Obsession with the US

Since we are just a week away from what I'm sure is taking up its fair share of the news coverage in the States, I thought I'd comment on something that's been on my mind pretty much since we moved here - the amount of coverage that the US gets over here.

Starting next Tuesday at 11pm (5pm Central), one of the major news networks over here begins their wall-to-wall US election coverage. That blows my mind. Our first weekend here in London the front page of the Sunday paper had a huge picture of a Tina Fey lookalike I'd never seen before.

Outside of the political world - every major film opens up over here about a month after the US, and even more crazy is the fact that TV shows air here (also about a month behind). So, shows like Heroes, Deperate Housewives (for Jenna), Lost, and some other big ones will air over here shortly after the US. The reruns are crazy too - they literally have Friends on for at least 4 hours per day. There is, by far, more US television available here than British television. We watch Heroes on the BBC!!! And this Sunday, we got to watch an NFL game that was played over here.

I just find it interesting because of how little we care for the goings-on of any other country. I would venture to say that about 75% of Americans could name the Queen and the line of succession (Elizabeth - Charles - William). I think I'd be stretching it to say that 40% know who the PM is (Gordon Brown). At the next level down, you really fall off the map - I'd say less than 1% - that could say who the Chancellor is, or what he does (Alistair Darling - head of finances - kindof a "2nd in command" - would be similar to Bernake, but more important/prestigious).

Also, you're not likely to see Eastenders or Hollyoaks airing on FOX this season.

I guess I expected that to some degree we'd be getting away from all of the media hoopla and detach a bit from the US when we came over, but it is like a parasite - we can't get away!!!!