58 Stereotypical Things Americans Do In Movies And TV Shows That Make No Sense To Non-Americans (2024)

Over the last 5-10 years, X has become a place where non-Americans ask questions about Americans based on what they've seen in movies and TV shows.

58 Stereotypical Things Americans Do In Movies And TV Shows That Make No Sense To Non-Americans (1)

Because these questions are always funny to me, I've compiled 58 of my ALL-TIME favorites.

1.The way Americans are always talking about the last four digits of their social security numbers.

Do Americans really have the last 4 digits of their social memorized, or is this just one of those TV things just to save time?

01:59 AM - 12 Jul 2020

2.Their obsession with Halloween.

Do Americans really care about Halloween or is that a tv show/twitter thing

10:26 AM - 03 Sep 2018

3. The use of "like."

Do Americans really say "like" every 10 seconds, or is it a reality TV show thing ?

β€” C.C πŸ‡»πŸ‡¨πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡Ή (@DaGirlShellyann) September 25, 2023

Twitter: @DaGirlShellyann

4. School dances.

do Americans really have school dances or is that made up for tv

β€” Jenny (@barfieldgussy) April 16, 2024

Twitter: @barfieldgussy

5.How they're always heating up water in the microwave.

do americans actually heat up water in the microwave or is that just in tv shows

08:22 PM - 17 Dec 2018

6.The way they "chew" pills.

Why do Americans chew pills like they’re sweets in films πŸ˜‚

03:08 AM - 13 Apr 2020

7.How they never say goodbye on the phone.

Do Americans really not say goodbye when ending a phone call? All these tv shows they just hang up.

11:12 PM - 16 Mar 2018

8.The way they never take their shoes off when they enter someone's house.

Do Americans really not take there shoes off when they enter a house? Or is that just another weird thing from American movies

11:24 AM - 17 Dec 2020

9.How they're always eating loads of meatloaf.

Do Americans really eat as much meatloaf as TV makes it seem?They must be like, 60% loaf by now.

03:34 PM - 07 Oct 2017

10.The use of the phrase "Just get some rest."

Do Americans really say "Just get some rest", to each other. It feels like something they only say in films.

04:14 PM - 13 Nov 2020

11.The way Americans call people "jerks" and "douches."

Do Americans actually say words like jerk and douche or is it just in films πŸ˜‚

12:01 AM - 29 Jul 2020

12.The way they eat ice cream out of the tub.

Do Americans really eat ice cream out the tub when they're sad or is that just on movies?

08:15 AM - 12 Jan 2014

13.The way they walk out with a box of their crap when they get fired from their jobs.

Do Americans actually walk out with a box when they get fired or is that a movie thing?

08:17 PM - 02 Nov 2020

14.How they're always "going for dessert."

Why do Americans in films always 'go for dessert'? Why not just have dessert in the restaurant you were just in?!

12:40 PM - 30 Nov 2013

15.The "fake baby" school assignments.

Do Americans actually do those projects/assignments like we see on TV Shows & Films like the fake babies, getting β€˜married’ to each other and all that πŸ€”

11:23 PM - 09 Jun 2020

16.The way they play "trees" and other inanimate objects in school plays.

Do Americans really be having kids play trees in the school play or is that just a tv thing πŸ€”

03:03 PM - 18 Dec 2020

17.How they're always comparing things to the length of football fields.

I wish Americans in movies would just top comparing the length of things to that of a football field. I have no idea how long that is.

11:05 AM - 17 Jun 2013

18.How they always try to stop natural disasters.

It amuses me when Americans in movies try to stop a natural disaster ending the world because they're Americans and they just have to try

06:58 PM - 06 Oct 2011

19.The way they call their dog "pooch."

Do Americans really refer to their dogs as "pooch" or is it just a TV thing

10:32 AM - 04 Aug 2020

20.The way Americans "grab" a cup of coffee.

Why do Americans on TV shows have to go "grab" a cup of coffee? Can't see how that could ever end well. Especially if the cup is styrofoam.

09:12 PM - 03 Jun 2011

21.All of the guns.

Why do Americans in TV shows insist on owning guns they cannot aim

10:33 PM - 26 Jan 2022

22.The way they call their sons "son."

Do Americans really call their sons β€œson” or is that just in tv? Is so weird to me

12:29 AM - 26 Jan 2022

23.How they call their dad "old man."

do americans actually call their dads my old man or is that just in tv shows

08:16 PM - 14 Jul 2021

24.How they have bread rolls with every meal.

Do Americans have bread rolls with every meal? Been noticing this on various TV shows. And are they called dinner rolls?

06:17 PM - 14 Nov 2021

25.Cheerleaders.

Wait do Americans actually have cheerleaders? Or was that just in tv

01:12 AM - 26 Jul 2021

26.The way they eat Pop Tarts for breakfast.

Do Americans actually eat pop tarts for breakfast or is that just in the TV shows because they’re SO SWEET

11:22 PM - 05 Jul 2021

27.The way they always flee to Mexico.

Why do Americans on tv always flee to Mexico? I promise you no one will look for you in rural quebec

11:14 PM - 12 May 2021

28.The way they order a beer.

Why do Americans on TV always just order β€œa beer” and always seem to get the one they want? There’s lots of beer!

08:55 PM - 12 Mar 2021

29.High school reunions.

Do Americans actually do high school reunions? Or is that just TV shows and movies?

03:18 PM - 26 Feb 2021

30.The way Americans are always watching golf on TV.

Do americans really watch golfing on tv?

08:05 PM - 07 Feb 2021

31.Dissecting frogs.

Do americans actually have to dissect frogs for school or is that just a tv thing

10:18 PM - 25 Sep 2021

32.The overuse of paper plates.

Why do Americans on TV always use so many paper plates?

09:15 PM - 13 Jan 2021

33.The use of the phrase "How you holding up?"

Do Americans actually say β€œhow you holding up” or is that just in films and tv shows

11:40 AM - 05 Jan 2021

34.The way Americans always say people's first and last names.

Do Americans say peoples first and last names all the time in real life or is it just a film and tv thing?!

08:32 PM - 13 Jan 2022

35.Sweet sixteens.

wait do americans actually have sweet sixteens or is that just in films 😭

12:26 PM - 21 Dec 2021

36.Red plastic cups.

Why do Americans in films drink booze out of red plastic cups at 'house' parties?

09:26 PM - 10 Apr 2021

37.The fact that they're always climbing through people's windows.

Why do Americans always climb through peoples windows in films etc? Does this happen in real life πŸ˜‚

11:54 PM - 01 Mar 2021

38.Chinese takeout boxes.

Do Americans really keep square boxes of cold, uneaten Chinese food in their fridges or is this just a lie sold to us by television studios?

11:05 PM - 05 Oct 2021

39.Devilled eggs.

Do Americans eat devilled eggs as much as the television would lead us to believe?

11:31 PM - 22 Feb 2021

40.How they're always crying.

why do americans cry so much in reality shows

03:47 PM - 18 Jan 2022

41.Prescription drug commercials.

Why the f*ck do Americans have so many commercials for prescription drugs???? Is this normal????

12:52 PM - 12 Nov 2021

42. The way they always drink glasses of milk.

do Americans really drink a glass of milk with their dinner? Or is that just something made up for the movies?

β€” lucas (@LucasOakeley) December 6, 2023

Twitter: @LucasOakeley

43. Yellow school buses.

do americans actually go in the yellow bus in movies to school

β€” tori β™‘οΈŽ (@twiliocarina) December 12, 2023

Twitter: @twiliocarina

44. How they're always sleeping in their underwear.

do americans really sleep with just underwear on or is that just a thing in movies 😭

β€” aj | atz cb 5/31 πŸ΄β€β˜ οΈ (@saranghaetee*z) January 21, 2024

Twitter: @saranghaetee*z

45. Frat houses.

Just a question? Do Americans have Frat houses or is it just in the movies?

β€” Julia Rigby (@juliapye) January 22, 2024

Twitter: @juliapye

46. All of the PB&J sandwiches.

Why do Americans always eat peanut butter and jam sandwiches in films?

β€” Thomas Gray (@uxthom) March 19, 2024

Twitter: @uxthom

47. Garbage disposals.

do americans actually have garbage disposals in their sinks or is it something movies made up because i refuse to believe they are real

β€” rhea (@rheastwt) September 4, 2023

Twitter: @rheastwt

48. The tiny TVs in their kitchens.

Do Americans actually have tiny TVs in their kitchens or was that just a thing in movies??

β€” Em (they/them) πŸ©·πŸ’œπŸ’™ (@emh9817) September 24, 2023

Twitter: @emh9817

49. Christmas card photos.

Do Americans really take themed photos for Christmas cards to send to loved ones like in the movies cause that's such a cute thing to me actually

β€” ✨Jinx πŸ¦‹πŸͺΆ (@jinxyble) October 8, 2023

Twitter: @jinxyble

50. The way they get their mail delivered through a hole in a door.

do americans actually have a hole in their door for mail and people that throw mail on their driveway like in movies????

β€” daniel (Taylor’s Version) πŸ“ (@torturedfuture) February 9, 2023

Twitter: @torturedfuture

51. The baby room in the hospital.

Do Americans really put their newborn babies in that baby museum like they do in the movies? Why?

β€” elle.isss (@ellisLouise_) June 4, 2023

Twitter: @ellisLouise_

52. Coffee creamer.

do Americans really use cream in coffe or is it just something they do in the movies like ...?I ran out of milk and used cream instead and I felt like someone was laughing at me

β€” Royce (@RoyceEmanuelle) November 8, 2023

Twitter: @RoyceEmanuelle

53. Christmas caroling.

Do Americans actually go sing at each others doors on Christmas or is that some embarrassing movie sh*t?

β€” β˜½ο½‘β‹† (@4everahater) November 16, 2023

Twitter: @4everahater

54. The way Americans start eating or drinking things in the supermarket before paying for it.

do americans drink what theyre gonna pay for in a supermarket or is that a movies thing

β€” james🎱✦ (@weezerfan001) January 7, 2024

Twitter: @weezerfan001

55. The way they always ask to "thank the chef."

do americans really ask to thank the chef for their food directly or is that only a thing in movies πŸ€”

β€” π–•π–‘π–†π–žπ–Œπ–šπ–—π–‘Ω„Ψ§ (@uhluvlucy) July 13, 2022

Twitter: @uhluvlucy

56. College application essays.

Do americans actually have to write essays guilt tripping universities to accept them or is that just in movies

β€” β˜†Ψ±ΩˆΨ΄ (@mygquacky) May 16, 2023

Twitter: @mygquacky

57. Casually chatting on roofs.

Do Americans really sit on the roof of their house for a chat or is it just in movies?

β€” OnlyZans πŸ‡―πŸ‡² (@OnlyZans) August 17, 2023

Twitter: @OnlyZans

58. And lastly, tequila. There's always tequila.

Do Americans love tequila that much or is it just the TV shows and movies?

β€” Zana (@petite_melanin) March 11, 2023

Twitter: @petite_melanin

58 Stereotypical Things Americans Do In Movies And TV Shows That Make No Sense To Non-Americans (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Zonia Mosciski DO

Last Updated:

Views: 5998

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Zonia Mosciski DO

Birthday: 1996-05-16

Address: Suite 228 919 Deana Ford, Lake Meridithberg, NE 60017-4257

Phone: +2613987384138

Job: Chief Retail Officer

Hobby: Tai chi, Dowsing, Poi, Letterboxing, Watching movies, Video gaming, Singing

Introduction: My name is Zonia Mosciski DO, I am a enchanting, joyous, lovely, successful, hilarious, tender, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.