Bebe Glazer's accent.

[Patrick]

What is it? Is it fake? It seems to remind me of someone at times but I can't put my finger on whom it is. Is she impersonating someone?

[CatNamedRudy]

I've never noticed an accent.

[PistolPoet]

I've never noticed an accent.

Really? I think she has quite an accent (though her intonation might be making it more pronounced than it really is), but I'm terrible at American accents, so I can't say what it is. Most of the time she doesn't pronounce her Rs ("daaaahling"), making me think she sounds a bit like an old-school Southerner.

[Patrick]

I've never noticed an accent.

Really? I think she has quite an accent (though her intonation might be making it more pronounced than it really is), but I'm terrible at American accents, so I can't say what it is. Most of the time she doesn't pronounce her Rs ("daaaahling"), making me think she sounds a bit like an old-school Southerner.

I think she sounds a tad Irish at times but I would need confirmation on that as I am terrible with accents.

[Frasiertime]

I've never noticed an accent.

Really? I think she has quite an accent (though her intonation might be making it more pronounced than it really is), but I'm terrible at American accents, so I can't say what it is. Most of the time she doesn't pronounce her Rs ("daaaahling"), making me think she sounds a bit like an old-school Southerner.

I think she sounds a tad Irish at times but I would need confirmation on that as I am terrible with accents.

Harriet Sansom Harris (Bebe) Her bio says she was born and raised in Ft. Worth, Texas and was accepted to Juilliard School in New York when she was 17. Maybe she has tried to cover up a Texas accent, but some of it seeps through

[Eddie2012]

I, too, noticed that she does not do the American 'r' (just watched the episode where she tries to give up smoking).

I lived in Ireland for a year and a half - to me there is absolutely nothing Irish in her accent (same with Niles in Ham Radio, it always puzzled me as to why he impersonated the Irish chap the way he did ).

No idea what a Southern or Texan accent sounds like. I always thought they pronounce the 'r' extra strong - but that must be wrong when I read what Frasiertime and PistolPoet wrote?

[Frasiertime]

I, too, noticed that she does not do the American 'r' (just watched the episode where she tries to give up smoking).

I lived in Ireland for a year and a half - to me there is absolutely nothing Irish in her accent (same with Niles in Ham Radio, it always puzzled me as to why he impersonated the Irish chap the way he did ).

No idea what a Southern or Texan accent sounds like. I always thought they pronounce the 'r' extra strong - but that must be wrong when I read what Frasiertime and PistolPoet wrote?

Doesn't really sound Texan to me, she just talks a little funny (imo). That's why I thought she might be trying to cover up a Texan accent and it sounds a little odd. Whatever it is, I wouldn't call it a regional American accent.

[CatNamedRudy]

Listen to how Roz speaks when she's doing the Thelma and Louise thing in Freudian Sleep. That's Peri with her slightly over exaggerated natural Texas accent.

I notice a sense "rich snottiness" tone in Bebe's speech but definitely never any type of foreign accent.

[DiceMan]

Sounds like a transatlantic accent

[PistolPoet]

I asked my friend who is a phonetician and he says that it's actually an old upper-class variety of the East Coast speech, a non-rhotic (R not pronounced) accent which was the basis for an accent that lots of actors adopted in the first half of the 20th century, like Barbara Stanwyck, Carole Lombard, Katharine Hepburn etc.

[Patrick]

I asked my friend who is a phonetician and he says that it's actually an old upper-class variety of the East Coast speech, a non-rhotic (R not pronounced) accent which was the basis for an accent that lots of actors adopted in the first half of the 20th century, like Barbara Stanwyck, Carole Lombard, Katharine Hepburn etc.

Yes, that's probably why I thought that she was impersonating someone.

[Frasiertime]

I asked my friend who is a phonetician and he says that it's actually an old upper-class variety of the East Coast speech, a non-rhotic (R not pronounced) accent which was the basis for an accent that lots of actors adopted in the first half of the 20th century, like Barbara Stanwyck, Carole Lombard, Katharine Hepburn etc.

What a great explanation, and Bebe does it so well. Old Hollywood.... she's even got the over dramatic hand gestures and body language to go with the accent. What about Gil? His way of speaking also sounds made up to me.

[PistolPoet]

What a great explanation, and Bebe does it so well. Old Hollywood.... she's even got the over dramatic hand gestures and body language to go with the accent. What about Gil? His way of speaking also sounds made up to me.

Apparently, he grew up in the UK, and to me his accent seems genuinely English, just deliberately exaggerated to sound snobbish and flamboyant.

[CatNamedRudy]

I asked my friend who is a phonetician and he says that it's actually an old upper-class variety of the East Coast speech, a non-rhotic (R not pronounced) accent which was the basis for an accent that lots of actors adopted in the first half of the 20th century, like Barbara Stanwyck, Carole Lombard, Katharine Hepburn etc.

That was pretty much what I meant by "rich snottiness".

[Patrick]

You remember when she says; "I am a STARRR MAKERRR!" she's definitely imitating someone there.

[Frasiertime]

You remember when she says; "I am a STARRR MAKERRR!" she's definitely imitating someone there.

Yes, and (don't recall the ep) she flutters her eye lashes and says something like "won't you do it for poor little Bebe" - reminds me of an old Bette Davis movie.

[Forever Jung]

Her accent sort of reminds me of Winchester from MASH sometimes.
He was from Boston wasn't he?

[CatNamedRudy]

:twisted: Her accent sort of reminds me of Winchester from MASH sometimes.
He was from Boston wasn't he?

Yes. He sounded like a snob too.

[Hawkspur]

Thre is a discussion on the accent of Charles Emerson Winchester III here:
http://kenlevine.blogspot.co.nz/2007/10 ... ester.html

Funnily enough, discussion digresses to Cheers at one point...

[Whisper of cinnamon]

I always found her accent and manner very reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn, and very 1940s Hollywood in general, which tallies with Pistol Pete's explanation. A very enjoyable performance, in small doses!

[welshben23]

I always found her accent and manner very reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn, and very 1940s Hollywood in general, which tallies with Pistol Pete's explanation. A very enjoyable performance, in small doses!

Pete Sampras?

[PistolPoet]

I always found her accent and manner very reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn, and very 1940s Hollywood in general, which tallies with Pistol Pete's explanation. A very enjoyable performance, in small doses!

Pete Sampras?

I wish!

[Whisper of cinnamon]

Sorry about getting your name wrong, PistolPoet! I am a big tennis fan, so I guess that explains why I misread it!

[PistolPoet]

:lol: Sorry about getting your name wrong, PistolPoet! I am a big tennis fan, so I guess that explains why I misread it!

No problem! It was just funny to me cos I'm a girl .