Survey Shocker: Americans Actually Don't Hate the French!

Rosecrans Baldwin (author of Paris I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down) spent much of the year traveling America, quizzing people about France; he even visited four of the 25 places named “Paris” in the U.S. His highly scientific survey had intriguing results:

My toughest question: “Name up to three current French artists (writers, painters, musicians, actors, etc.)” I figured that most people wouldn’t be able to name more than two. It’s worse than I expected. A barista in Detroit bristles when I ask him, as though I’m mocking his ignorance. A photographer’s assistant in Boise beats herself up for being unable to summon a single name. She’s not alone: 78 percent of respondents can’t name one.