What do David Beckham, Chinese food and salsa dancing all have in common?
No, ladies, they are not the ingredients for the perfect night out — they’re all examples of America’s favourite imports.
Soccer-playing Beckham topped the list of foreign sports stars we’ve taken to our hearts, ahead of baseball stars David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa.
Former James Bond legend Sean Connery was named the top celebrity import, followed by Liam Neeson, Jim Carrey and Sofia Vergara.
The survey of 1,000 Americans by mobile cable service provider YIPTV also identified our favourite TV shows, brands, food and even dance styles.
The most popular imports:
Celebrities
1. Sean Connery
2. Liam Neeson
3. Jim Carrey
4. Sofia Vergara
5. Jackie Chan
6. Anthony Hopkins
7. Pierce Brosnan
8. Catherine Zeta-Jones
9. Charlize Theron
10. Salma Hayek
TV shows
1. All in the Family (Till Death Us Do Part – UK)
2. Three’s Company (Man about the House – UK)
3. Sanford and Son (Steptoe and Son – UK)
4. American Idol (Pop Idol – UK)
5. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – UK)
6. Dancing with the Stars (Strictly Come Dancing – UK)
7. Undercover Boss (Undercover Boss – UK)
8. The Voice (The Voice of Holland – Netherlands)
9. Deal or No Deal (Hunt for Millions – Netherlands)
10. Hell’s Kitchen (Hell’s Kitchen – UK)
Sports stars
1. David Beckham (Soccer)
2. David Ortiz (Baseball)
3. Alex Rodriguez (Baseball)
4. Sammy Sosa (Baseball)
5. Pelé (Soccer)
6. Manny Pacquiao (Boxing)
7. Yao Ming (Basketball)
8. Manny Ramírez (Baseball)
9. Steve Nash (Basketball)
10. Dirk Nowitzki (Basketball)
Brands
1. Samsung
2. Nestle
3. Sony
4. Honda
5. BMW
6. Toyota
7. L’Oréal
8. Canon
9. Panasonic
10. Audi
Clothing
1. Adidas
2. Reebok
3. H&M
4. Puma
5. Gucci
6. Dolce & Gabbana
7. Burberry
8. Armani
9. Chanel
10. Hugo Boss / Louis Vuitton
Cuisine
1. Chinese
2. Italian
3. Mexican
4. Japanese
5. Thai
6. Greek
7. Spanish
8. Indian
9. German
10. Vietnamese
Meals
1. Pizza
2. Tacos
3. Spaghetti
4. Fried Rice
5. Lasagne
6. Burritos
7. Ravioli
8. Fajitas
9. Fettuccine Alfredo
10. Chicken Parmigiana
Dance
1. Salsa
2. Tango
3. Cha Cha
4. Belly Dance
5. Waltz
6. Line Dance
7. Rumba
8. Samba
9. Irish Stepdance
10. Flamenco
The research showed that one in eight Americans watches more originally foreign TV shows than home-born shows and one in 11 now watches as many foreign sporting events as they do America’s own.
Most people (85 per cent) eat at least one foreign dish each week, and one in eight eat more international foods than they do traditional American fare.
Michael Tribolet, CEO of YIPTV, whose Internet TV platform provides low-cost, live TV programming, including domestic and international network content from across the globe, said: “America has long been home to people from many nations and eventually those cultures will have influence on the greater population.
“Our survey shows that 67 per cent of Americans believe international culture has influenced American society. What is significant is that more than half say the diversity of foreign entertainment and products has enhanced American life and culture.
“There are so many rich cultures around the world it’s understandable why American lifestyle is so greatly influenced by foreign ideas.
“Thanks to mobile technology, it’s now easier than ever to stay updated on everything from news and sports to TV shows and other forms of entertainment.”
