Sorry if this is rude, but for many English people, when you put the words "American" and "Christian" together, the mental image they get is Benny Hinn.
Is he really that popular over there, or do most people think he's a fruitcake?
Tele-evangelists have a lot to answer for, in my opinion. Big hair, big teeth, big voices, big smiles and big money. Sometimes big scandal, too.
They've transmitted an image of Christianity (and America) which is extravagant and circus-like which is no doubt what you were referring to.
It's unfortunate but plenty of Americans get the same imagery. IMO most thinking people - whether Christian or not - do not believe he's genuine, or are at least uncomfortable with his message. I don't have a problem with praying for sick people. I have a problem with his theology and his showmanship.
A former worker at TBN threatened to disclose an alleged 1996 homosexual encounter.
After Ford threatened to sue TBN in 1998, claiming that he had been unjustly fired, Crouch reached a $425,000 settlement with him. In return, Ford agreed, among other things, not to discuss his claim about a sexual encounter with the TV preacher.