American Graffiti

One of the biggest ways that the US leaves its mark on the world is through its culture and more specifically, its pop culture. American cinema, music, brands, and even to some extent food are widely exported and consumed, and Italy is no exception to this trend. In fact, American pop culture is rather deeply rooted in Italian society. American movies, and even TV shows are translated and broadcasted on Italian TV, and depending on the radio station, about half of the songs that are played are from the US. This prevalence of pop culture has a very interesting effect on how the US is perceived by Italians. Whereas to Americans, Italy is the land of great pasta, rich history, and beautiful cities, America is known by Italians through the pop culture that they consume. I am quite frequently asked if my high school really resembles the one from High School Musical or if it’s true that New York City is actually as busy as it always seems. In a lot of ways, the US is seen as a place of constant fun and excitement. And as a result, there is a fascination (especially among teenagers) with all things American. When it comes to clothing, brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Vans, and Converse are quite popular, and a lot times I get the feeling that the concept of the brand is more important than the product itself. And then there is the presence of American food in the form of fast food such as McDonalds and more traditional restaurants such as American Graffiti. American Graffiti is a restaurant chain in Italy that serves typical American fare (with full American portions of course) and has the theme of a 1950’s roadside diner. It is complete with a black and white linoleum tiled floor, milkshakes, portraits of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, and of course a juke box. When you look up at the walls that are heavily decorated with posters for Jack Daniels, Baseball, and American muscle cars, you realize that this is everything for which the US is stereotypically known. I think that American Graffiti perfectly encapsulates the Italian perception of America and its culture.

Some big burgers

The highly decorated walls of American Graffiti