I wouldn't worry to much about HL losing the accent. When I lived in London for three years I found myself picking up expressions and traits in speaking that I commonly heard however when I was transferred back to the states those mannerisms lasted only a few months or a year. After that I reverted to an American accent. My daughter learned to speak when we lived there and she also lost her British accent although it took a little longer since that was the way she initially learned to speak. All it will really take is for him to spend more time around people who speak with an English accent for it to come to the forefront again in his daily speech.

I have no idea how it sounds to the people around me, but when I'm on vacation, visiting friends from different areas of the country, my southern accent tends to fade a bit. I used to have a great friend who moved down here from Buffalo and I found that I picked up things from her and she picked up things from me. Once she moved away and that influence was gone, eventually certain things dissappeared and others returned. I think we all have our basic accents and speech patterns and ways of speaking, but outside influences are always there to mix things up even if you eventually go back to the norm.

His accent has always been easy to understand. Also, he has a very good ear for accents so he probably unconsciously picks up a bit from the people around him. These days, that's mostly American. His English accent is probably strongest when he gets back from hiatus and he's spent a month or two back home. And it's probably the most Americanized in May when they finish taping a season. I took a film class where we watched Mike Leigh's Life is Sweet when it first came out. People were getting up and walking out. I had a bit of trouble understanding it, but in those days I watched a lot of Masterpiece Theatre so I was basically okay. A few days later we had the discussion session and one person snarled "when I watch a film in a foreign language, I want subtitles. That's never been Hugh's accent.

Right. Good idea. I guess there will soon be a long line snaking its way through West Hollywood. Anything to save Hugh's accent. I'm willing to throw myself on that sword... :wink: :oops: :roll:

Stephen should join the cast for S4 and keep the accent n-line. Agree. And it's only because I'm so concerned for Hugh's accent, that I'm thinking Stephen should do at least 5 or 6 episodes....or Emma....or Imelda....or Rowan. I'm not picky. That beautiful accent must be saved, no matter what sacrifices have to be made dammit :)

Agree. And it's only because I'm so concerned for Hugh's accent, that I'm thinking Stephen should do at least 5 or 6 episodes....or Emma....or Imelda....or Rowan. I'm not picky. That beautiful accent must be saved, no matter what sacrifices have to be made dammit Remember though iamdaffodils when Hugh said over the summer that he'd love to have Emma on the show but he didn't feel he was in a position to use it as a club where he could just have all his buddies come on whenever he...or they...wanted?! And is it just me or does Hugh manage to charm the hell out of you even when dashing your hopes? Seriously as much as I'd love seeing one of Hugh's pals show up I have so much respect for him for saying that he doesn't feel it's his place to push for that. It's so responsible and un-diva...and totally Hugh so it's not surprising. It's just...guh.

I know hughsblues - why can't he be more demanding and diva-like? He needs to work on that. :) Besides, I'm not thinking of myself and my wish to see Stephen as a clinic patient, or Emma as anything, I'm being completely unselfish and only thinking of the preservation (or restoration?) of Hugh's accent. That's just the kind of girl I am.

He sounded as british as big ben and the tower of london to me. But now I have to re-listen and see if I detect anything. Yeah, loved the way he said 'mafia'. Thats def not how we say it! I def absorb the regional accents like a sponge: if Im in the South I start to talk like that. If I'm around NYers same thing. I also see some of you mentioning how you love him more every time you see him. Thats so true for me. Just when I think he's too freakin awesome, I see another interview with him and .. . well you know. Adore him even more! :wub: :wub: OK I just got done listening to a bit of his S4 interview. His English accent does sound a bit reduced to me. He said "man kind" more like we say man. I'm phoning the major news outlets!!

Fellow Hugh fans...check out the media thread for a link to a very short behind the scenes feature on extra's website with Hugh and Kal Penn shooting a scene in the OR. Also...a little footage of Hugh rocking out with BFTV! It's really short but very nice anyway and it looks like he was interviewed on the set of the show so maybe keep an eye on extra this week on the tube.

The segment (or a similar segment; I didn't look at the link) airs on tonight's installment of Extra. There is also a separate segment about Larroquette joining "Boston Legal".

Paper Soldier
Someone over on the Fox forum posted that they called Amazon and was assured that Paper soldier was being released on Thursday as scheduled. I hope they are right, but there have been a lot of rumors about the book being delayed until 2009. I guess we'll know the truth on Thursday.

Somebody on "another forum" contacted Penguin in the UK to find out if the rumor that it wouldn't come out in September was true and received the following e-mail. "Sorry it's not good news the date has now been put back to September 2009."