CNN’s Fareed Zakaria Reveals TV’s ‘Dallas’ Brought Him to America

Visiting with Conan O’Brien Monday night, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria has an interesting response when O’Brien asked what made the young Zakaria want to move from his home in India to America. “The opening scene of ‘Dallas,'” he said, referring to the classic 80’s show featuring Larry Hagman as the conniving J.R. Ewing and clan.

Describing India in the 1970’s as poor and cut off from the world, Zakaria described his wonder at watching bootleg VHS copies of “Dallas” that seemed to show a place of stunning beauty.

“These shiny glass skyscrapers in Dallas, helicopters landing on roofs, big Cadillacs, men in ten-gallon hats. That was my American dream–oh, and Victoria Principal.