60 MINUTES/VANITY FAIR POLL November 7-10, 2010 • In December, how do you usually express the sentiments of the season -- are you more likely to use the phrase Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or Bah Humbug? “Merry Christmas to All…” Most Americans – seven in 10 - express the sentiments of the season by saying “Merry Christmas”, while just 23% use the phrase “Happy Holidays.” There are few Scrooges out there – only 4% use “Bah Humbug.” Which Phrase Do You Use To Express The Sentiments Of The Season? Merry Christmas 71% Happy Holidays 23 Bah Humbug 4 • Other people or organizations may know more about you than you think. Which one of the following do you worry most about having your personal information? 1.The U.S. government, 2. Internet companies like Google and Yahoo, 3. Your next door neighbor, 4. Banks and credit agencies, or 5. I don’t worry about this much at all. More people worry about internet companies having their personal information When asked to choose which entity Americans worry most about having their personal information, internet companies like Google and Yahoo top the list with 33%. There is less concern about the U.S. government (14%) and banks and credit agencies having personal information (13%). Even fewer are worried about the personal information their next door neighbor may have about them. Still, a third of Americans don’t worry much about these organizations having their personal information. Which Do You Worry Most About Having Your Personal Information? Google and Yahoo 33% U.S. government 14 Banks and credit agencies 13 Next door neighbor 3 Don’t worry much about it 33 • Do you think your life is interesting enough to be given its own reality show? Most Americans say they are no match for Snooki or The Situation Despite the number of reality shows that depict people doing the most mundane of tasks, a majority of Americans (72%) don’t think their lives are interesting enough for a reality show. Just a quarter say their life could be portrayed on a reality show. Is Your Life Interesting Enough To Have Its Own Reality Show All 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Men Women Yes 26% 37% 34% 20% 12% 31% 22% No 72 63 66 78 84 67 78 Americans under age 30 are the age group most likely to say their lives merit a TV reality show – 37% do. Seniors, those age 65 and over, are the least likely. Men are more likely than women to say their lives could be a reality show. • You can no longer see any of the following performers live in concert. But if you could, who would you most like to see? 1.Frank Sinatra, 2. Billie Holiday, 3. Mozart, 4.The Beatles, 5. Houdini, or 6. Michael Jackson Concert Wish List: The Beatles, MJ, and Sinatra Of a list of entertainers no longer performing, Americans would most like to see the Beatles (22%) if they could. The Fab Four are closely followed by Michael Jackson (20%), and Frank Sinatra (18%). There’s less interest in magic by Houdini, and performances by Mozart or Billie Holiday. If You Could, Which Of The Following Would You Most Like To See Perform? All 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Frank Sinatra 18% 10% 16% 14% 43% Billie Holiday 9 12 4 11 9 Mozart 14 17 14 12 16 The Beatles 22 17 24 33 7 Houdini 9 11 10 9 3 Michael Jackson 20 31 27 13 8 Age plays a role here. For Americans age 65 and over, 43% most want to see Frank Sinatra live in concert if they could – far and away the top answer. Those between the ages of 45 and 64 (a group that includes many Baby Boomers) most want to see The Beatles. For young adults, Michael Jackson is the top pick. • Bullying has become a big topic in education. Which of the following best describes your own experience in school? 1. I was a bully, OR 2. I was bullied, OR 3. I was a peacemaker, OR 4. I was none of these Few Americans say they were bullies back in school. Just 3% of Americans say they were bullies when they were in school, while more - 16%- admit to being bullied. 40% describe themselves as a peacemaker, but a similar percentage say they don’t fit into any of these categories. Which Of The Following Best Describes Your Own Experience In School? All Men Women I was a bully 3% 4% 1% I was bullied 16 15 18 I was a peacemaker 40 40 39 I was none of these 39 38 41 • Much of the original London Bridge was dismantled and replaced in the 1960s, and it was bought by an American and reconstructed in Arizona. Which of the following would you like the U.S. to sell to a foreign country? 1.The Hollywood Sign, 2. The Alamo, 3. Graceland, 4. Disney World, 5, Washington, D.C. Hollywood for Sale. When asked to pick which landmark they would sell to a foreign country, a quarter of Americans are willing to sell off the famous Hollywood sign located in Los Angeles, California, the top choice. 18% would sell Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home, and 14% would sell Washington, the nation’s capital. Disney World, the amusement park and tourist attraction in Orlando, Florida would be on the auction block for 12% of the public. Americans appear to hold The Alamo most dear. Just 6% say they would sell the site to a foreign country. Which Of The Following Would You Like The U.S. To Sell To A Foreign Country? All Northeast Midwest South West The Hollywood Sign 26% 26% 32% 26% 19% The Alamo 6 5 6 4 12 Graceland 18 22 14 18 18 Disney World 12 14 12 11 14 Washington, D.C. 14 12 11 16 14 Residents of the Midwest are the most likely to want to sell the Hollywood Sign to a foreign country. Those in the West, home to the famous sign, are the least likely to want to sell it. • If something happened to you and your children were left without parents, which one of the following celebrity couples would you most like to see adopt them? 1. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, 2. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, 3. Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi, 4. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith , or 5. I'd prefer some nice couple from Iowa. Parents don’t want to see their kids raised by celebrity couples. In the event something happened to them, parents would prefer their kids be adopted by a nice couple from Iowa rather than a celebrity couple. Of the celebrity couples on the list, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are the top choice with 25%. Second, but far behind, are talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her partner actress Portia de Rossi with 7%. Only 6% choose Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who already have six children of their own. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes round out the bottom with just 3%. Moms and Dads have similar opinions on this. If Something Happened To You, Which Couple Would You Most Like To Adopt Your Children? (Among parents with children under 18) All Dads Moms Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie 6% 6% 5% Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes 3 4 3 Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi 7 2 11 Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith 25 26 24 I'd prefer some nice couple from Iowa 44 41 46 • Which one of the following behaviors do you find the most annoying? 1. People getting onto an elevator before people get off, 2.Spitting in public, 3. Cell phone conversations in restaurants, 4. Driving slow in the fast lane, or 5. The use of the acronym L-O-L? Most Annoying Behavior: Driving Slow in the Fast Lane. 33% of Americans choose driving slow in the fast lane as the most annoying behavior, followed by cell phone conversations in restaurants (25%), and spitting in public (24%). Getting into an elevator before other people get off, and using the acronym LOL (laughing out loud) are less annoying to Americans. Which One Of The Following Behaviors Do You Find The Most Annoying? All Men Women People getting into an elevator before others get off 9% 9% 8% Spitting in public 24 18 30 Cell phone conversations in restaurants 25 25 25 Driving slow in the fast lane 33 38 28 Use of the acronym LOL 5 5 4 There are gender differences. For women, spitting in public is the most annoying behavior on the list, while men are most irritated by those who drive slow in the fast lane. • Do you or does anyone in your household own a firearm or gun of any kind? More than four in 10 have a gun in their household. 42% of Americans say they or someone in their household is a gun owner. More than half do not own guns. Anyone In Your Household Own A Firearm Or Gun Of Any Kind? All Northeast Midwest South West Reps Dems Inds Yes 42% 32% 45% 53% 33% 55% 29% 45% No 55 65 54 43 65 40 70 52 Those living in the South are the most likely of any geographic region to live in a household where someone owns a gun. People in the in the Northeast and West are the least likely to have guns. Political party and ideology come into play as well.