago. My wife was like, "HOW HAVE YOU NOT SEEN FOREST GUMP! We're watching it RIGHT NOW!" I like Parks and Rec so much!
When I was 13 my dad was talking to me and my sister about forest gump and I was like "I've never heard of it" My dad was like, " you've gotta be dumber than forest gump if you dont know about forest gump" Which seems mean, but he said it as a joke because he genuinely thought I was joking about not knowing what forest gump was
I don't really get all the hype. I guess maybe it's intended to be both a metaphor for how an American has to be kind of stupid or naive not to be guilty of the sins entrenched into American society and a story about how luck or fate has more impact in our circumstances and outcomes than the skill and wisdom we usually attribute it to. But, I donno, it seems pretty random and nothing in it really feels like it really means anything. It's touching or poignant at times, but it never seems to have a point.
@@BradyPostma Gump is America, the abstract soul of the country, and the events happening around Gump represent the people. As you can't have those events without people.
@@Udontkno7 That's kind of my point. Gump is America, and Gump is named after a KKK Grand Master, only gets into school because his mom pays a bribe with sex, his love is absolutely destroyed by society's blindness/silence regarding child abuse, fights in a war that most people think was one big war crime, his commanding officer comes home crippled and neglected by a callous society, and he loses his love to unsafe sexual promiscuity, drugs, and AIDS. He only escapes being tainted and complicit to all this ugliness and manages to be an honorable version of the American dream because he's too stupid to know what's going on. So which am I? Stupid or complicit? I don't like a movie that tells me those are the only options.
Some slightly newer tracks that I feel distinctly portray certain facets of modern American culture: Father John Misty - "Bored in the USA" Sun Kil Moon - "Pray for Newtown" Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs" Childish Gambino - "This Is America" The Strokes - "Hard to Explain" Kendrick Lamar - "King Kunta" Vince Staples - "Norf Norf" Green Day - "Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams" Lana Del Rey - "God Bless America - And All The Beautiful Women In It" Kanye West - "Who Will Survive America?"
Agree on the Green Day. The entire American Idiot album is basically an attempt at putting a certain mood among the disaffected youth of America at that point in time to music. And to this German listener, it works. It's quite evocative, even though it rarely delves into specifics.
I loved this video. It feels good to know that we have some degree of cultural identity. This video has made me appreciate all these pieces of media so much more!
I'm late to the conversation, but I've always recommended "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" to those wanting to know more about American Culture. Geography, weather, forms and availability of transportation, holiday observations, social/economic hierarchies and interactions, class stratification and porosity, family dynamics, employment and labor. It packs a lot and, beneath the comedy, mostly accurate. The bus scene, for example, where everyone starts singing the Flintstones theme, is quite true-to-life, including Steve Martin's initial discomfort in participating.
Dominic P. It is legitimately much better now. The bugs are almost completely gone and those that aren’t are funny or extremely minor. I enjoy playing it now but at the beginning it was really bad. Triple XP this weekend is super fun and wastelanders supposedly will have 30+ hours of content when it releases in two weeks. I would suggest coming back to it, Especially on console
Well it did start in a Comic, and short, few-panelled Cartoons which aren't set in any world, as all the comics need are a funny Plot-twist. The movie is just an evolved idea of the Sketchy world the short Comics are set in so despite any pop-culture references, I believe that Charlie Brown is just set in his own world....
My daughter was a fan of the Bandai Namco rhythm game "We Cheer" (and "We Cheer 2") for the original Wii, which is about cheerleading, which from a Japanese perspective is a strange American thing, so it has a lot of odd Japanese takes on American culture. My favorite level is the one set in "Massachusetts, USA" which is full of palm trees and mission-inspired architecture.
I personally liked Over the Garden Wall because it seemed to represent the very regional New England style culture that I was used to and grew up with. I find that rare as often American cultural representations focus on the South/ Texas/ the Wild West, New York (Just the city and nowhere else in the state) and California.
Hey JJ, do you know Tom Lehrer? Great satirist of the late 50's and 60's, wrote his own songs accompanied only by his piano. He sang about American topics of the time, about current politics and satirised also music trends. I recommend The Vatican Rag, Who's Next and his Christmas medley.
I would say he’s most famous for his elements of the periodic table song, though obviously that’s not a distinctly American work. Overall, though, his songs are a very good satire of American Cold War era politics
It's fine, indeed. We're glad to have America Junior as part of the whole Anglo-North-American cultural stew. Also, thank you -- I binged Over the Garden Wall since watching your video yesterday. I'd never heard of it before.
Not sure if others have said this, but the TV shows All In The Family and Good Times are archetypal examples of American culture from the 1970s. Many people regard them as the first unfiltered perspectives of American society on TV. They also inspired a lot of spinoffs and other cultural references even up to today.
From the 1950s, "The Sweet Smell of Success" (movie). From 2016-2018, "Atlanta" (TV show). The first explores the depth of compromise one is able to plumb in order to achieve "making it big"-ness. The second explores the same theme of compromise and how low one will go in order to "survive."
Part of the challenge of defining what is "American" is that it is literally "The United States", and you have 50 of those. Now you can squeeze some of those together, but you still get a case of regionalism. And then you have the overall subcultures of urban, suburban, and rural life. I think it is similar in asking "What is Canadian". What kinds of things do Quebec, Ontario, PEI and Alberta have in common? Frankly I think it is a fluke of history that North America didn't end up like Europe -- I could very easily see the North American continent being carved up into a dozen independent nations through plausible alternate history events.
@@dezodroya no it actually is very diverse. Less than back in the day when people didn't move around as much and were more isolated. But you could've easily divided the US in at least 5+ countries if you wanted to. This is coming from a long haul trucker who's driven around the country multiple times. All these places are super different from each other in terms of geography and local cultures and history. Like I said not much anymore but up until few decades back Yea. Areas like The pacific Northwest (which includes very northern California), California, Southwestern desert states, Texas, Rocky Mountain states, Deep south,Appalachian region, New England region, mid Atlantic region, Midwest , Sierra Nevadas, Louisiana, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida. Mix and Match it however you want maybe even forgot a few areas but if you were to travel across America say 60-70 yrs ago it would be a big culture shock region to region. I wish I was a trucker back then lol.
I think We Didn't Start the Fire is a great "modern American" song that encapsules a lot of events and nuggets of jokes, that if you weren't educated about the things mentioned in the songs, it would be hard to recognize them. Especially since it has been dubbed over so many times with specific years like 2020
Though I know it doesn't fit into any category, I would argue Disneyland is one of the most enduring pieces of American culture. The Walt Disney Company's ethos- or at least, it's traditional ethos- is drenched in Americana. You really can't get more American than Walt Disney, and Disneyland, with Main Street USA, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, and Liberty Square (in the Magic Kingdom) are some of the most American *things* I can think of. While all the classic movies are indeed based off of mainly European fairy tales, I'd argue that Disney is a uniquely American phenomenon that has come to define American culture, both at home and abroad. Main Street USA especially is pure, distilled American culture- with references to American stories like Casey At the Bat, American symbols like Barber shop quartets and suffragettes, while it does reference a very specific time in American history, a lot of American identity is still wrapped up in Main Street. As for video games, I'm shocked Bioshock: Infinite didn't get a mention. I think someone also mentioned John Hughes movies, though as a thoroughly American genre overall, what about Road trip movies? The Road Trip Movie is something that, I think, could only really be invented in a country like the United States, because no other country quite has the mix of large size, an intricate highway system, and the car culture that America has.
the movie for alice's restaurant is also very good ... i love the part when arlo gets drafted to serve in Vietnam and then pretends like he is crazy to try and get out of his service , but the army only loved him more . It was very anti-war and self aware .
I always thought the A-team was pretty American. They were always helping folk who were trying to live the American dream but bad guys somehow tried to stop them.
I was very surprised that you didn’t mention Bruce Springsteen’s “born in the USA” which I think have very strong social commentary on the Vietnam war and also the entire ironic situation where this song is so popular on Fourth of July
I think spec ops the line is also a good candidate for a distinctly American game as it's themes deal with a lot of controversies and politics around American imperialism and the morally gray use of the military. It also deconstructs a lot of the foundations of modern American shooters like battlefield and call of duty.
I think that one of the most American songs is “Take the A Train” by Duke Ellington because it describes on of the most American cities, New York, and how different culture groups of people can go together and see one of the first original American art forms, Jazz
'Riders on the Storm' by the Doors has an interesting and dark take on the relatively modern American folklore with its themes of the highway and family. Bob Dylan is one of the most American authors out there. "Boyhood" by Richard Linklater depicts life of a young boy in Texas of 2000s and the early 2010s and includes various cultural phenomenons of the era.
You should do a few of these episodes on Canada. A few good TV shows I’d say represent Canada pretty well are as follows; The Redgreen show, Corner Gas and Letterkenny
@@TKinfinity01 Well in the same way like, the US South has a distinct culture, or New England or something. Regional variants on an overwhelmingly common culture.
_Alice's Restaurant_ and _American Pie_ are the first ones you mentioned that I really liked. In the latter, I think that the person who "read a book by Marx" was a composite of both Lenin and Lennon.
To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most American albums i've ever heard and yet, is a collection of vinets of that covers a group not normally scene as the center of American culture, and it does it all amazingly, good kid maad city is also a great runner up from the same artist
Dazed and Confused, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Nebraska, Sideways, Urban Cowboy, Five Easy Pieces, HUD, The Hustler, American Graffiti, Racing with the Moon, Breaking Away
I'm from Argentina and I love american culture. Not the stereotype, but the things that couldnt be possible un other place. Like Primus, country, slap bass, weird stopmotion and lyrics. Ir Zappa with his humor and exploration of afroamerican music.
Okay so I looked through your older videos and you didn't. This is the obvious evidence of parallel universes you keep ignoring. On a more serious note, whoopsies
I feel like Tony Hawk was robbed of the spotlight haha. The music curation alone in the games helped create so many additional cultural touch points. Great videos though, I love everything about these 🙏🏽🙏🏽
@@theprofessionalfence-sitter I think that Austrians are part of the bigger German cultural sphere. Just like Canadians are part of the American. Despite all regional differences.
@@theodorkorner1497 I'm very interested in countries that are part of common cultural spheres. I feel like the smaller partners in these arrangements (Canada, Austria, New Zealand, Pakistan, Belarus, Ireland, some of the South American countries) usually have a lot of anxieties flowing from this, and are often in a lot of stubborn, proud denial about the whole situation. Obviously there are historical contexts that can be cited to rationalize some of this, but as a modern cultural phenomenon I think it says something about man's often irrationally tribal nature.
@@JJMcCullough Yeah, it's like the most important part of their identity is that they are not in any way similar to their bigger neighbor. That's really a touchy topic for many people, especially online ^^
There’s a really good book by a British author I haven’t seen brought up much called American gods which is just an amazing example of the “melting pot” of cultures that America can be
Maybe it's not so much about not licking ANY foxes, but just give the black foxes a break. Go lick the orange ones or the white ones for a while, and leave the black ones alone, **JJ**.
The "Widowed Bride" reference from American Pie was Buddy Holly's pregnant wife after the fatal plane crash that took his life a well as Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, this happened in February of 1959, the "day the music died". The month of February is mentioned in he previous lyrics. Kennedy's assassination was late November.
War is over by the Beatles is a really good one because it represents what we felt after the veitnam war and that we were glad it was over most people view us as a country who has a button ready to go to war and loves it but when it is the complete opposite we hate war we don’t love it
I love the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story because it’s a comedy that satirizes the life of a typical American superstar musician as he goes through the decades of the twentieth century. Definitely worth a watch!
Part of the challenge is separating ideological or philosophical conceptions of “Americanness” from more literal ones. I tend to favor the more literal approach of seeking manifestations of lived American experiences, as opposed to portrayals of more abstract American “ideals,” or “themes.” Some people might say Star Wars is very American, for example, but I wouldn’t... at least, not by the criteria I’m using here.
We are smart audience because you are a smart guy!
Song that kind of captures early 21st Century would be American Ride. It has a more satirical take of American culture and makes fun of stereotypes of American people and Society
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned that Green Day's American Idiot (the song but also the album), because that's a very american song (and album). While Green Day wrote it as a protest to the policies of the Bush Era, they make many allusions to how, in America, things are portrayed as being rosy and the American Dream being the end all/be all, and then reject it as propaganda. It might not be as culturally dense as The Simpsons, but American Idiot is a fantastic example of modern American pop culture being brought up in media.
You can get Fallout 1 and 2 on GOG.com (I think maybe for free?) And I think mac users can install it.
Cartoon Hanks you thought wrong I’m afraid.
When he was calling us smart it was like a 1st grade teacher telling us how we were her favorite class ever
do we get stickers or stamps
Stickers? How about candy.
Teacher: No stickers! No candy! Just a Dunce Hat!
Because we ARE the smartest audience EVAR!😁😃❤️
@@VincentTorneyPlus i would rather say we ar te smart east audianse ever(spelling mistakes on purpose)
I think I love earthbound so much because it shows a Japanese interpretation and understanding of America much the same way that Americans interpret Japan
over here, which is to say in a shallow and very visual heavy way.
Hating SNL is more American than liking it.
Unpopular opinion: Modern SNL is leagues better than old SNL
It's kind of like the Simpsons in that way. Whinging about its "decline" is the great American pastime.
@Blaise Glennon yep
@Donovan 101 Bod of you to assume it was ever good.
@@SA3Future damn that is an unpopular opinion
In terms of modern music depicting modern Americanness, I think Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly fits the bill perfectly.
Meh
The Sandlot is super American. The Godfather is also very American, I've even written a paper about it.
Now that I think about it, the sandlot is like the most American thing ever
Your waifu plays like a girl.
I think the story of trying to get a baseball or some other item from a house with a "monster dog" is quintessentially American.
Especially when it turns out the "monster dog" was not actually as monstrous as you thought.
Has anyone done any analysis on the "monster dog" trope of American children's media?
I fucking love the sandlot
the sandlot is aggressively American
"America and Canada are part of the same culture. It's fine. It's fine."
For some reason I needed to hear that. That's such a small profound line, and it makes me feel unity with Canada despite our made up little border.
Canada is like the place that still had an allegiance to England, but because of its geography, could not help but be Americanized in many aspects. They still haven't accepted Fahrenheit and the imperial system. We must push harder LOL.
@@Kingdom_Of_Dreams No, please! Lets use a system that makes sense! I don't need anymore hamburgers per shutgun type systems
I'm a Canadian living in Michigan. I resonate so fully with our countries having a common culture even as we cling desperately to regional distinctives. I love your last line. "America and Canada are part of the same culture. It's fine. IT'S fine."
313
well you are in Michigan, living here I can say its basically Canadas nephew
Indeed. I’m from Michigan and my mother’s family is from Ontario (London). I now live in Japan and it has become even more obvious to me that the US and Canada are one large cultural unit with regional variations.
Na, you all are less aggressive, which I think is a good thing by the way.
LA, Vancouver, Toronto, and New York all have more in common with each other than any of those cities do with rural Quebec or Alabama. Most Anglo-Canadian provinces have more in common with the US than they do with Quebec, and most non-Southern American states have more in common with those provinces than they do with the deep south. There are regional differences but it's mostly very similar. As a Midwestern/Mountain West American, I relate more to my Canadian relatives than I do to Alabamans. And even Quebec and Alabama have more in common with the rest of Canada and the US than they do with France or the UK or anywhere else.
I owe you a huge thanks for making videos like this. Growing up and living in the American midwest if I so much as hinted at the fact that I like American culture I get beat down. Videos like these are pretty much the only place where our culture is appreciated in any way.
I truly love Over the Garden Wall. It really shows the folklore side of America that not many mediums of entertainment tend to focus on. The New England style forests, the old colonist-like clothes, it's all so good. I want to live in that universe.
Ben Jones New England is my favorite part of this country and aside from Québec, is where my mom’s family as well as my dad’s family more recently settled. It’s impossible to capture truly well on film I think and is why you rarely see it used as the setting.
@@ungrateful-66 I bet Québec has some very lovely forests as well! Are there any interesting folklore stories about said forests?
Yep over the garden wall is amazing and has a very New England feel to it. I also love how they portray the football game and party on Halloween night, it feels very familiar, even reminds me of being in grade school (and like Wirt was not invited to the parties lmao)
One of my friends really likes over the garden wall
Such an underrated show! Its somehow deeply nostalgic in spite of being released less than a decade ago.
I would say that Red Dead Redemption 2 deserves a spot because it really doesn't rely on it "Western" theme. It feels like a period piece and has fun with a ton of still relevant issues that eventually shaped the modern US. Even it's map is a carefully constructed caricature of America and it's history.
No because America isn’t in the west no more and there is only 2 rdr games
I feel like regular show is a quite American pop culture peice as it has so many parodies and criticisms of pop culture
Edofhoth Definitely.
Oh yeah you’re right on that... wow my mind is kinda blown
yeah
Totally agree.
Forgot about that show tbh but yea I agree
I love that you can take apart cultural items like this without straying into the political- very deft analysis all around. Truly an enjoyable video to watch. Awesome work, JJ!
This reminds me of when I was in Japan. There was a kid watching Zootopia in the car.m and it got to the DMV scene. I started laughing uncontrollably and everyone else was confused as to why.
I tried explaining it. It didn’t work.
That's like the only scene I have seen from that movie. All the workers being sloths is just brilliant! It's so perfect. Yes, you're at the DMV take a number it'll be a 6 hour wait even though there's only 10 ppl in line.
"You don't touch a sheep's wool!"
LOL. I was in Sicily in a hostel and Moonrise Kingdom was on tv, a very American movie, wes anderson about an alternate boy scouts. They were like why is he laughing?
YES what a great example of American culture I remember absolutely dying when a reference to speaking in tongues was mentioned. So much of I was packed with American references and parody
@@SpidermanandJeny there was 3 people ahead of me and we were there for an hour... it was for my fucking permit bro it took me 5 minutes
JJ McCollough is a man of the people. I love your audience feedback/follow up videos. As an American, you nailed this video on the head!
My friends and family like to make a big thing out of how different/better Canada is from/than the USA. To which I respond: Minnesota and Alberta (two places I've called home) have more in common than Alberta and Quebec or Minnesota and New York.
Yeah, Alberta sucks, most non Albertans think so.
Having lived in Maine 6 miles from the New Brunswick border I suspect every single Canadian province is very similar to every single adjacent American state
Driving directly north into Canada is going to be practically the same as state to the south. At least for a little bit.
Strangely enough, As a life-long New Yorker for nearly 40 years I felt far more at home in Tokyo when I visited there than when I visited other places in the US. I think I'm just comforted by ultra-urban environments.
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius is another show I see as expressing American culture and feels American
How about the illustrator Norman Rockwell, he idealized America in his artwork. Also another artist would be Andy Warhol.
I adore Norman Rockwell. One of my favorites is when he got just a little bit political with "The Problem We All Deal With." His triple self-portrait of him painting himself from a mirror and an old photograph is great, too.
My grandfather, in Canada, always distributed a Norman Rockell illustrated promotional calendar every new year to his customers.
@@DanielKivari I atill see those calendars pretty often.
Not Warhol he could have as easily been in Paris or London there would probably have been some changes on specifics but maybe not but nothing in his art really screams America so much as Pop Culture as even then Pop culture was becoming more universal.
@@FakeSchrodingersCat i disagree. Warhols art, and pop art in general, was all about America, specifically the rising consumerism after World War 2. You can see that in his paintings of things like coke bottles, Campbell's soup cans, and even celebrities. His paintings of American celebrities commented on how celebrities were essentially a product, which is shown by Andy repeating the image multiple times
Even though you mentioned that country music is more regional, one singer I think is very distinctly American is Johnny Cash. Aside from his massive hits like “I Walk the Line” or “Ring of Fire” he made many songs that shed light on American culture and issues in the 1960s-70s such as “Man In Black”, “Singing in Vietnam Talkin’ Blues” and “What is Truth?”. I don’t know of many albums that were more socially aware than his promotion of the issues of American Indians, Prisoners or the downtrodden and poor than Bitter Tears, Man in Black or Live from Folsom Prison. Another good album (and song) which I think also details this well is “Ragged Old Flag” from 1974, which was his reaction to the turmoil of Vietnam and Watergate.
I would add Gravity Falls as another example of a TV show that feels American.
Isn't it made by a Canadian?
Cartoon Hanks Alex Hirsch was born in California
Cartoon Hanks even if it was, it’s not like that would stop it from being a great piece of American culture.
Star vs. the Forces of Evil has a bunch of references to streets and neighborhoods in LA. Hey, even Marco's dad is from Mexico so it feels even more accurate.
I really hope Disney + picks it up and makes more! Made me want to move to the PNW.
I am so happy folks are still bringing up Over the Garden Wall. I remember watching it when I was a child and really, really liking it. It has so many great themes and is amazing atmospherically.
Genuine UA-camrs attract genuine people
What a great video! And I think you made good criteria of what could be considering purely "American culture" because everytime I *thought* something could be considered "American" it turned out to be regional (i.e. Appalachian folk). I think you'll find that music (not as much TV shows just based on the fact that TV shows are meant to appeal to a wide variety of individuals in the US) would be better applied to regions of the US (as is the case in Canada I am assuming).
These kind of videos are really cool and I'd love to see a comparison between different Canadian cultures compared to one another (i.e. Alberta to Quebec or Newfoundland). You could do the same thing for the US (i.e. Appalachia vs the Deep South or West Coast) as well and it would be just as entertaining.
Thanks my favorite simp!
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a good show that parodies the idea of American sitcoms. It's also filled with a lot of American stereotypes, so I'd say it is a good representation of American culture.
I think the tv shows Stranger Things and Gravity Falls are great representation of American culture. The character of Spider-Man is super American and I think The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota by Weird Al is one of the funniest repetitions of a certain type of cultures in America as well
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” is definitely one of the most American songs that exists 🇺🇸
Half of it are reference to "foreing" things
It’s just a list
J.J. McCullough An American list
black_cat It’s history from the eyes of an American.
@@skysthelimitvideos I don't really agree. Lots of history from all over the world, theres not a lot of things that wouldn't be in global news
Hey JJ. I love all your videos, especially ones like these, because they teach me to look at broader social themes from multiple perspectives. I've never really noticed how the media has forged different definitions of what it means to be American. You did an awesome job explaining it. Love your videos because they make me think constructively. Keep up the great content!
Come to think of it, John Hughes is one of the most "American" directors I could imagine.
Basically all of his movies are based around traditional Midwestern American (or broader American) culture. Based around American families and specifically American teenage culture of the 80s.
Midwestern? Have you actually been to the midwest?
@@pottingsoil Grew up in Northeast Ohio!
Almost all of the John Hughes movies take place in the Midwest (most of them Illinois/Chicago).
Ope, just realized I wrote "traditional"... culture. That's definitely not the right word. But you get what I meant.
how did Ferris Bueller's Day Off not come up in this video, that's like peak teen Americana
ua-cam.com/video/LdU_Do8wDgA/v-deo.html
@@pottingsoil What's the deal? I grew up in the Midwest and John Hughes movies are pretty damn Midwestern, yeah.
JJ I know you often lament that your channel isn't huge, but I love it how it is. The smaller audience keeps your videos intimate, I don't know how to explain this, but it feels like they would be ruined if they got bigger. I love seeing you discuss YOUR interests-- maybe I'm just being selfish!
Well thank you my friend. I admit, I do often wonder if I'd be able to make the same kind of content if I had like, a million subs.
Archie comics is pretty American, stereotypes of an average American high school. Riverdale the TV series may get mixed reviews though.
TV series Dobie Gillis might have been inspired by Archie Comics with Maynard G Krebs, name Gilligan could have been inspired by Gillis and Bob Denver played Maynard G Krebs, Gilligan and a character similar to Gilligan: Dusty in series Dusty's Trail which was similar to Gilligan's island, Wagon Train and F Troop.
Richie Rich!
@@Snoop_Dugg All in the family or everyone loves raymond
Riverdale is nothing like the comic series, sadly.
Loved this and appreciate the fact a Canadian is bringing to us. I have to take exception with your statement that country music is regional though. Maybe it used to be, but you can find many, many country music fans in all fifty states. Last August, Billboard's top three hits were all country songs. I'm really sad you left country music out. But, it's fine. It's fine.
Late to the game, but let me offer up:
The Big Lebowski
Folsom Prison Blues
Law & Order (notwithstanding that there's a British remake).
Adam Yoshida 2nding Big Lebowski
Also Inside Llywin Davis
Pretty much every Coen Bros movie is a good representation of America. I think they get it more than most directors.
Omg i love Over the Garden Wall!!! One of the best American animated series. Glad you watched it. Elijah Wood did a good job too.
Holy Moly. I was not expecting Over the Garden Wall to end up on this list. Literally nobody ever seems to know this show. It's a freaking gem.
Try reading any book by Hunter S. Thompson! He traveled America in the 60's-70's and wrote a first-person account of really crazy stories relating to themes like the San Fran hippie movement, the Hells Angels, and the 1972 presidential election.
I know I'm a year late, but Joe Pera Talks With You embodies everything I hold dear about America. Especially having grown up in the midwest.
I’m very surprised that Breaking Bad didn’t come up across either video.
It's talking about a specific part of America though, it very closely follows one man and those who he interacts with. It doesn't question many societal issues, but the man driving a Pontiac Aztec is the most American thing I've ever seen.
I think the wire should be mentioned though.
Breaking Bad wouldn't relate to some random place in New Jersey or some town in Alabama etc.
@@mr.blonde8808 you wouldn't relate 100% but it's still pretty American. Think that applies to many movies from different regions of America. I don't even know how to word what I'm tryna say lol. But you know how most of American things are from the cultures of the east coast and the south yet people in the west coast still relate to them as American. It would be like that but reverse for breaking bad.
Space Racer26 America’s messed up healthcare system? My god will you people just shut the hell up
@@kayzeaza Are you American? Have you had first hand experience with America's health care system? If yes, then you at least speak from personal experience. If not, then consider yourself ignorant. As a Canadian living in the U.S., I have great things to say about the health care here. It's far from perfect, but America is still the place to go if price isn't an object and you need the best quality medicine known to man.
Thank you. A much needed JJ video during quarantine.
J.J. I've really enjoyed these American pop culture vids. You should make other cultural ones like "most American foods" or "most American sayings" or "most American moments in history" stuff like that
It’s comforting to hear somebody refer to something from the 90’a as modern after seeing things from my childhood become “retro” recently
A movie that didn't get talked about but is steeped in Americana is Sandlot.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So, I love anything I can take ownership of as an American. I love talking with people from all around the world about their cultures and what they thing about my culture as an American. As you pointed out in the last video, it's cool because most Americans don't really feel like that have any kind of culture that is uniquely American. Anyways... I feel like an entire series or even a whole channel could even be dedicated to highliting Americanisms and culturally unique American things. If you went on to go more into this in other videos, I would definitely continue to watch, like, and enjoy them. I love American arts, American holiday traditions, American consumerism and it's hand in every aspect of the American life, and of course, uniquely American food, phrases, family dynamics and cultural stigmas about time management and money... The list just goes on. I love America. (side note: I also love other places too. I love the whole world, but America's really cool too.)
I would like to do a lot more America-themed videos, to be honest. If my audience was down!
I just saw Forest Gump a few weeks ago. My wife was like, "HOW HAVE YOU NOT SEEN FOREST GUMP! We're watching it RIGHT NOW!"
I like Parks and Rec so much!
When I was 13 my dad was talking to me and my sister about forest gump and I was like "I've never heard of it"
My dad was like, " you've gotta be dumber than forest gump if you dont know about forest gump"
Which seems mean, but he said it as a joke because he genuinely thought I was joking about not knowing what forest gump was
I don't really get all the hype. I guess maybe it's intended to be both a metaphor for how an American has to be kind of stupid or naive not to be guilty of the sins entrenched into American society and a story about how luck or fate has more impact in our circumstances and outcomes than the skill and wisdom we usually attribute it to. But, I donno, it seems pretty random and nothing in it really feels like it really means anything. It's touching or poignant at times, but it never seems to have a point.
@@BradyPostma theres a video "forest gump the myth of America" it explains it very well
@@BradyPostma Gump is America, the abstract soul of the country, and the events happening around Gump represent the people. As you can't have those events without people.
@@Udontkno7 That's kind of my point. Gump is America, and Gump is named after a KKK Grand Master, only gets into school because his mom pays a bribe with sex, his love is absolutely destroyed by society's blindness/silence regarding child abuse, fights in a war that most people think was one big war crime, his commanding officer comes home crippled and neglected by a callous society, and he loses his love to unsafe sexual promiscuity, drugs, and AIDS. He only escapes being tainted and complicit to all this ugliness and manages to be an honorable version of the American dream because he's too stupid to know what's going on.
So which am I? Stupid or complicit? I don't like a movie that tells me those are the only options.
Some slightly newer tracks that I feel distinctly portray certain facets of modern American culture:
Father John Misty - "Bored in the USA"
Sun Kil Moon - "Pray for Newtown"
Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs"
Childish Gambino - "This Is America"
The Strokes - "Hard to Explain"
Kendrick Lamar - "King Kunta"
Vince Staples - "Norf Norf"
Green Day - "Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Lana Del Rey - "God Bless America - And All The Beautiful Women In It"
Kanye West - "Who Will Survive America?"
Agree on the Green Day. The entire American Idiot album is basically an attempt at putting a certain mood among the disaffected youth of America at that point in time to music. And to this German listener, it works. It's quite evocative, even though it rarely delves into specifics.
Like for king kunta
Childish Gambino-this is America lol
I loved this video. It feels good to know that we have some degree of cultural identity. This video has made me appreciate all these pieces of media so much more!
I'm late to the conversation, but I've always recommended "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" to those wanting to know more about American Culture. Geography, weather, forms and availability of transportation, holiday observations, social/economic hierarchies and interactions, class stratification and porosity, family dynamics, employment and labor. It packs a lot and, beneath the comedy, mostly accurate. The bus scene, for example, where everyone starts singing the Flintstones theme, is quite true-to-life, including Steve Martin's initial discomfort in participating.
Oh gosh I love this movie
I forgot to comment in the previous video, but the movie: *Top Gun.*
What about the patriot ????
@@Tommythreeputts Australian actor. :)
Donald Glover’s This is America provides a really accurate perception of what being black in America is like
fallout new vegas is one of the best in the fallout series
fallout new vegas is -one of- the best in the fallout series
In my opinion from best to worst it goes. 1.New Vegas 2. Fallout 3. Fallout 3 4. Fallout 2 5.Fallout 4. 6. Fallout 76
Dominic P. It is legitimately much better now. The bugs are almost completely gone and those that aren’t are funny or extremely minor. I enjoy playing it now but at the beginning it was really bad. Triple XP this weekend is super fun and wastelanders supposedly will have 30+ hours of content when it releases in two weeks. I would suggest coming back to it, Especially on console
@@xenuvelo64 Don't be ridiculous it'd obviously 1. 76 2. 76 3. 76 4. 76 5. 76 6. 76
@@xenuvelo64 I love fallout 34
It would be really cool to have a series of this for every country. Great video JJ!
Not India though
Surprised nobody mentioned Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown is sort of weird. I feel like it doesn't take place in any identifiable place except Charlie Brown World.
J.J. McCullough Charlie Brown World, USA
@@JJMcCullough It's very much an American world if that's the case.
I feel like Charlie Brown is American in the same way Narnia is English.
Well it did start in a Comic, and short, few-panelled Cartoons which aren't set in any world, as all the comics need are a funny Plot-twist.
The movie is just an evolved idea of the Sketchy world the short Comics are set in so despite any pop-culture references, I believe that Charlie Brown is just set in his own world....
My daughter was a fan of the Bandai Namco rhythm game "We Cheer" (and "We Cheer 2") for the original Wii, which is about cheerleading, which from a Japanese perspective is a strange American thing, so it has a lot of odd Japanese takes on American culture. My favorite level is the one set in "Massachusetts, USA" which is full of palm trees and mission-inspired architecture.
My family listens to Alices Restaurant every thanksgiving. This is one of my favorite songs, and definitely worthy of being in this list.
One local radio station plays it every hour Thanksgiving afternoon.
I personally liked Over the Garden Wall because it seemed to represent the very regional New England style culture that I was used to and grew up with. I find that rare as often American cultural representations focus on the South/ Texas/ the Wild West, New York (Just the city and nowhere else in the state) and California.
Hey JJ, do you know Tom Lehrer? Great satirist of the late 50's and 60's, wrote his own songs accompanied only by his piano. He sang about American topics of the time, about current politics and satirised also music trends. I recommend The Vatican Rag, Who's Next and his Christmas medley.
"I Got it From Agnes" has new meaning in this time of pandemic. Tom Lehrer 👏❣️
Yeah he’s great!
I would say he’s most famous for his elements of the periodic table song, though obviously that’s not a distinctly American work. Overall, though, his songs are a very good satire of American Cold War era politics
@@actionjackson6160 It's strange that he just sort of gave up on what appeared to be a promising career.
and new math! and poisoning pigeons in the park.
It's fine, indeed. We're glad to have America Junior as part of the whole Anglo-North-American cultural stew. Also, thank you -- I binged Over the Garden Wall since watching your video yesterday. I'd never heard of it before.
Not sure if others have said this, but the TV shows All In The Family and Good Times are archetypal examples of American culture from the 1970s. Many people regard them as the first unfiltered perspectives of American society on TV. They also inspired a lot of spinoffs and other cultural references even up to today.
From the 1950s, "The Sweet Smell of Success" (movie). From 2016-2018, "Atlanta" (TV show). The first explores the depth of compromise one is able to plumb in order to achieve "making it big"-ness. The second explores the same theme of compromise and how low one will go in order to "survive."
Part of the challenge of defining what is "American" is that it is literally "The United States", and you have 50 of those. Now you can squeeze some of those together, but you still get a case of regionalism. And then you have the overall subcultures of urban, suburban, and rural life. I think it is similar in asking "What is Canadian". What kinds of things do Quebec, Ontario, PEI and Alberta have in common? Frankly I think it is a fluke of history that North America didn't end up like Europe -- I could very easily see the North American continent being carved up into a dozen independent nations through plausible alternate history events.
That was pretty much what it was before European Contact.
You could say the same about every country, your culture isnt that distinct from place to place, tho that attitude is very american lol
@@dezodroya no it actually is very diverse. Less than back in the day when people didn't move around as much and were more isolated. But you could've easily divided the US in at least 5+ countries if you wanted to. This is coming from a long haul trucker who's driven around the country multiple times. All these places are super different from each other in terms of geography and local cultures and history. Like I said not much anymore but up until few decades back Yea. Areas like The pacific Northwest (which includes very northern California), California, Southwestern desert states, Texas, Rocky Mountain states, Deep south,Appalachian region, New England region, mid Atlantic region, Midwest , Sierra Nevadas, Louisiana, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida. Mix and Match it however you want maybe even forgot a few areas but if you were to travel across America say 60-70 yrs ago it would be a big culture shock region to region. I wish I was a trucker back then lol.
Don't forget Puerto Rico and Guam.
@@dezodroya No, you can't. There are only about a half-dozen to dozen countries with the land area, population size, and/or racial diversity that can.
American Pie is my favorite song of all time! I'm really happy it was recommended. It strikes a cord with me and discusses so many important themes.
I was sort of suprised he didn't mention the Andy Griffith Show
The Official Xongan Government I know right?
I think We Didn't Start the Fire is a great "modern American" song that encapsules a lot of events and nuggets of jokes, that if you weren't educated about the things mentioned in the songs, it would be hard to recognize them.
Especially since it has been dubbed over so many times with specific years like 2020
Though I know it doesn't fit into any category, I would argue Disneyland is one of the most enduring pieces of American culture. The Walt Disney Company's ethos- or at least, it's traditional ethos- is drenched in Americana. You really can't get more American than Walt Disney, and Disneyland, with Main Street USA, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, and Liberty Square (in the Magic Kingdom) are some of the most American *things* I can think of. While all the classic movies are indeed based off of mainly European fairy tales, I'd argue that Disney is a uniquely American phenomenon that has come to define American culture, both at home and abroad. Main Street USA especially is pure, distilled American culture- with references to American stories like Casey At the Bat, American symbols like Barber shop quartets and suffragettes, while it does reference a very specific time in American history, a lot of American identity is still wrapped up in Main Street.
As for video games, I'm shocked Bioshock: Infinite didn't get a mention. I think someone also mentioned John Hughes movies, though as a thoroughly American genre overall, what about Road trip movies? The Road Trip Movie is something that, I think, could only really be invented in a country like the United States, because no other country quite has the mix of large size, an intricate highway system, and the car culture that America has.
So glad you saw Over the Garden Wall. It is such a charming cartoon that captures the feeling of old Americana folklore.
The part when JJ was talking about very American music, I was just thinking of Miley Cyrus's Party in the USA song. XDD
Definitely a Welcome-to-Adulthood song for most millennials
Not sure if your American, but people were singing that song in the streets the night they killed Osama bin laden
@@andrewsutherland133are you sure about that? and I I'm American and I've never heard of that..
@@hazelnut5215 yeah, it was on the news
@@andrewsutherland133 can you send me a link or something? I'm curious, I've been trying to find it but I haven't seen anything.
the movie for alice's restaurant is also very good ... i love the part when arlo gets drafted to serve in Vietnam and then pretends like he is crazy to try and get out of his service , but the army only loved him more . It was very anti-war and self aware .
I always thought the A-team was pretty American. They were always helping folk who were trying to live the American dream but bad guys somehow tried to stop them.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Total Drama , and especially We Didn’t Start the Fire are all great examples of American culture
That simp joke made me giggle like a 12 year old girl and im not even mad XD
What is the timing?
@@vfsdm 0:23
JJ could never be a simp, what would be a gay equivalent to simp
• VFSDM • gimp?
Simd?
you showed up on my youtube homepage, and i have to say that your content is really entertaining
I must say, you have the best hair on the internet. I like how it keeps changing.
That 70’s show is a great example of American culture of the 70s and before.
I was very surprised that you didn’t mention Bruce Springsteen’s “born in the USA” which I think have very strong social commentary on the Vietnam war and also the entire ironic situation where this song is so popular on Fourth of July
I think spec ops the line is also a good candidate for a distinctly American game as it's themes deal with a lot of controversies and politics around American imperialism and the morally gray use of the military. It also deconstructs a lot of the foundations of modern American shooters like battlefield and call of duty.
“That 70’s Show” is pretty American
It is it is good to
I think that one of the most American songs is “Take the A Train” by Duke Ellington because it describes on of the most American cities, New York, and how different culture groups of people can go together and see one of the first original American art forms, Jazz
JJ: a Canadian simping on American culture
Very surprised that nobody said “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
'Riders on the Storm' by the Doors has an interesting and dark take on the relatively modern American folklore with its themes of the highway and family.
Bob Dylan is one of the most American authors out there.
"Boyhood" by Richard Linklater depicts life of a young boy in Texas of 2000s and the early 2010s and includes various cultural phenomenons of the era.
I learn so much watching your channel. Awesome
You should do a few of these episodes on Canada.
A few good TV shows I’d say represent Canada pretty well are as follows; The Redgreen show, Corner Gas and Letterkenny
I don't want to imply Canada has some robust distinct culture, because it doesn't.
@@JJMcCullough
Lol, I'd say we do, just isn't as pronounced as The U.S. We do have a lot in common for sure.
@@TKinfinity01 Well in the same way like, the US South has a distinct culture, or New England or something. Regional variants on an overwhelmingly common culture.
@@JJMcCullough Very true. Except for Manitoba, no idea what goes on there. XD Cheers from Ontario!
The ones I recognizes is Letterkenny.
Ned’s declassified school survival guide is very American in that it presents kids with an over the top version of how American high school works
_Alice's Restaurant_ and _American Pie_ are the first ones you mentioned that I really liked. In the latter, I think that the person who "read a book by Marx" was a composite of both Lenin and Lennon.
To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most American albums i've ever heard and yet, is a collection of vinets of that covers a group not normally scene as the center of American culture, and it does it all amazingly, good kid maad city is also a great runner up from the same artist
What is the most American pop-culture thing? American Dad! It has American right in the title!
Dazed and Confused, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Nebraska, Sideways, Urban Cowboy, Five Easy Pieces, HUD, The Hustler, American Graffiti, Racing with the Moon, Breaking Away
"Sclerotic". Thanks for that addition to my word bank, J.J.!
i love over the garden wall, i watch it every year when autumn begins
Don't let this distract from the fact Mickey Mouse killed a bird in Steamboat Willy
Or him pulling a cat's tail (A regular cat, not Pete)
Oh Mickey has killed lots of things.
@@JJMcCullough Like the public domain
Nadikarosuto Draws Well this escalated quickly
@@il-dottore ayoo
I'm from Argentina and I love american culture. Not the stereotype, but the things that couldnt be possible un other place.
Like Primus, country, slap bass, weird stopmotion and lyrics.
Ir Zappa with his humor and exploration of afroamerican music.
With how short his intros are getting, the next one is just going to say, "Hey, JJ, I'm best guy" and move onto the video
Shovlaxnet Did I ever have longer intros?
@@JJMcCullough No No, never seriously
@@JJMcCullough Didn't you used to go "Hey y'all, it's JJ, everyone's favorite Canadian UA-camr"?
Okay so I looked through your older videos and you didn't. This is the obvious evidence of parallel universes you keep ignoring.
On a more serious note, whoopsies
Shovlaxnet I don’t even do the “hello friends” thing consistently.
I feel like Tony Hawk was robbed of the spotlight haha. The music curation alone in the games helped create so many additional cultural touch points. Great videos though, I love everything about these 🙏🏽🙏🏽
16:22 Me as a German trying to talk to Austrians about the same thing 😂
@@theprofessionalfence-sitter I think that Austrians are part of the bigger German cultural sphere. Just like Canadians are part of the American. Despite all regional differences.
@@theodorkorner1497 I'm very interested in countries that are part of common cultural spheres. I feel like the smaller partners in these arrangements (Canada, Austria, New Zealand, Pakistan, Belarus, Ireland, some of the South American countries) usually have a lot of anxieties flowing from this, and are often in a lot of stubborn, proud denial about the whole situation. Obviously there are historical contexts that can be cited to rationalize some of this, but as a modern cultural phenomenon I think it says something about man's often irrationally tribal nature.
@@JJMcCullough why are the Irish on that list?
@@JJMcCullough Yeah, it's like the most important part of their identity is that they are not in any way similar to their bigger neighbor. That's really a touchy topic for many people, especially online ^^
@@ianlilley2577 Because the Irish are obviously part of the British cultural sphere.
There’s a really good book by a British author I haven’t seen brought up much called American gods which is just an amazing example of the “melting pot” of cultures that America can be
His screen says "don't lick black foxes" in czech and I'm not sure why.
Jan Fiedler don’t judge the kind of websites I visit
I'm guessing that he didn't know what it said. Because he doesn't read Czech.
@@JJMcCullough you can lick foxes as much as you like, I was just surprised to see czech writings
@@BradyPostma I hope he didn't know....thought of him needing a reminder not to lick foxes is rather disturbing.
Maybe it's not so much about not licking ANY foxes, but just give the black foxes a break. Go lick the orange ones or the white ones for a while, and leave the black ones alone, **JJ**.
The "Widowed Bride" reference from American Pie was Buddy Holly's pregnant wife after the fatal plane crash that took his life a well as Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, this happened in February of 1959, the "day the music died". The month of February is mentioned in he previous lyrics. Kennedy's assassination was late November.
In terms of musical styles jazz and blues are deeply rooted in american culture.
War is over by the Beatles is a really good one because it represents what we felt after the veitnam war and that we were glad it was over most people view us as a country who has a button ready to go to war and loves it but when it is the complete opposite we hate war we don’t love it
Diary of a wimpy kid is very great preteen book series that captures the early 2000s school life for kids.
I love the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story because it’s a comedy that satirizes the life of a typical American superstar musician as he goes through the decades of the twentieth century. Definitely worth a watch!