In A Blackout, Survey Says That Americans Want Superman, Pitt, Bourne And Bond

Miley Cyrus Is Nation's Least Favored Celebrity to Be Trapped in the Dark with

National Geographic Channel Releases Survey Timed to Disaster Film American Blackout Premiering Sunday, October 27, at 9 PM ET/PT

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Geographic Channel and Kelton released today further results of a new survey gauging the nation's preparedness for impending disasters. The survey is timed to the premiere of American Blackout, a 2-hour, edge-of-your-seat movie event that imagines such a disaster — a catastrophic blackout.

If the lights did go out, which celeb would Americans most like to get trapped in tight quarters with? The nation is torn between looks and laughs. Former sweethearts Brad Pitt (15%) and Jennifer Aniston (22%) topped the list in the male and female categories. Coming in a close second were talk show host Jimmy Fallon (13%) among famous men and comedian Tina Fey (17%) among famous women, chosen by Americans to keep the mood light while the U.S. is dark.

Fallon and fellow late night talk show host Jon Stewart (12%) convincingly beat out Hollywood hunk Ryan Gosling (6%). Fey topped celebrities like Megan Fox and Beyonce (10% and 8%).

At the bottom of the list — Miley Cyrus (4%), whose twerking skills apparently have no use in a catastrophe.

And while Ben Affleck is gearing up to play Batman in the Superman sequel, it's still the Man of Steel himself (played in this summer's blockbuster by Henry Cavill) who is the superhero most trusted by more than half the nation (52%) to protect the U.S. in case of a catastrophic blackout.

Surprisingly, Americans have little faith in the abilities of seemingly more tech savvy and ingenious engineer Tony Stark to get the power grid back online, as Ironman comes in at a distant second (14%).

Jason Bourne (24%) and James Bond (24%) tie for first place in the fictional character most likely to bring the nation to safety if a blackout occurred. In this scenario, a bow and arrow just won't do the trick — "Hunger Games" beauty Katniss Everdeen comes in third, with just 13 percent thinking she is the one for the job.

Finally — the number one song to play while you're stuck in the dark (with or without a celebrity) was overwhelmingly Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" (30%).

The survey of 1,152 nationally representative Americans aged 18 and older was conducted online from September 27 to October 2, 2013, with a 2.9 percent margin of error.

American Blackout imagines the story of a national power failure in the United States caused by a cyberattack — told in real time, over 10 days, by those who kept filming on cameras and phones. You'll learn what it means to be absolutely powerless. Gritty, visceral and totally immersive, see what it might take to survive from day one, and who would be left standing when the lights come back on. For more information, visit www.survivetheblackout.com and follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.

National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in more than 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

SOURCE National Geographic Channel