The tendency you describe may be quite evident. I was just objecting to what I interpreted as a call for American viewers to pull for the American chefs. If some among us like the ICJ food more because it seems different, fine. The originial post to which I was responding said, " it's always the popular view to be against our own in any contest as this, or an unpopular war, ei Vietnam and Iraq etc.." I'd like to think that we here cast our Iron Chef votes based on food--not politics.