Taking the p*ss out of someones accent

[NadineBaggott]

Watching Matthew Wright this morning, one of his callers had what I would describe as a plummy accent. At the end of call Matthew mimicked his caller's voice with a big grin on his face and the audience fell about laughting.

I thought 'how rude!' (Mind you MW is often quite rude to his callers) and then I thought would he have done that to a West Indian or Chinese caller - probably not.

Is it ok to take the p*ss out of your countrymens accents but not other nationalities or is everyone fair game?

Asking about it is different from ripping the pish out of it and the assumption that if you speak that way you're a thick, dirty peon.

Oh yes I quite agree. I don't have a problem with it at all. Went on a course once where the tutor absolutely refused to beleive that I was from this area as I didn't speak as he expected me to.

What's the quotation? Something along the lines of 'every time an Englishman opens his mouth he makes another Englishman hate him'.

"just that the time he chose to do it was inappropriate"

yes custy I think that's what got me, the guy had taken the time to ring the show and give his point of view (as requested) then someone takes the proverbial in front on millions of viewers - not on!

Yes I got teased in Somerset for sounding posh too

But I live in Wales now, so they think it sounds thick- as one person said, 'When I dont want to work (serves in a techy shop) I just pput on a Somerseta ccent so they think I'm thick and go elsewhere'