June 13, 2003

Unlikely hero : Couch potato Homer Simpson

Doh! Homer Simpson looks set to beat Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jnr to the title of greatest American in a BBC online poll.

The ham-fisted but lovable head of the Simpson family is - so far - topping the list of 10 famous Americans with over 40% of the votes in the strictly unscientific survey.

The poll is being carried out ahead of a live 90-minute global television debate about America's place in the world, which the BBC will screen along with 10 other national broadcasters.

Who is the greatest American?

Homer Simpson : 40.83%
Abraham Lincoln : 10.28%
Martin Luther King Jr : 10.06%
Thomas Jefferson : 6.43%
Mr T : 8.38%
Bob Dylan : 6.15%
George Washington : 5.10%
Franklin D Roosevelt : 4.34%
Benjamin Franklin : 4.52%
Bill Clinton : 3.92%

Results are indicative and may not reflect public opinion.