59 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

Question for all the Americans on here. Just how popular is James Bond in the USA?

In the UK, and to a certain extent here in Australia, you will hear 007 mentioned every now and then in conversation. Does this happen in the US?

For example if someone has a hi-tech gadget, often you'll hear someone say it "looks like something from a Bond movie" or if someone does an evil laugh, then you'll hear "sounds like a Bond baddie".

Do you get that there too?

[darkpath]

I do hear things like that (frequently from my own mouth, however), so perhaps the circles I frequent are more prone to such comparisons.

[DaveBond21]

Fair enough.

Do they have a lot of James Bond shows, or spoofs, on US TV?

[DLibrasnow]

The only time I hear something about James Bond is when I bring it up. One particularly grating example was when Die Another Day was released and one of my reporters referred to it as "the new Halle Berry movie."

[Major Tallon]

Not a subject of frequent comment among the, admittedly older, people I know. Still, everybody knows who Bond is, and I've had a couple of professional people (a doctor and a lawyer) bring up the subject of Casino Royale, saying how much they liked it. There's more interest when a movie's being made or close to release. My impression right now is that things are fairly quiet on the Bond front.

[Garth007]

were i live they say something like a gaget they say Mission Impossible and im like wtf. MI sucks man and i say like no its James Bond so here in missouri james bond is hardly mentioned...that i know of.

[doublenoughtspy]

Everyday conversation - not much.

However, TV news, print news, web news whenever referring to something hi-tech will mention Bond, or "The new blah blah is something straight out of a James Bond movie."

[Professor Dent]

However, TV news, print news, web news whenever referring to something hi-tech will mention Bond, or "The new blah blah is something straight out of a James Bond movie."

The USAToday newspaper seems to make Bond references like this frequently in their tech section.

I also hear the "shaken, not stirred" line once & a while when someone is ordering a martini (but this is mostly in a joking way). You also get the reference if you happen to wear a tuxedo - you know, when you want to hit the local grocery store looking your very best.

[Navy007Fan]

A retired Navy Captain I work with on occasion is a Bond fan who makes the occasional reference. He described Craig's performance as "hitting Brosnan so hard Roger Moore felt it."

[Spurrier]

Everyday conversation - not much.

However, TV news, print news, web news whenever referring to something hi-tech will mention Bond, or "The new blah blah is something straight out of a James Bond movie."

I agree with your assessment.

[DaveBond21]

Interesting comments, thanks.

[Cruiserweight]

Not much on this front.The only time i hear talk of James Bond is when i start it.

[DaveBond21]

Some of my American friends, and friends on here have said they'd love to spend time in Britain due to all the Bond documentaries that are on there.

[Professor Dent]

I saw a commercial yesterday for a new TV show on NBC called Chuck. During the first part of the commercial, they say & print on the screen: "He isn't James Bond..." Just one quick recent Bond reference on TV in the USA. BTW, I couldn't find that specific commercial clip anywhere so I linked to a promo spot.

[DaveBond21]

Interesting, thanks.

There are lots of references in the UK, and also a few here in Australia too, in the media, and on TV. Plus stories about Bond 22 are popular in the Aussie press (especially if an Australian is rumoured to be involved!).

[Kara Milovy]

Fairly popular. My frequent news searches turned up lots of hits from local news sites talking about Bond themes for proms. There were a LOT of those. Gadgets will get the conversational Bond remarks. Most people aren't experts and will say that a gold-painted girl was in "a Bond movie" and not remember which one, but everyone has heard of Bond.

[DaveBond21]

Cool. I like the idea of a Bond prom.

My old work had a Bond theme for their Christmas Party in 2000, and I went as 007.

[Carolinabond007]

Fairly popular...just not as much as Harry Potter

[Poor Man's JB]

As a number of posters have noted, Bond is certainly referenced from time to time in the media relative to some new gadget on the market or the latest expose of industrial espionage or political skulduggery.

I wouldn't say Bond comes-up much in the conversation of the average populace, not in this decade anyway. Clearly 007 was more omnipresent in the '60s and then, I think, you heard many more references made to him. And there isn't a sitcom produced in that era (or probably the '70s, either) that didn't have a Bond spoof episode.

I don't think it's that Bond is any less popular here than in the UK, it's more that he's got so much competition. I remember being in London for one of the premieres and the Bond ad campaigns were just inescapable: Store windows, newspapers, buses, bus stops ... I'll never forget a TND advert above the urinal in the men's room of a pub. I remarked on this and someone pointed out that in the UK, Bond is a national treasure. In the US, he's just the another character between the last Batman movie and the next Spiderman flick.

[d0uble0_7]

Bond is definitely a household name in the US. Just the other day after Thanksgiving dinner, the family was sitting around playing the "Screw Your Neighbor" card game when he was mentioned. The way the game is played is when you lose your 3 quarters you're out. That is, unless you're accidentaly dealt back in by the dealer. And when my wife accidentaly dealt my cousin Mike back in my other cousin Chuck goes, "It's like James Bond, you only live twice" in a sarcastic tone.

[DaveBond21]

I remember being in London for one of the premieres and the Bond ad campaigns were just inescapable: Store windows, newspapers, buses, bus stops ... I'll never forget a TND advert above the urinal in the men's room of a pub. I remarked on this and someone pointed out that in the UK, Bond is a national treasure. In the US, he's just the another character between the last Batman movie and the next Spiderman flick.

I agree, I think Bond is a national treasure in the UK. We are all brought up with James Bond.

[DLibrasnow]

There was a James Bond reference on the show "BONES" tonight (a show which is supposed to be set in the D.C. area but clearly is not filmed there or scripted by people who even have a clue about the area).

But anyway in the opening minutes of the show Booth and Brennan are talking about Booth's shrink (played by Stephen Fry) and Booth comments about how the shrink says his name like James Bond to which Brennan says "James, James Bond." This of course aggravates Booth who corrects her "Bond, James Bond."

[agentjamesbond007]

James Bond isn't that popular in the U.S., because as I ask people what is their favorite bond movie, some say that they don't know who he is or they just seen no more than five movies.

[DaveBond21]

James Bond isn't that popular in the U.S., because as I ask people what is their favorite bond movie, some say that they don't know who he is or they just seen no more than five movies.

Yes, I see.

Well most people in Britain have seen a few Bond movies. Mind you, they can't always name the right ones or confuse them. For example some would say "What's the one with the girl painted gold and the guy with the steelteeth?"

[J.C.D'Arc]

Sometimes I hear people refer to carrying off some impressive feat like fighting and winning against more than one opponent without too much trouble or picking up the prettiest girl at the bar or having a good session at the pistol range or dealing with traffic or whatever as having been done "like James Bond." It's usually self-congratulatory. James Bond is a popular character here, despite what you may be led to believe from some of the previous comments. Of course, he's not popular enough for us aficionadoes (aficionadi?), but then if he was too popular it might take some of the fun out of it. It's not like all Americans are complete ignoramuses. (Ignorami?)

[Judo chop]

Extrapolating from a very small sample size, I

[Daddy Bond]

James Bond who?

[DLibrasnow]

[quote name='Judo chop' post='803569' date='5 December 2007 - 14:15']Extrapolating from a very small sample size, I

[Judo chop]

[quote name='DLibrasnow' post='803585' date='5 December 2007 - 14:00'][quote name='Judo chop' post='803569' date='5 December 2007 - 14:15']Extrapolating from a very small sample size, I

[Red Barchetta]

Here at work, we're involved with high tech, and Bond references are plenty.

In fact, one of our old passwords (which no longer works) on one of our servers was Goldfinger.

We've also used server names like, JB, 007, Drax, and MI6.


One of our employees has a 6ft cardboard cutout of Pierce from TWINE in his cubical. It was a promotional stand-up for the theatre.