Ugly American (pejorative)

The term made its appearance through the title of the 1958 book, The Ugly American.{{cite book|author=Paul Hollander |title=Anti-Americanism: Irrational and Rational |url=https://archive.org/details/antiamericanismi0000holl |url-access=registration |year=1995 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |location=New Brunswick, N.J. USA |isbn=978-1-4128-1734-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/antiamericanismi0000holl/page/399 399] |oclc=30701897}}{{cite book |last1=Endy |first1=Christopher |title=Cold War Holidays: American Tourism in France |date=2004 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |location=Chapel Hill, N.C. |isbn=0-8078-2871-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/coldwarholidaysa0000endy/page/140/mode/1up? 140] |url=https://archive.org/details/coldwarholidaysa0000endy/ |access-date=17 January 2025}} The book was a thinly fictionalized chronicle of American diplomatic insensitivity, ineptness, and bungling in Southeast Asia.{{refn|group=n.| In the book, "the titular ugly American is actually a kind, practical, wealthy engineer who is humble, speaks the local language, and works with people in their villages solving local problems — the exact opposite of what the term has come to mean."{{cite news |last1=Runde |first1=Daniel |title=Are Americans as ‘Ugly’ as Ever? |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/01/are-americans-as-ugly-as-ever/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=Foreign Affairs |date=February 1, 2018}}}}{{cite news |last1=Meyer |first1=Michael |title=Still 'Ugly' After All These Years |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/books/review/Meyer-t.html |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=July 10, 2009}} The message of the book was that Americans officials abroad were ignorant of local customs, social norms, and culture, and consequently losing influence to communism in the region, during the period of the Cold War.

Since then, the term "ugly American" has become shorthand for the stereotype of loud, boorish American behavior abroad. Although the 1958 novel was about diplomacy and made no reference to American tourists, the evolution of the term's usage to refer to ill-mannered Americans in foreign countries took place rapidly. In December 1959, Newsweek magazine referred to "poorly oriented" American study-abroad students in Europe as "the 'ugly' ones," and in June 1960, the mass-circulation Parade magazine ran an article about tourism titled "Don't Be an Ugly American," written by Frances Knight, director of the U.S. Passport Office.

The term has also been widely used in the international sporting arena.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-01-sp-4068-story.html "Who Are the Good, Bad and the Ugly Americans of the Olympics So Far?"] Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1992. Retrieved 2011-06-17.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-24-sp-2180-story.html "Just Call Athletes the Ugly Americans"]. Los Angeles Times. September 24, 1988. Retrieved 2011-06-17. The term was invoked

after Justin Leonard holed a 45-foot putt on the 17th green at the 33rd Ryder Cup held in September 1999, resulting in extensive and adverse media coverage.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-oct-02-sp-17870-story.html "Ugly Americans Plus Sour Grapes Equal Bad Whine"] (October 2, 1999). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-01-22.[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/1999/sep/27/rydercup2002.rydercup "Joy of victory brings out the ugly American"] (September 27, 1999). The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2016-01-22.

Later, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the term was widely used after members of the US 4 × 100 relay team pranced around the stadium, flexing their muscles and making poses with the American flag, after winning a gold medal.Ulfelder, Jay (2001). City Paper Online. [http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=3534 "Game Face: Is Sportsmanship in the Eye—or the Color—of the Beholder?"] Retrieved on 11 May 2008. One foreign journalist called the incident "one of the most cringe-making exhibitions that the Olympics has seen".Sappenfield, Mark (2004). [http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0805/p01s04-ussc.html "Task for Olympicians: How Not to be the Ugly American"]. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved on 2 May 2008. This event was heavily criticized even by the American press and public. The members of the relay team were contrite and apologized for the incident the same day. Then, at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, the term was regularly used after the skiing superstar Bode Miller, who bragged about skiing drunk before the Olympics, was adversely compared to the term "Miller time", and went home with no medals.NBC Sports (2006). [http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/10727859/ "Skiing drunk 'not easy,' Bode says"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313095153/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/10727859/ |date=2008-03-13 }}. Retrieved online 1 May 2008. A lesser-known teammate was sent home for fighting in a bar.Raasch, Chuck (2006). USA Today. [https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/raasch/2006-03-02-raasch_x.htm "Sports, politics tied in Olympic moments"]. Retrieved on 1 May 2008.

In tennis, the term was used in regard to players at the 1987 Davis Cup for unsportsmanlike conduct.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-01-me-143-story.html The Ugly American Has Taken Up Tennis]. Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1987. Retrieved 2011-06-17. John McEnroe was regularly cited in the media as being an "Ugly American" for his on-court tantrums and off-court negative comments about London and Paris.Fein, Paul (2005, p. 253). [https://books.google.com/books?id=1XIlvAdMndsC You Can Quote Me on That]. Published by Brassey's. {{OCLC|55679987}}. {{ISBN|1574889257}} In contrast, Andre Agassi who early in his tennis career was labeled a "potential ugly American", managed to transform himself into a crowd favourite.Alfano, Peter (1988). [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1DE1F3AF93AA35756C0A96E948260 "Tennis: Ascendant Agassi Wins Tournament"]. The New York Times. Retrieved on 9 November 2008. In women's tennis, Serena Williams's outburst at the 2009 US Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters, and again at the 2018 tournament reiterated the "Ugly American" label.[http://politicalcenter.newsvine.com/_news/2009/09/13/3260803-the-politics-of-sports-is-serena-williams-career-permanently-marred-by-2009-us-open "The Politics of Sports – Is Serena Williams Career Permanently Marred by 2009 US Open?"] (13 September 2009). NBC Sports: Newsvine.com. Retrieved on 14 September 2009.

After the United States women's national soccer team lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals of women's football of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, Hope Solo called the Swedish team cowards unleashing multiple Twitter references associating her with this term.[https://twitter.com/search?q=hope%20solo%20ugly%20american&src=typd] Twitter search: Hope Solo Ugly American[http://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/columnists/shad-powers/2016/08/12/hope-solo-hammers-home-ugly-american-stereotype/88636902/ Hope Solo hammers home Ugly American stereotype] At the same Olympics, Gold medalist Ryan Lochte was named the ugly American by media outlets after falsely reporting a robbery at gunpoint during the tournament. Local police investigation showed that he and fellow swimmers in fact caused damage to a petrol station in Rio and were required to pay for the damage.{{cite news|title=Ryan Lochte is everything the world hates about Americans|url=https://nypost.com/2016/08/18/ryan-lochte-is-everything-the-world-hates-about-americans/|access-date=22 August 2016|work=New York Post|date=18 August 2016}}

In May 2008, the US House sub-committee passed a bill (House Resolution 4080) that would allow more foreign fashion models to work in the United States, and was subsequently dubbed the "ugly American bill".Russ, Dick (2008). [http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=89177 Ugly American' bill passes committee; allows more foreign models to work in U.S.] WKYC Cleveland. Retrieved on 25 September 2008. George W. Bush was often referred to as "The Ugly American" in part because of his stance on foreign policies.Debusmann, Bernd (2008). [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/13/america/letter.php Obama and a makeover for the 'ugly American']. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved on 1 January 2009.Walt, Vivienne (2003). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-02-13-france-usat_x.htm French see Bush as the ugly American]. USA Today. Retrieved on 1 January 2009.Berrigan, Frida (2003). [http://www.fpif.org/commentary/0102colombia.html The "Ugly American Problem" in Colombia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114041104/http://www.fpif.org/commentary/0102colombia.html |date=2009-01-14 }}. Foreign Policy in Focus. Retrieved on 1 January 2009. In 2007, Presidential hopeful John McCain outlined a series of measures to roll back Bush policies and counter the "ugly American" image.Sherwell, Philip (18 March 2007). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1545925/Straight-talking-McCain-vows-to-fix-worlds-view-of-the-ugly-American.html Straight-talking McCain vows to fix world's view of the 'ugly American']. The Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-06-11. Numerous opinion pieces have accused President Donald Trump of behaving in a way that fits the “Ugly American” stereotype, including in The New York Times,Meaney, Thomas and Wertheim, Stephen (2018). The New York Times. [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/opinion/sunday/donald-trump-foreign-policy.html “When the Leader of the Free World Is an Ugly American”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019. The Washington Post,Milbank, Dana (2017). The Washington Post. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-the-caricature-of-the-ugly-american-demeans-us-all/2017/06/02/d2043a70-478a-11e7-bcde-624ad94170ab_story.html “Trump, the caricature of the ugly American, demeans us all”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019. Forbes,Karabell, Shellie (2018). Forbes. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelliekarabell/2018/01/08/donald-trump-the-new-ugly-american/ “Donald Trump: The New Ugly American?”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019. The Nation,Nichols, John (2019). The Nation. [https://www.thenation.com/article/trump-britain-royal-family-we-are-being-embarrassed-by-ugly-american-grifters/ “We Are Being Embarrassed by Ugly-American Grifters on an Ego Trip to London”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019. Financial Times,Luce, Edward (2018). Financial Times. [https://www.ft.com/content/6aca4250-d30c-11e8-a9f2-7574db66bcd5 “The heyday of the ugly American”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019. and The Sydney Morning Herald.McGeough, Paul (2017). The Sydney Morning Herald. [https://www.smh.com.au/world/donald-trump-the-ugly-american-is-about-to-enter-the-white-house-20170117-gtssb5.html “Ugly American Donald Trump is about to enter the White House”]. Retrieved on 21 July 2019.

The "ugly American" tourist stereotype has been heavily depicted in films, with characters such as Sheriff J.W. Pepper in The Man with the Golden Gun,{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/15/clifton-james-actor-sheriff-jw-pepper-james-bond-dies |title=Clifton James, actor who played Sheriff JW Pepper in Bond films, dies at 96 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 April 2017 |access-date=10 November 2017}} the Griswald family in National Lampoon's European Vacation,{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/europeanvacation.shtml |title=National Lampoon's European Vacation |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |access-date=10 November 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://lhsroar.com/opinions/ugly-americans/ |title=Ugly Americans |author=Bagwell, Ashley |publisher=Leander High School |date=15 January 2009 |access-date=10 November 2017}} and Ralph Jones in King Ralph.{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/zip-it-621118 |title=Zip It |author=Ward, Victoria |newspaper=Daily Mirror |date=17 April 2006 |access-date=10 November 2017}} The 2004 film EuroTrip was originally slated to be named "The Ugly Americans" due to its depiction of stereotypical American tourists in Europe.Mitchell, Elvis (2004). [https://web.archive.org/web/20071107060958/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/296452/Eurotrip/overview Eurotrip (2004)]. The New York Times: Movies. Retrieved on 18 September 2009. The producers changed the title shortly before its release.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A1980362 Hollywood gets ugly] (7 November 2003). BBC: Collective. Retrieved on 18 September 2009. A study carried out in 2002 revealed that Hollywood also contributes to the "Ugly American" image. The study found that the more access other countries had to American programs, the higher their negative attitudes toward Americans tended to be.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-21-oe-gingrich21-story.html We Can Thank Hollywood for Our Ugly-American Image]. Los Angeles Times. January 21, 2003. Retrieved 2011-06-17.

The 2008 black comedy film In Bruges has the two protagonists, Irish hitmen hiding out in the Belgian city of Bruges, encounter obese American tourists who fit the "ugly American" stereotype, being crude, ignorant, loud and boorish.{{cite news |last1=Buckingham |first1=Will |title=In Bruges inadequate |url=https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2008/02/18/in-bruges-inadequate/ |access-date=12 February 2021 |publisher=The Badger Herald |date=18 February 2018}} The movie Sex and the City 2 has been cited as a typical portrayal of the "ugly American" image, where Samantha makes fun of Middle Eastern culture and women in traditional dress during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.Kelly, Christopher (June 20, 2011). [http://events.charlotteobserver.com/reviews/show/266945-review-sex-and-the-city-2 'City 2' heroines come across as ugly Americans] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724055616/http://events.charlotteobserver.com/reviews/show/266945-review-sex-and-the-city-2 |date=2011-07-24 }}. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 2011-06-20.

The Simpsons episode "The Regina Monologues" had the Simpson family getting into all sorts of trouble in England due to their boorish behavior, which results from ignorance of and unconcern for the local culture.{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-vacation-episodes-ranked-1826806649 |title=The Simpsons vacation episodes, ranked |author=Erik Adams, Sean O'Neal, Kyle Ryan, Dennis Perkins |website=The A.V. Club |date=June 20, 2018 |access-date=September 8, 2024 |quote=The Simpsons has a long history of satirizing the British, but “The Regina Monologues” unsurprisingly turns Homer into the ugly American—“We’re big-shot tourists from everyone’s favorite country, the USA. We saved your ass in Vietnam and shared our prostitutes with Hugh Grant!”—who causes an international incident. }}

{{wiktionary|ugly American}}

• American exceptionalism
• Americentrism
• Anti-American sentiment
• Plastic Paddy
• Stereotypes of Americans
• The Quiet American
• Ugly Americans (TV series)
• Ugly Americans: The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions

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{{Stereotypes in the United States}}

Category:Anti-Americanism

Category:Foreign relations of the United States

Category:Ethnic and racial stereotypes

Category:Ethnic and religious slurs