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The second season of Fox Nation’s “Meet the American” is here at last, and “America’s Newsroom” co-anchor Bill Hemmer is ready to take viewers through a handful of backstories that encapsulate the creativity and grit that helped define a nation.
From the invention of backyard favorites like the Frisbee and pickleball, to cultural cornerstones such as the Sturgis Mororcycle Rally and the Grand Ole Opry, the new six-episode season uncovers the surprising origins of traditions that have shaped the American way of life.
Each episode highlights the individuals whose ideas, perseverance or innovations left an enduring mark on the culture Americans know today.
Frisbee & Beach Chair
Fox Nation’s “Meet the American” introduces the story of two fighter pilots who gave Americans the essential elements of a great beach day. (iStock (left); Joan Slatkin/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images (right))
No beach day is complete without a Frisbee flying through the salty air or taking a relaxing break in the sun or shade in a beach chair.
The classic items might seem basic to Americans today, but their roots are tied to the American spirit of ingenuity.
In the first episode of “Meet the American’s” second season, Fox Nation showcases the stories of two fighter pilots — both named Fred — who gave us two essential elements of a great beach day.
Pickleball
A pickleball on the court next to the net. At the newly opened West Reading Pickleball Courts in West Reading, PA on Friday afternoon, June 25, 2021. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
Retired American sportswriter and columnist for The Detroit News, Mike O’Hara, joins Bill Hemmer in this episode to dive into pickleball — a sport created out of sheer necessity.
Together, they uncover the story of a Washington politician who helped invent the game, proving that innovation isn’t isolated to labs or boardrooms.
What started as a quick solution for family fun has since become a nationwide phenomenon — bringing generations to the court for a friendly game and even spinning off into professional tours and national competitions.
Ski Lift & Snow Machine
Chairlifts at Valdesqui ski resort, on February 4, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. (Rafael Bastante/Europa Press via Getty Images)
In this episode, FOX Business correspondent Madison Alworth takes viewers high above the slopes to uncover the history behind two icons of winter sports: the chairlift and the snow machine.
What began as innovations of necessity have since become staples of ski culture, transforming how generations of Americans experience the mountains.
Surfing
A variety of differently-colored surfboards stand out in the evening light in Maui, Hawaii. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Fox Nation’s own Abby Hornacek dives into episode four to uncover the story of the American innovator who transformed the ancient Polynesian tradition of surfing into a modern sport, shaping a lifestyle and coastal culture that continues to inspire wave riders across the globe.
This episode highlights how Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku’s ingenuity helped surfing evolve into a pastime and a cultural movement.
Sturgis Rally
Bikers cruise during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally August 7, 2003, down Main Street in Sturgis, South Dakota. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally – the biggest motorcycle rally in the world – got its start in 1938 when the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club hosted a small gathering of riders in South Dakota.
What started as a local event grew in popularity, especially after World War II, when returning veterans embraced it as a place to find community and celebrate freedom, grit and rebellion on the open road. Now, the 10-day festival annually attracts more than 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from across the United States, and beyond, to a remote corner of one of the nation’s most sparsely populated states.
This episode follows J.C. “Pappy” Hoel and the celebration of the motorcycle culture he helped create.
Grand Ole Opry
A guitar sculpture sits outside the entrance to the current Grand Ole Opry building in Nashville, Tenn. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The longest-running radio show on Earth launched the careers of country icons like Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, George Jones and more, cementing its place at the heart of country music.
The season finale of “Meet the American” takes viewers to Nashville, Tennessee, the home of the Grand Ole Opry, to trace the vision of its founder, George D. Hay, and the radio show that helped shape a nation’s soundtrack.
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From beaches to auditoriums and beyond, these six stories offer a glimpse of the ingenuity, spirit and resilience that have defined the American way of life — giving a platform to ordinary people who did extraordinary things.
Watch “Meet the American” on Fox Nation to discover more about the people who helped shape American culture and history.
Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
