I am not really that surprised. Most US TV are commercial channels doing mass "entertainment" without any science/investigative content. There is a percentage of Americans that are very ill informed as a result (remember the % of Americans who cannot find Iraq on the map when the first Gulf War broke out?).
This is made even worse by those holding extremist view who insist on their "freedom of speech" as guaranteed by their constitution. As a result, we now see intelligent design mandated to be taught alongside evolution (because it's only a theory, right?).
As if that's not bad news enough, we are heading down that path, and fast. Just see the current debate in Vic re religious instruction classes in primary schools. Schools cannot refuse offers by bodies offering their students RI classes. We objected and withdrew our kids out of them, so they are now sitting outside during RI, doing "supervised activities".
Drives me to drink
Bo