This Memorial Day

[cornerofmadness]

passed like the last one, boring. Usually I'm at my seminar but I've skipped it the last two years. Next year I'll be there (and in Ottawa).

But I had time to think and wonder, have I said THANK YOU? I can't remember so thank you to all of you who have been supportive and been wishing me well with all this nonsense going on. Thank you for being willing to read and review my books. Thank you for beta reading my work. Thank you for being cheerleaders. Thank you for not deserting me even though the posts lately have all been downers.


Just plain thank you!


I didn't clean as much as I wanted to. I'm assuming me that the claritin-D made me dizzy (nearly fell off the step ladder). It never does that and I only considered it after I got super thirsty (which is what it usually does) And you know what, it still did jack shit for my allergies.

Between the fuck-ton of nerve pain when I grip stuff to clean and my allergies what I really need is a maid. I'm not even joking about that in the least. It's getting so I can barely clean my house. Yesterday I had to turn on the vent fan in the bathroom just to spritz everything with cleaner and I'm using the organic botanicals but even they're beginning to trigger my asthma. On one hand I hate this, on the other I like the idea of not-cleaning. Moot point since I can't afford a maid.

I'm also sort of sad because Mom is sad. A few years back she lost feeling in her right foot and it doesn't move well. This is the second time she hasn't noticed that her big toe has bent under and she's walked on it and tore off the nail. She doesn't want to listen to my suggestions (I only am a podiatrist so what do I know?) No if I do go to Wales she doesn't want to go because she'll hold me back. Sigh. Of course it's unlikely that I'm going. Guess it's yet another year of no vacation.

As I was digging around researching something for my Buffyverse story I came across a wiki link talking about how Juliet and James had been given the stage direction of 'American' or 'British' accent when it came to Dru and Spike and they were originally going to go with American Southern.

Now I wonder would Spike have been half as popular if he sounded like Billy Bubba from Swamp Port Alabama fresh from checking his still and eating moon pies? Or if he sounded like he should be sipping mint juleps while fanning himself on the veranda.

Would Angel have been more popular if he had kept his Irish accent (and a better one than David is capable of?)

Comments

[harpers_child]

Ages ago I heard a clip of James doing his southern accent at a con while talking about other directions Spike could have gone in. It was not great. (I say as a southerner.) I think a badly done accent would have tanked Spike's popularity.

[cornerofmadness]

Oh wow, neat and yeah that's why I went with the exaggerated examples I gave (because that seems to be the two types of southern accents I hear from actors).

I guess Marsters got better with his English one because I remember early reviews harping on what the heck accent it was supposed to be as far as being from England.

[harpers_child]

I remember reading somewhere that Tony Head helped out a lot with that. Spike's accent ended up being more or less what Tony's really is.

[cornerofmadness]

Yeah I remember reading that too so thank you, Tony.

[scribblemoose]

I really sympathise re the allergies. I've had awful skin rashes lately, and the Dr put me on anti-histamines. Not only did I get the usual sleepiness and dry mouth, but I went into a really bad depression. I had no idea it was a side-effect until I burst into tears over a friend at work who's a mental health professional. She said it's well known in psych circles, but for some reason most GPs don't seem to realise it.

Anyway, I hope you feel better soon. *hugs*

[cornerofmadness]

Hmm yeah I never knew that about anti-histamines and I used to prescribe them all the time. You'd think someone would mention that. At least you had someone who knew.

Thanks. Hope yours subside too

[dlgood]

Now I wonder would Spike have been half as popular if he sounded like Billy Bubba from Swamp Port Alabama...

Would Angel have been more popular if

It can be so hard to prove counterfactual. I just can't imagine Spike & Dru working with a southern accent - in part because his accent seemed to be a big part of what people liked about him.

I think Angel might have gone over. People liked Glenn Quinn. But, maybe not once he got a spinoff. I don't know how many US shows have a lead character without an American or English accent.

[cornerofmadness]

Yes that's true.

But no I can't imagine Spike and Dru as southerners. Spike worked his Englishness into her character very well. Can't imagine him as anything else.

Doyle was good but yuo know you're right I'm not sure if any other accents fly for lead characters

[rahirah]

I can sort of see Drusilla as a Tennessee Williams-style mad southern belle. Spike it's a lot harder to re-imagine.

[cornerofmadness]

Okay I can agree with that. I guess in the long run they're probably glad they picked English because once they decided these weren't throw away characters, their storylines were so much easier with them from the UK.

[all_choseny]

Hahaha interesting questions! So, Bill from True Blood was insanely popular when the show first aired. I honestly hated his syrupy southern accent. I think people eventually got sick of it, too. Hence, the "Sookie is Mahn!" memes that became popular.

I think Spike's appeal was his accent. I think if he had a southern accent, the showrunners would have had to change his look. I am ever so grateful they did not go the way of Bill Compton. Between that accent and those mutton chops, it was a "no for me dawg" lol.

[cornerofmadness]

You know, I had forgotten that. I liked the books (well in the beginning) but never got into True Blood. Honestly I can imagine that accent grating after a while.

I cannot picture Spike as Southern