"Who is VERY famous in US but unknown abroad?" Bob Barker, perhaps?

[COINBOYNYC]

Came across a thread in the subreddit r/AskAnAmerican: "Who is VERY famous in US but unknown abroad?"

The first person to answer said Bob Barker, but others disagreed.  Interesting discussion that can be found at https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/comments/z9laro/who_is_very_famous_in_us_but_unknown_abroad/ (but keep in mind that the thread does eventually move away from Bob).

[SamJ93]

Pretty much any longtime American game show personality is all but unknown outside the US and Canada--Pat Sajak, Vanna White, Bill Cullen, etc. The only exception I can think of right now is Wayne Brady, who appeared on the final season of the UK version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

[tpir04]

Sorry...I don't think game show personalities are that well-known even in the US, much less in other countries.

I'd probably go with many high-ranking US sports players, the likes of Tom Brady, LeBron James, Wayne Gretzky, Steph Curry, Aaron Judge, those people. Surely Americans and maybe some Canadians (paging Hag, lol) have at least heard the name, but step outside North America and you'd have a hard time getting reactions.

[pannoni1]

I'd say most country music stars qualify, particularly those who have never crossed over to the pop charts. And "abroad" doesn't include Canada. A few exceptions include Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, and the late Kenny Rogers.

National news anchors are another biggie, given that they're very recognizable regarding the delivery of the news, but since they only focus on presenting the news. That said, since the news media is fracturing in many directions, this applies more to the Tom Brokaw, Bryant Gumbel, Diane Sawyer, and Bill O'Reilly-level celebrities.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Sorry...I don't think game show personalities are that well-known even in the US, much less in other countries.

I'd probably go with many high-ranking US sports players, the likes of Tom Brady, LeBron James, Wayne Gretzky, Steph Curry, Aaron Judge, those people. Surely Americans and maybe some Canadians (paging Hag, lol) have at least heard the name, but step outside North America and you'd have a hard time getting reactions.

The hands Aaron Judge got in England wants a word with this, but I tend to agree.

[Hag]

I have indeed heard of them.