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Is It Painful For Americans To Listen To a British Accent?
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Dev



Joined: 18 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 5:54 am    Post subject: Is It Painful For Americans To Listen To a British Accent? Reply with quote

I just got an email about an interesting dvd release from the BBC. LIFE will be coming out in June. It's a kind of continuation of where EARTH left off.

The disturbing thing is that they found it necessary to make two versions of it. As far as I know, they both have the same images. Only the narrator is different. The original version has David Attenborough. The second version has Oprah Winfrey.

Why bother making the second version with Oprah? Does David's accent bother Americans? Maybe not. Reviewers on Amazon are already criticising this move.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=life+bbc&sprefix=life+

Expect to see the Oprah Winfrey version in the bargin bin at Wal-Mart in the near future.
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cj1976



Joined: 26 Oct 2005

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It depends on the British accent. I'm from England and I find this painful to listen to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDaTTVR2JXY
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Gibberish



Joined: 29 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attenborough's accent rules. When I was writing papers in college I would imagine him saying my words to make sure that I was making a scholarly sounding sentence. I prefer him over Oprah, surely.

The only accent that would get on my nerves is the Scottish accent, but even that I'm really not that bothered by. I think it has more to do with the tone of the voice itself.
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sesyeux



Joined: 20 Jul 2009
Location: king 'arrys

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

attenborough is literally one of my top 5 people in the entire world. if you can't listen to him lyricise liquid educational honey, you dont deserve to have ears.

and pretty sure they've only got oprah/weaver etc on board to sell more.
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Bloopity Bloop



Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You know, it never really bothered me at all until I came here and I heard Brits s*** all over American accents. For some reason, it just irks me a bit now. Unfortunately, a lot of my countrymen find it hilarious to get Brits to say different things just because they like the accents or think they're funny. Both sides are idiots.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume that the one of the main reasons why the Oprah version was created was that some corporate guys felt her star power might generate more sales. True fans would probably buy the original and Oprah's name would give the series more attention. I could be totally wrong, but as I said, just going out on a limb.
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peppermint



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd imagine they just thought that having a household name as narrator would help it to sell. David Attenborough might be the best thing since sliced bread, but he isn't familiar to most North Americans.
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Hyeon Een



Joined: 24 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The people in charge meant no offence.

It's just the way it is.

If people get upset by the accent rather than the message then they are retarded.
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.38 Special



Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Location: Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Americans, insofar as I'm aware, generally enjoy British accents. They've a music to them that smooths out the rhythm.

I don't see what the big deal is. The Dark Overlord of Wayward Housewives just wants to double her money.
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Jandar



Joined: 11 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oprah sells.
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Sergio Stefanuto



Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attenborough is an atheist and gets a lot of hate mail.
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sesyeux



Joined: 20 Jul 2009
Location: king 'arrys

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sergio Stefanuto wrote:
Attenborough is an at