Couldn't have said it better: 'bastardize the Italian tradition'. I still love the thin crust plain cheese ...

some interesting combinations there!

I have eaten pizza like this at a small pizzaria in St Louis called 'World Pizza'. I think its closed now tho...

Back in 1970 I went to Italy to visit my father and came across pizza (and anchovies) for the first time. What a revelation!
They were pretty much unknown in the UK at the time and I remember trying to describe them to my friends ("what? you mean it's like a flat pie." was the usual sort of response) .
I am very much a thin crust man. And my favourite is a Fiorentina (egg, spinach, and more)