--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you surveyed a hundred typical…" description: "\"If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I bet you'd find that only two of them could tell you their blood types, but every last one of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg" --- # If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I… ![“If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I bet you'd find that only two of them could tell you their blood types, but every last one of them would know the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies.” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg) > “If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I bet you'd find that only two of them could tell you their blood types, but every last one of them would know the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies.” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The joke highlights a cultural irony: many Americans lack basic medical knowledge yet remember trivial pop‑culture details, underscoring misplaced priorities. **In simple terms:** People often know pop culture better than health facts. Key Takeaway Prioritize essential knowledge over trivial entertainment. Themes culture knowledge priorities humor Mood satirical reflective Type humor social commentary When to use this quote - school curricula - health campaigns - media literacy programs Key Concepts sociology media studies public health Questions to Reflect On - Why do we remember catchy songs more than vital info? - How can we make health facts as memorable as TV themes? A Different Perspective Humor may oversimplify serious gaps in health awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Middle aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-aged/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [United states of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-america/) [Usa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa/) ## Related quotes > [Writers who aren't from rural states in the Midwest or the West often treat such people as if they were the Waltons or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/writers-who-aren-t-from-rural-states-in-the-midwest-or-the-west-often/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [What I loved about 'The Beverly Hillbillies' was that it was about family love and growth and understanding. The riches-to-rags premise is just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/what-i-loved-about-the-beverly-hillbillies-was-that-it-was-about/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [Today is a big day in TV history. On this day forty-one years ago, the Beverly Hillbillies aired for the first time right here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/today-is-a-big-day-in-tv-history-on-this-day-forty-one-years-ago-the/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“The second follow-up, which examined changes in specialty, showed how often doctors of each type changed to a more typical specialty (to one more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-briggs-myers/the-second-follow-up-which-examined-changes-in-specialty-showed-how/) [Isabel Briggs Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-briggs-myers/) > [LAs crazy. When I was younger and watched The Beverly Hillbillies Or Beverly Hills 90210, I used to think it was so far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-game/las-crazy-when-i-was-younger-and-watched-the-beverly-hillbillies-or/) [The Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-game/) > [ The one \[The Beverly Hillbillies\] flaw in this is that you can't hear the people laughing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-ebsen/the-one-the-beverly-hillbillies-flaw-in-this-is-that-you-can-t-hear/) [Buddy Ebsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-ebsen/) > [My most powerful memory was hearing Earl Scruggs on 'The Beverly Hillbillies' as a 5 or 6 year old. That sound just blew me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-fleck/my-most-powerful-memory-was-hearing-earl-scruggs-on-the-beverly/) [Bela Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-fleck/) > [I think it's a disgrace to make actors become pitchmen. You see it on 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' you see it on 'Bonanza.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-think-it-s-a-disgrace-to-make-actors-become-pitchmen-you-see-it-on/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [By the eighties, a lot of radio stations had started playing "Sixties" music. They called it "Classic Rock," because they knew we'd be upset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/by-the-eighties-a-lot-of-radio-stations-had-started-playing-sixties/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“But hillbillies shared many regional characteristics with the southern blacks arriving in Detroit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/but-hillbillies-shared-many-regional-characteristics-with-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [Hillbillies learn from an early age to deal with uncomfortable truths by avoiding them or by pretending better truths exist. This tendency might make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/hillbillies-learn-from-an-early-age-to-deal-with-uncomfortable-truths/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [I still fit in with the hillbillies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-wilson/i-still-fit-in-with-the-hillbillies/) [Gretchen Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-wilson/) > [My grandma would say if someone else calls you a hillbilly, you might need to punch them in the nose. But if we call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/my-grandma-would-say-if-someone-else-calls-you-a-hillbilly-you-might/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [“As one book, Appalachian Odyssey, notes about the influx of hill people to Detroit: “It was not simply that the Appalachian migrants, as rural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-one-book-appalachian-odyssey-notes-about-the-influx-of-hill-people/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“Within two generations, the transplanted hillbillies had largely caught up to the native population in terms of income and poverty level.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/within-two-generations-the-transplanted-hillbillies-had-largely/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) ## More by Dave Barry > [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More Blood quotes > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [Don't trust everyone, because one day you will shed tears of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/don-t-trust-everyone-because-one-day-you-will-shed-tears-of-blood/) [SunShine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...I wore his blood for clothing, on my legs and thighs and hands: a dry, stiff, brown garment with no warmth in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-wore-his-blood-for-clothing-on-my-legs-and-thighs-and-hands-a-dry/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) Browse all 6,234 Blood quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I bet you'd find that only two of them could tell you their blood types, but every last one of them would know the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Barry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle-aged-americans-i-bet-you-d/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle-aged-americans-i-bet-you-d/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/dave-barry-222_blood_if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle_1376453.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you surveyed a hundred typical middle-aged Americans, I bet you'd find that only two of them could tell…” — Dave Barry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dave Barry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you surveyed a hundred typical...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle-aged-americans-i-bet-you-d/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-surveyed-a-hundred-typical-middle-aged-americans-i-bet-you-d/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```