Nathaniel Hawthorne vs. The Situation!
17. Leona Helmsley
The "Queen of Mean" was a towering figure in the world of New York real estate, no more so after her conviction from income tax evasion in 1989 and subsequent 18 month stay in federal prison. When she died, she left $12 million to her dog, Trouble.
Completely American behavior.
Via: Keith Bedford / Getty Images
16. Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino
He parlayed his sudden fame from MTV's monster reality TV hit Jersey Shore to the tune of a reported $5 million in 2010, mostly thanks to his oft-flashed abs.
Yup, totally American.
Via: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images
15. Geraldo Rivera
A television mainstay for over four decades, Rivera won a Peabody Award in 1972 for his reporting; hosted a live special in which he opened what he thought was Al Capone's buried vault but turned out to be an empty pile of broken bottles; had his nose broken in a fight with white supremacists on his daytime talk show; disclosed an Iraq War military operation on Fox News by drawing a map in the sand; and most recently publicly considered running for the U.S. Senate in New Jersey.
Unmistakably American.
Via: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images
14. Becki Newton
After landing her big break as a fashion-obsessed receptionist on ABC's Ugly Betty, Newton is best known for a recurring role as the stripper girlfriend of Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) on CBS' How I Met Your Mother. Meanwhile, Love Bites and The Goodwin Games, two shows built as vehicles for her, have both been burned off by their respective networks over the summer.
American through and through.
Via: Gus Ruelas / Reuters
