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Dodgy American Accents.

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  • P Pete OHanlon

    Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

    Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

    R Offline
    R Offline
    Red Stateler
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

    how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart

    He's Australian.

    P 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • C Chris Maunder

      Yours isn't the only accent that gets brutalised. :sigh:

      cheers, Chris Maunder

      CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

      M Offline
      M Offline
      Marcus J Smith
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      Chris Maunder wrote:

      Yours isn't the only accent that gets brutalised.

      No ey? What aboot the da moose? ;P


      CleaKO

      "I think you'll be okay here, they have a thin candy shell. 'Surprised you didn't know that.'" - Tommy (Tommy Boy)
      "Fill it up again! Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it's so good!" - Frank the Tank (Old School)

      C 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • P Pete OHanlon

        Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

        Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

        Q Offline
        Q Offline
        QuiJohn
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

        What about Hugh Laurie as House?

        I think Laurie does a great job as House. I had no idea he was British until I saw an interview with him. Of course, I stopped watching the show because every episode is exactly the same but Laurie was always superb.


        Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson

        B G G 3 Replies Last reply
        0
        • M Marcus J Smith

          Chris Maunder wrote:

          Yours isn't the only accent that gets brutalised.

          No ey? What aboot the da moose? ;P


          CleaKO

          "I think you'll be okay here, they have a thin candy shell. 'Surprised you didn't know that.'" - Tommy (Tommy Boy)
          "Fill it up again! Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it's so good!" - Frank the Tank (Old School)

          C Offline
          C Offline
          Chris Maunder
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          Don't get me started :D

          cheers, Chris Maunder

          CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • P Pete OHanlon

            Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

            Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

            C Offline
            C Offline
            Chris Losinger
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

            What about Hugh Laurie as House?

            i don't hear anything odd about his accent. after i learned he was British, i started listening for it, and i can only point to a few ticks here and there - and they wouldn't be enough for me to say he was British. he sounds like a typical New England Ivy Leaguer, well-traveled maybe, or with non-American parents. on the other hand, Jake Weber, who plays the husband on Medium, does a terrible job of an American accent. i get the feeling he's not even trying - and i keep waiting for the writers to explain it somehow (like maybe he moved to America a few years ago to be with her). i picked it up the first time i heard him speak - my wife, however, doesn't hear his accent at all.

            image processing toolkits | batch image processing | blogging

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • C Chris Maunder

              Yours isn't the only accent that gets brutalised. :sigh:

              cheers, Chris Maunder

              CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

              Q Offline
              Q Offline
              QuiJohn
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              Chris Maunder wrote:

              Yours isn't the only accent that gets brutalised.

              No kidding. I'm originally from Boston, and I think there should be a law that only Matt Damon and Marky Mark should be allowed to play Bostonians.


              Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson

              M 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • P Pete OHanlon

                Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                B Offline
                B Offline
                Bassam Abdul Baki
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                Pete O'Hanlon wrote:

                We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                Top of the morning to you lad.


                "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson Web - Blog - RSS - Math - LinkedIn - BM

                P 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • R Red Stateler

                  Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                  how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart

                  He's Australian.

                  P Offline
                  P Offline
                  Pete OHanlon
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  He's not. He was born in America. Peekskill New York to be exact.

                  Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                  M 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • Q QuiJohn

                    Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                    What about Hugh Laurie as House?

                    I think Laurie does a great job as House. I had no idea he was British until I saw an interview with him. Of course, I stopped watching the show because every episode is exactly the same but Laurie was always superb.


                    Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson

                    B Offline
                    B Offline
                    Bassam Abdul Baki
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    Thought he nailed it to. His actual accent is amazing different from his House character accent and I'm amazed he keeps it up every week and doesn't lose his own accent.


                    "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson Web - Blog - RSS - Math - LinkedIn - BM

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • B Bassam Abdul Baki

                      Pete O'Hanlon wrote:

                      We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                      Top of the morning to you lad.


                      "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson Web - Blog - RSS - Math - LinkedIn - BM

                      P Offline
                      P Offline
                      Pete OHanlon
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      OK - while I have an Irish surname, that doesn't make me Irish.

                      Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P Pete OHanlon

                        He's not. He was born in America. Peekskill New York to be exact.

                        Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Marcus J Smith
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #15

                        Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                        He's not. He was born in America. Peekskill New York to be exact.

                        But he moved to Australia as a toddler until he was a teenager.


                        CleaKO

                        "I think you'll be okay here, they have a thin candy shell. 'Surprised you didn't know that.'" - Tommy (Tommy Boy)
                        "Fill it up again! Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it's so good!" - Frank the Tank (Old School)

                        P E 2 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • M Marcus J Smith

                          Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                          He's not. He was born in America. Peekskill New York to be exact.

                          But he moved to Australia as a toddler until he was a teenager.


                          CleaKO

                          "I think you'll be okay here, they have a thin candy shell. 'Surprised you didn't know that.'" - Tommy (Tommy Boy)
                          "Fill it up again! Fill it up again! Once it hits your lips, it's so good!" - Frank the Tank (Old School)

                          P Offline
                          P Offline
                          Pete OHanlon
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          True - but he's still American.

                          Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • P Pete OHanlon

                            Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                            Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Dan Neely
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #17

                            Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                            and some of us actually have regional accents.

                            Unless you want movie foreigners to start wearing flag patches on their clothes they have to use something that's obviously an accent that belongs to the country they're supposed to be from even if it means always picking from one or two stereotypical accents and ignoring all actual variations.

                            -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                            P 2 Replies Last reply
                            0
                            • D Dan Neely

                              Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                              and some of us actually have regional accents.

                              Unless you want movie foreigners to start wearing flag patches on their clothes they have to use something that's obviously an accent that belongs to the country they're supposed to be from even if it means always picking from one or two stereotypical accents and ignoring all actual variations.

                              -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                              P Offline
                              P Offline
                              Pete OHanlon
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              True, but we're not all upper class or Cockney's.

                              Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • D Dan Neely

                                Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                                and some of us actually have regional accents.

                                Unless you want movie foreigners to start wearing flag patches on their clothes they have to use something that's obviously an accent that belongs to the country they're supposed to be from even if it means always picking from one or two stereotypical accents and ignoring all actual variations.

                                -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                                P Offline
                                P Offline
                                Pete OHanlon
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                I should also add that my accent would not be suitable because it is totally incomprehensible to anybody who wasn't born near Newcastle.:-D

                                Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                D 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • P Pete OHanlon

                                  Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                                  Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                  H Offline
                                  H Offline
                                  hairy_hats
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #20

                                  It's not only the Americans who can't do British accents--ever heard a non-Cornish actor do a believable Cornish accent? The national media seem to think that using Generic Rural Idiot Accent no. 3 is close enough. :mad:

                                  C A P 3 Replies Last reply
                                  0
                                  • P Pete OHanlon

                                    Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                                    Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                    R Offline
                                    R Offline
                                    R Giskard Reventlov
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #21

                                    My wife was a life-long Daltrey fan. Until last night. He would have been far better keeping his own accent (with a little back-story) and is, in any case, a bloody awful actor. Hugh Lawrire, on the other hand, is magnificent as House (the new series starts here tomorrow night). Apparently he frets constantly over getting the accent right and has a voice coach to help him along. And he's upper-middle class, not upper class even though he went to Eton. Toodle-pip. More tea, vicar? Cor blimey, guv'ner. TTFN. Cheerio. Well I'll be buggered. Tatty-bye. Cheers. Hi-de-hi. We NEVER, EVER say any of the above anymore. Well, not since last week, anyway.

                                    home
                                    tastier than delicious

                                    M L 2 Replies Last reply
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                                    • P Pete OHanlon

                                      I should also add that my accent would not be suitable because it is totally incomprehensible to anybody who wasn't born near Newcastle.:-D

                                      Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                      D Offline
                                      D Offline
                                      Dan Neely
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #22

                                      which is why Hollywierd only uses upper case and cockney accents. Everyone will know they're British, and be able to understand them.

                                      -- CleaKO The sad part about this instance is that none of the users ever said anything [about the problem]. Pete O`Hanlon Doesn't that just tell you everything you need to know about users?

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • P Pete OHanlon

                                        Before our Transatlantic cousins worry, I'm not commenting on American accents. Instead, this is about British "actors" who attempt American accents with, quite often, totally laughable results. (The only thing worse being American actors trying British accents - Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins for example, or how about Mel Gibson's strange Scottish accent in Braveheart). Last night, I watched an episode of CSI which featured Roger Daltrey as a Las Vegas mobster. His accent was so bad, that I had to cringe. What about Hugh Laurie as House? Surely the producers could have found somebody in America who had an American accent. I know that he's a fine comic actor - his renditions of the bumbling George in Blackadder or Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and Wooster are superb, but comeon America - he's an upper class Englishman. You can do better than that. So, a piece of advice for the American entertainment industry. You have some superb actors. Use them for the American roles, and use the British actors when you need a British one. Oh, and by the way, we don't all live in castles or picturesque little cottages, and some of us actually have regional accents. We don't all say "Top ho" or "Tinkety tonk".

                                        Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                                        H Offline
                                        H Offline
                                        hairy_hats
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        Pete O'Hanlon wrote:

                                        We don't all say "Top ho"

                                        Isn't the phrase "Top hole[^]"? I don't think it was originally a comment on the quality of one's partner.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • Q QuiJohn

                                          Pete O`Hanlon wrote:

                                          What about Hugh Laurie as House?

                                          I think Laurie does a great job as House. I had no idea he was British until I saw an interview with him. Of course, I stopped watching the show because every episode is exactly the same but Laurie was always superb.


                                          Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson

                                          G Offline
                                          G Offline
                                          Graham Bradshaw
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #24

                                          David Kentley wrote:

                                          every episode is exactly the same

                                          Nonsense. In one episode I watched, the patient had a mysterious illness, and House tried lots of things which didn't work. He then had a brainwave at the last minute, and the patient was cured. In another episode, the patient had a mysterious infirmity, and House tried lots of things which didn't work. He then had a brainwave at the last minute, and the patient was cured. In a third episode, the patient had a mysterious infection, and House tried lots of things which didn't work. He then had a brainwave at the last minute, and the patient was cured. You see? Every week there's a whole new storyline...

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