I dont want to start a trans-atlantic argument, but do British people feel that the way Brits are portrayed on US TV is quite narrow and not representative?
For example, a lot of Brit characters in US TV are well-spoken ('posh'...) or snooty ('posh'...) or other such things and they drink their tea at 11 and so on...
Does this give Americans and other people the wrong, or a narrow view of what Britain is. A lot of American stars will say 'Oh, I love Britain, so quaint, and you speak so nicely...'
In fact, Britiain has 'quaint' locations, as does America.
It also has 'rough' locations, as does America.
And it has some of the best and biggest cities in the world, as does America.
We also have tonnes of diverse accents and cultures - not just those who 'speak nicely', as does America.
Is the representation of Brits on US TV responsible? Or am I totally off the mark? Are we represented evenly?
2006-10-03 21:29:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Television
"But - do we portray Americans fairly on our shows? They can't all be fat, arrogant loudmouths, surely?!"
Probably not, to be fair - but then there are lots of American TV programmes on in the UK, so we get their view of themselves also?
2006-10-03 21:37:10 · update #1
You stated your question very well and were even-handed in what you said (i.e. you didn't bash Americans like so many do). I don't know how American TV portrays the British, because the only British that I watch on TV are on BBC World News and "Keeping Up Appearances." Hyacinth is defintely snooty, but I know that most British are not like she is.
I may look at things somewhat differently than many Americans. My paternal grandfather was from Liverpool. His parents were Irish. (My nickname comes from that.) My paternal grandmother was the first person in her family to be born in America. Her two older brothers were born in England. We lived next door to my grandparents, so they had a definite influence on our lives.
To truly get to know what people of any nationality are like, you need to make friends with them....and keep an open mind with no preconceived ideas of that nationality.
I know I've gotten rather far from the subject of TV, but it's the way that my thinking went.
2006-10-04 05:32:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
British TV is also guilty of stereotyping British TV. Soaps such as Eastenders, Coronation Street and The Bill are good examples. On the London based soaps baddies from the north are usually pretty inept and never get the better of their southern counterparts. In Coronation Street Londoners are usually scheming wide boys looking to make a fast buck.
In general if you want a drunkard he will have a Scottish accent. If advertisers want to appear homely and down to earth their characters will have northern accents but if they are slick and smart they will have a smart educated London type of accent.
2006-10-03 22:05:14 · answer #2 · answered by migelito 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually when I see a british stereo type on tv, they are doing it on purpose. Like, they are obviously using a stereotype, and that's part of the humor. They did it on the third season of Arrested Development. They made up a fake place in LA called "Little Britian" It was so completely over the top with british stereotypes that you knew it had to be tongue-in-cheek.
p.s. when I was in england, I saw a arcade game called "American Truck Driver" You're job was to cause as much havoc as you could, while the driver yells "Yee-haw!" So it's not like it doesn't go both ways.
2006-10-03 21:40:41 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We get the BBC over here and some of the stereotypes I have seen there are much worse than anything I have seen on US networks. But then again, I don't watch that much network TV. I do not, however, watch BBC News: they seem to be anti everybody except BBC News.
2006-10-03 21:53:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good point (I'm UK) - and why are all the best baddies British?
But - do we portray Americans fairly on our shows? They can't all be fat, arrogant loudmouths, surely?!
2006-10-03 21:35:59 · answer #5 · answered by Hello Dave 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i know what you're aiming at, with the mannerisms and all, but i can't say that i've ever seen it portrayed purposely.
that is, i've seen quite a few english people acting just as normal as anyone on my street
2006-10-03 21:33:08 · answer #6 · answered by Jim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have shows on PBS that poke fun at British mannerisms, and I am sure they have the same about us! It is all in good fun and not meant to be offensive.
2006-10-03 22:14:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone is made in to caricatures on US TV.
Just because it's on TV doesn't make it true. In fact, IF it is on US TV it's probably NOT true.
People watching TV don't want truth, they want entertainment. If you want truth, take up world travel.
This is why I don't watch TV.
2006-10-03 21:38:10 · answer #8 · answered by BlueChimera 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋