re: British Accent Perceptions page 4

it's ridiculous since I can think of dozens of other ... I've yet to meet anyone from NJ who talks weird.

You should have heard the accent of a college classmate of mine who was from Englewood.

Did they have a football team?

John 'Eng-le-wood ... Eng-le-wood...' Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply

If we're talking of comics of Middle Eastern origin, then watch out for Shazia Mirza - one of the few Muslim women to do a stand-up act and AFAIK the only one to do so in a hijab

If I'm not mixing her up with someone else, I think she recently plated New York and had a write-up in the Times. Apparently she starts her set with: "Hello. My name's Shazia Mirza. At least, that's what it says on my pilot's licence."

Then there's Omid Djalili Iranian-born Brit, who is hysterically funny on stage. He starts his act doing a very broad stereotype of Middle East types,

But mostly of Arabs. (Which is very Iranian: ancient hostilities and all that.)
If he's who I think he is, anyway energetic podgy chap with a fleshy face and a baggy suit, Iran's answer to Albania's John Belushi.

Whoever he is, he does a very mean camel dance.

then switches to a very proper RP delivery.

Mickwick,
the universally concerned intellectual optic of integrity

I heard that Alan Abbey Creek Frizzyhair had it sewn up.

And not before time, from what *I* heard.
Matti

snip re: the next Dr Who

I agree with Paul McGann's views on the casting. The new Doc should be female; Maggie Smith, perhaps.

I can see it now: Dalek: Ex-ter-mi-nate! Dr. Who: Oh, hush, and please try not to be so tahsome.

Precisely: it'd be great!

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 21 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey to whhvs)

If we're talking of comics of Middle Eastern origin, then watch out for Shazia Mirza - one of the few Muslim women to do a stand-up act and AFAIK the only one to do so in a hijab

Watch out for her? It's difficult to avoid her. Unfortunately she isn't very funny. She has very limited material, she delivers it badly and she can't ad lib.
It's the Lenny Henry syndrome all over again. In the 1980s, the people who ran British television were suddenly embarrassed by the lack of black comics in their world (Kenny Lynch didn't count). They panicked, grabbed the first black comic they could find and made him a star. (Or that's how I reckon it happened, anyway. What other explanation is there? There were far funnier black comics doing the rounds at the time. South London's Felix Dexter for one.)
Come the 2000s and it's Oh! Where's our female Muslim comic? Say hello to Shazia, a brave woman but, alas, not a naturally funny one.

I saw her do the 'pilot's ;icence' joke for the first time on TV and I assure you, her delivery is everything.

Hmmm. Dead-pan meets clueless and clueless wins, in my book.

Mickwick,
the universally concerned intellectual optic of integrity

If we're talking of comics of Middle Eastern origin, then ... AFAIK the only one to do so in a hijab

If I'm not mixing her up with someone else, I think she recently plated New York and had a write-up in the Times.

What does "plated" mean in English usage? (Seriously, none of the M-W definitions seem to fit.)

If I'm not mixing her up with someone else, I think she recently plated New York and had a write-up in the Times.

What does "plated" mean in English usage? (Seriously, none of the M-W definitions seem to fit.)

I think I can get this one! Played? Is that worth any sheep?
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/

If I'm not mixing her up with someone else, I think she recently plated New York and had a write-up in the Times.

What does "plated" mean in English usage? (Seriously, none of the M-W definitions seem to fit.)

Typo I meant "played."