On British people...
 

Since February, I've spent about 2/3 of my time (on and off) living out of various hotels on Manhattan. On interesting reversal of this is that it takes me away from my fast internet connection and large media server, but gives me access to live TV (which I don't have at home).

So I've been watching a lot of TV in the evenings.

One show that I started watching, simply because it seems to be on in secondary syndication pretty much any time that Family Guy isn't, is "House".

Tonight is a bit of an exception. I'm staying at a hotel that has an on-site laundry room, a rarity in midtown. So, since I'm still waiting on a load to finish, the Jay Leno show has come on. And tonight, who but Hugh Lauriem (the actor who plays Dr. Gregory House) is being interviewed.

And he's fucking British?

Honestly, I'd never have guessed it. Most British people who I know personally sound like a sort of John Wayne-meets-Rambo when they try to do an American accent. But I'd have never guessed this one.

Second time I've been fooled in this manner.

I feel somehow dirty.


edit: now he's playing Minnie the Moocher on the piano. I'm pretty sure I'm not still high.

Ya, his accent is pretty strong when speaking normally. I saw him on the actor studio once.

If you ever saw 101 Dalmatians (not the animated one), Hugh is in it in full glory.

I'm assuming that Jamie Bamber was the first time you were fooled. Got me.

Oh and Wilson? He is the kid in My Best Friend Is a Vampire.

(random fact)

Go watch "Black Adder". Its an old BBC comedy - Hugh is in it - hilarious.

lol, I was just as surprised the 1st time I saw him in an interview.
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I knew he was british but he does a damn great job sounding contempary american.

I am always amazed at how the good actors can pull off impeccable accents. Some examples off the top of my head...

- Gary Oldman in 'The Professional' and 'Hannibal' - UK citizen, but pulls off two completely different American accents very convincingly.
- Christian Bale in Batman series. He even did movie promo interviews (Tonight Show, etc) in an American accent in case Americans were turned off by a non-American playing Batman.
- Russel Crowe in 'A Beautiful Mind'

Those are kind of pop-actor examples (except for Oldman, he rules) but I am pressed to think of better examples right now.

I LOVE The BBC!

I had completely forgotten he was on Black Adder.

He fooled me as well. Finally watched the Series Finale and the behind the scenes stuff last night.

Chris

Mel Gibson still throws me off. Really weird hearing an Australian accent come out of his mouth.

The only Brits i've heard do american accents are guys on top gear, and your description is very accurate. I like it when clarkson says "sporty".

And it stars car fanatic Rowen Atkinson (aka Mr Bean), so you KNOW it's funny.

You Hugh Laurie noobs need to watch a few episodes of Jeeves and Wooster.

PG Wodehouse + Hugh Laurie + Stephen Fry = WIN

Yep. At least, the first in recent memory.


Good point, though with Gibson, even when doing a "stereotypical" American straight-man role (eg: Ransom) it's clear that he's not a native speaker of American english.

But you're dead-on about Clarkson. That is *exactly* what most of my Brit friends sound like when they do "American", and I find it absolutely hilarious.


Here's the thing: when is the last time you can recall an American actor being hired on to do a British role? Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins doesn't count- I'm talking about a show intended specifically for the UK audience.


It's one thing when a film is re-dubbed using a different voice actor (Sigourney Weaver vs. David Attenborough in BBC's "Planet Earth", or Jeremy Piven vs. Jeremy Clarkson in "Cars"). But this trickery...

What the fuck was that?

Christopher Walken being badass and playing an English person/cat.

Sounded like Christopher Walken playing Christopher Walken to me.

(I'm pretty sure it also made Baby Jesus cry.)

I watched that movie over the weekend, it was pretty awesome.

Hmm. I watched Moonraker, The Spy who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and The Man with the Golden Gun.

Lots of British actors playing British roles.

(Incidentally, I find BBC-America to be somewhat confusing to watch. British programmes and British announcers, with American adverts.)

Just imagine how THEY feel!

lol nice find!

I find (and a few other brits abroad) BBC America's ability to advertise quite annoying considering they're a channel funded by the license fee. There must be some sort of loop hole for them out here because it's quite illegal for them to be doing any sort of commercial advertisement.

I was lol'ing. I Love Scrubs, love House, and as stupid and short as it was, I loved that clip.

I've watched a few episodes of Hugh and Laurie, good British comedy. It was a while ago but I think it reminded me a bit of a two person Monty Python.

While I know relatively little of UK law or the BBC's charter, consider the parallel of PBS here in the US. Although roughly 40% of their operating revenues (the network and the affiliates combined) come from state and federal sources, they are permitted to engage in certain commercial practices, such as retail sale of both their programming (VHS and DVD) as well as programming-related merchandise.

The next time you see a Barney or Tickle-Me-Elmo doll at the store, ask yourself- how do you feel about your tax dollars being used to market those toys?

That's interesting, I never could quite figure out the PBS setup. In Britain it is 100% state funded, so it really pisses me off seeing them make money off shitty commercials when we already pay for it. Not to mention the online broadcast restrictions that make for international users....