Quote: catskillz @ December 29, 2007, 10:10 PMI remember listening to Talksport, on the radio one night, and there was an American woman sitting in for the regular presenter. She started talking about the Second World War, and suddenly claimed that the only British men who fought in the war were Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish, while the English just "sat back and drank tea"!!
Hahaha, that's classic.
In Lion King (One of my fav films) The baddie 'Scar' was English. I think Disney do British Baddies in all their films!
A free peek of something bad to anyone who can name the actors voice for Scar. WITHOUT GOOGLING!!!!!
Quote: Charley @ January 1, 2008, 8:49 PMIn Lion King (One of my fav films) The baddie 'Scar' was English. I think Disney do British Baddies in all their films!
A free peek of something bad to anyone who can name the actors voice for Scar. WITHOUT GOOGLING!!!!!
Jeremy Irons (I cheated, so keep it covered)
not only baddies.
In US sitcoms the English are usually portrayed as weirdos and eccentric at best, and plain freaks at worst. I cannot name any example right off the top of my head, but there have been sitcoms with an English supporting or recurring (not speaking about one-off) character, which fit the above description.
And, just like no self-respecting US sitcom cannot do without somebody impersonating Elvis at one point or another, this English character will be at one point reminded that "we broke free from you in 177*, and you ain't telling me what to do!"
It just gets as annoying as everyone turning gay in Rosanne (while actors who are actually gay play straight characters) 
It's ignorance and American writers know their audience. So 'English' characters have to be aimed at the lowest common denominator. Most Americans can't decipher between Britain and England. And England is London. It's the same to them. Give the writers of Frasier an applaud. The home help was from Manchester. And don't get me started about Wales.
'What part of England is Wales in?' George Bush to Charlotte Church. Twat!
I don't think it is ignorance exactly, and I don't think American independence hits the nail squarely on the head either. All classical figures of evil are rooted in history. Why not the American baddy? They have no history. They're all happy-go-lucky pioneers.
I imagine Americans hear the devil talking in an English accent. Evil is a dark thing, it's rooted in history and murky pasts, and Europe has more history to offer.
Plus it's a stereotype that has some truth to it that the English are more sophisticated than the Americans - or at least they think they are. English=sophistication=Iago-like evil scheming. The 'English' character in question is always, always, always a schemer - they're never stupid.
But we all live with these things. Often they play on a subconscious level and that's why they work.
Ever noticed that alot of English cartoons have scottish baddies?
Quote: roscoff @ January 3, 2008, 1:43 AMIt's ignorance and American writers know their audience. So 'English' characters have to be aimed at the lowest common denominator. Most Americans can't decipher between Britain and England. And England is London. It's the same to them. Give the writers of Frasier an applaud. The home help was from Manchester. And don't get me started about Wales.
'What part of England is Wales in?' George Bush to Charlotte Church. Twat!
The actress who played "Daphne" did a really good job with the Manchester accent, as she was really from the South of England. The bloke who played Frasiers' Dad, on the other hand, is a real Northerner, as he is originally from Blackpool.
Quote: James Williams @ January 3, 2008, 1:55 AMPlus it's a stereotype that has some truth to it that the English are more sophisticated than the Americans
It'd be quite an impressive feat to be less so.
Quote: Charley @ January 3, 2008, 2:15 AMEver noticed that alot of English cartoons have scottish baddies?
No.