JACK BAUER (24) – Whether or not you’ve seen the show, you recognize Jack Bauer. And how many fictional characters get to become part of the national debate? Bauer has been cited by politicians on both sides of the fence in discussion of the Patriot Act, interrogation techniques, and pretty much any aspect of the War on Terror. I would have thought Jack a sure thing for the list.
DAVID BRENT (The Office (UK)) – The character who single-handedly sold the world on Awkward Comedy. His influence is all over the place these days, and not just in the American version of The Office. And unlike the aforementioned Steve Carell, Ricky Gervais isn’t a household name. Michael Scott will never be better known than Carell, but in America, David Brent overshadows Gervais.
