Dumb question: entire USA sits at one table. Who sits at the head of it?

bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
edited July 2018 in All Encompassing Trip

I thought of something tonight that I thought about a few years ago.  If all of the USA (currently living) was having dinner at ONE table, who would sit at the head of the table.  My thought was it would be.......Bruce Springsteen.  Actors love Bruce, politicians love Bruce, blue collar people love Bruce, white collar people love Bruce.    I couldn't think of anyone cooler or that wouldn't be more excited to meet Bruce than Bruce to meet that person.  Maybe Tom Hanks but I don't think so.

Dumb question. Sorry to waste your time.  If you have another name though, throw it out there. 

«13

Comments

  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Round table.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,377
    Well, Bruce is the Boss.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    edited July 2018
    rgambs said:
    Round table.

    haha.  nice. 

    who would sit in King Arthur's seat....

  • WobbieWobbie Posts: 29,380
    me.

    duh.
    If I had known then what I know now...

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  • PJWGIIIPJWGIII Chicago, IL Posts: 806
    Couldn't agree more. He's the only boss all Americans actually listen to anyway!
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 NYC Posts: 25,717
    I’ll go with Obama
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  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    I'm going with Springsteen ... He can bring people together.  
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    First of all, I like the question- a lot.  It got my brain whirring right away. Great thread, bootlegger!

    I like the Springsteen, for sure. 

    But it's a tough question because there might me some other strong possibilities...

    Willie Nelson.  Loved by North and South, not strong politically connected and he would get the whole table stoned and a hell of a lot of laughing would ensue.  And then when the meals over and the party slows down he'll pull out Trigger and play "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" and everyone will have tears in their eyes and but smiling too.

    Sidney Poitier would be another choice.  Wise, intelligent, handsome, soft spoken.  How could anyone argue with Mr. Poitier at the head of the table? 

    Robin Williams, were he with us.  Oh man.




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  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    brianlux said:
    First of all, I like the question- a lot.  It got my brain whirring right away. Great thread, bootlegger!

    I like the Springsteen, for sure. 

    But it's a tough question because there might me some other strong possibilities...

    Willie Nelson.  Loved by North and South, not strong politically connected and he would get the whole table stoned and a hell of a lot of laughing would ensue.  And then when the meals over and the party slows down he'll pull out Trigger and play "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" and everyone will have tears in their eyes and but smiling too.

    Sidney Poitier would be another choice.  Wise, intelligent, handsome, soft spoken.  How could anyone argue with Mr. Poitier at the head of the table? 

    Robin Williams, were he with us.  Oh man.




    I like the choice of Robbin Williams ... one problem, he'd have us laughing so hard we'd never finish dinner ... lol

    Tom Hanks would be a good choice as well...


    Give Peas A Chance…
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    brianlux said:
    First of all, I like the question- a lot.  It got my brain whirring right away. Great thread, bootlegger!

    I like the Springsteen, for sure. 

    But it's a tough question because there might me some other strong possibilities...

    Willie Nelson.  Loved by North and South, not strong politically connected and he would get the whole table stoned and a hell of a lot of laughing would ensue.  And then when the meals over and the party slows down he'll pull out Trigger and play "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" and everyone will have tears in their eyes and but smiling too.

    Sidney Poitier would be another choice.  Wise, intelligent, handsome, soft spoken.  How could anyone argue with Mr. Poitier at the head of the table? 

    Robin Williams, were he with us.  Oh man.




    I like the choice of Robbin Williams ... one problem, he'd have us laughing so hard we'd never finish dinner ... lol

    Tom Hanks would be a good choice as well...


    Hanks!  Yes, we still have Hanks.  Great choice!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    I’ll go with Obama
    Yeah...that would be tough competition for Bruce.  Maybe Bruce has the age factor.  A lot of the country doesn't like Obama, but again a lot of right leanings don't like Bruce either.  You could be right though. 
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    Oprah. 

    What is wrong with you people?

    Everybody loves Oprah!!!
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    Haha.  Some solid contenders here.  
  • darwinstheorydarwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 5,692
    Oprah and Hanks for sure. 

    OOooRRRrrr...
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  • KC138045KC138045 Columbus, OH Posts: 2,715
    Oprah. 

    What is wrong with you people?

    Everybody loves Oprah!!!
    I don't like Oprah or Bruce(his music anyways)

    I say Morgan Freeman just so he can narrate the dinner
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  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    Oprah and Hanks for sure. 

    OOooRRRrrr...
    David S. Pumpkins! Any questions?
    Several....
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    brianlux said:
    First of all, I like the question- a lot.  It got my brain whirring right away. Great thread, bootlegger!

    I like the Springsteen, for sure. 

    But it's a tough question because there might me some other strong possibilities...

    Willie Nelson.  Loved by North and South, not strong politically connected and he would get the whole table stoned and a hell of a lot of laughing would ensue.  And then when the meals over and the party slows down he'll pull out Trigger and play "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" and everyone will have tears in their eyes and but smiling too.

    Sidney Poitier would be another choice.  Wise, intelligent, handsome, soft spoken.  How could anyone argue with Mr. Poitier at the head of the table? 

    Robin Williams, were he with us.  Oh man.




    All good suggestions.  

    This thread has already tripled the responses I thought I would get.  
  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    Another good choice Samual L. Jackson
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,171
    Michael Jordan
  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,218
    Hmm. I'm not a fan of most of the names mentioned. They might be fighting words, but I'd wager that Tom Hanks is the most overrated actor of our time.

    I like the round table idea.

    How about more women? In the Willie Nelson vein, how about Dolly Parton? She's Nelson's songwriting equal. Or Mavis Staples? Or Michelle Obama?

    While I'm tempted to argue the absurdity of the original question (no offense intended, OP, my mind immediately went to visualizing the size and placement of the table, how one would even know where the head was and who sat there, etc.), I think it does lead to an interesting cultural question: who is the defining character, the embodiment, of American (literary) culture? England has Shakespeare, Russia has Pushkin, Germany has Goethe, Poland has Mickiewicz (nice statue of him in Krakow!) -- who is the quintessential American author, the "father" of American literature? We also could have the same discussion about other art forms -- who is the embodiment of American music? Etc. 
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  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    Tom Hanks over-rated ... now that gave me a great laugh.  Not only is he not over-rated he's one of the most genuine celebrities on the planet...
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    Another good choice Samual L. Jackson
    If you like to hear the word "muthafukka" all the time, then yes.

    KC138045 said:
    Oprah. 

    What is wrong with you people?

    Everybody loves Oprah!!!
    I don't like Oprah or Bruce(his music anyways)

    I say Morgan Freeman just so he can narrate the dinner
    For narrating it should be James Earl Jones.
  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    Another good choice Samual L. Jackson
    If you like to hear the word "muthafukka" all the time, then yes.

    KC138045 said:
    Oprah. 

    What is wrong with you people?

    Everybody loves Oprah!!!
    I don't like Oprah or Bruce(his music anyways)

    I say Morgan Freeman just so he can narrate the dinner
    For narrating it should be James Earl Jones.
    Then Samual L it is ... 
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • AnnafalkAnnafalk Sweden Posts: 4,004
    It's Eddie Vedder off course, :) 
  • dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
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  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    dankind said:
    Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo
    Damn Dan, why you gotta go that route?
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  • darwinstheorydarwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 5,692
    Hmm. I'm not a fan of most of the names mentioned. They might be fighting words, but I'd wager that Tom Hanks is the most overrated actor of our time.

    Please accept my sincerest apologies but, I found myself unable to take you're otherwise well written post with a great seriousness upon reading your opening statements. :)

    I don't think we would be able to have someone with a formal political background. Especially with the great divides amongst people and parties in recent times. For this reason, the likes of Michelle Obama would likely not be the best choice. I'd be fine with it, but I'm sure it is only a matter of time before a far right person gives his/her $.02. Just as many would do if someone suggest any members from our current administration. 

    It is my belief, that we are looking for someone whom people with all political affiliations can get behind. I think that's where people (myself definitely included) come up with the likes of the Oprah's and the Tom Hanks of the country. Obviously there is nobody that all Americans will get behind. But the most well liked and respected American female HAS to be Oprah, doesnt it? Who is the most well liked and respected American male? Gates? Hanks? Warren Buffet? Ditka? Lol...hell, I don't know.
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  • PJWGIIIPJWGIII Chicago, IL Posts: 806
    David S. Pumpkins! Any questions?
    The idea of David. S. Pumpkins doing this is so perfect for the concept of the character it is absolutely awesome.
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  • HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,416
    Hmm. I'm not a fan of most of the names mentioned. They might be fighting words, but I'd wager that Tom Hanks is the most overrated actor of our time.

    I like the round table idea.

    How about more women? In the Willie Nelson vein, how about Dolly Parton? She's Nelson's songwriting equal. Or Mavis Staples? Or Michelle Obama?

    While I'm tempted to argue the absurdity of the original question (no offense intended, OP, my mind immediately went to visualizing the size and placement of the table, how one would even know where the head was and who sat there, etc.), I think it does lead to an interesting cultural question: who is the defining character, the embodiment, of American (literary) culture? England has Shakespeare, Russia has Pushkin, Germany has Goethe, Poland has Mickiewicz (nice statue of him in Krakow!) -- who is the quintessential American author, the "father" of American literature? We also could have the same discussion about other art forms -- who is the embodiment of American music? Etc. 
    Probably Mark Twain. But there's also Hemingway, Hawthorne, Whitman, Poe, Dickinson (mother of American literature?) to choose from.
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