I feel sorry for Irish people ...

[koalathebear]

As someone of Asian extraction I always cringe at the awful, AWFUL clichés and stereotypes that they have of Asian people. The women are always May Lee or May Ling, the parents are always overbearing and pushy, the accents are always awful, they're often good at kung fu - the list goes on. As an Aussie, I also cringe - accents done by a non-

Comments

[lesbiassparrow]

The worst Irish accents were in Heroes, in all the scenes set in 'Cork'. I don't even know why they bothered, really. Why do they not get Irish actors? It's not like there's a dearth of them.

[koalathebear]

Why do they not get Irish actors? It's not like there's a dearth of them.
I seriously think it's because everyone thinks that they can do a decent Irish accent - but they learn from tv or the movies. For other accents, they make the efforts of giving them a dialogue coach but for the Irish accent (or the French accent), people just study off the screen :P

There are some pretty dodgy accents in P.S. I Love You, too - although that was just a bodgy dodgy movie overall.

[ancarett]

Yes, this! It was so cringeworthy that I just gave up on the show. I have a couple of colleagues who are Irish and they regularly make fun of the "TV Irish" they hear and see. One told me that it's either that or cry. I can understand completely.

All of these stereotypes, when they "insert generic ethnic name" and "play broad ethnic accent" are just so offensive. And, as you say, it's not like, even in Hollywood, they couldn't fill a casting call with people who know the language and can do it well. They could even fill a room with writers who know something about the cultures they're appropriating. Gah!

[arathesane]

Oh, god, I only sporadically watch Burn Notice but I remember how awful GA's "Irish" accent was. I was glad that they had her switch to an American one, though her American accent is pretty bad too. Just not as bad!

Remember when David Boreanaz had to do an Irish accent in flashbacks as Liam/Angelus? Oh, it was awful.

[alexandral]

I still think the stereotypes of the Asian people are the worst, really terrible stuff

[koalathebear]

Hee hee. Asians and Russians really get slammed on tv and in the movies. It seems like they all learn their bad accent from one bad actor :P