--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word was out that maybe, just maybe…" description: "\"“The word was out that maybe, just maybe, a British accent would fit. The hair, the skin tone and the bridgework would have to be up to American networ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/douglas-adams-122_accents_the-word-was-out-that-maybe-just-maybe-a_1218931.png" --- # The word was out that maybe, just maybe, a British accent… ![“The word was out that maybe, just maybe, a British accent would fit. The hair, the skin tone and the bridgework would have to be up to American network standards, but there had been a lot of British accents up there thanking their mothers for their Oscars, a lot of British accents singing on…” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/douglas-adams-122_accents_the-word-was-out-that-maybe-just-maybe-a_1218931.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/douglas-adams-122_accents_the-word-was-out-that-maybe-just-maybe-a_1218931.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/douglas-adams-122_accents_the-word-was-out-that-maybe-just-maybe-a_1218931.png) > ““The word was out that maybe, just maybe, a British accent would fit. The hair, the skin tone and the bridgework would have to be up to American network standards, but there had been a lot of British accents up there thanking their mothers for their Oscars, a lot of British accents singing on Broadway, and some unusually big audiences tuning in to British accents in wig on Masterpiece Theatre.”” [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. British accents were being considered for American TV to meet network standards, reflecting cultural adaptation and audience expectations. **In simple terms:** British accents were evaluated for fitting American TV standards, showing cultural compromise. Key Takeaway Understand how media standards shape representation and cultural exchange. Themes media cultural adaptation representation Mood analytical observational Type cultural media studies When to use this quote - casting decisions - international productions - cultural perception Key Concepts TV casting network standards audience expectations British vs American accents Questions to Reflect On - How do casting choices influence cultural perception? - What balance should be struck between authenticity and market demands? A Different Perspective Audience preferences may resist non‑native accents despite talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) [Accents Wig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents-wig-3725561/) [British Accent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-accent/) [British Accents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-accents-294465/) [Maybe British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-british-3725560/) [Skin tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin-tone/) ## Related quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [The only silver lining I can find is that British accents aren't sexy anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-only-silver-lining-i-can-find-is-that-british-accents-aren-t-sexy/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Maybe if I was British, a semi-final would be incredible. I'd be on the front page of the paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/maybe-if-i-was-british-a-semi-final-would-be-incredible-i-d-be-on-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Johnny English is someone who really means well it's just that he's not as good as he thinks he is, and I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-atkinson/johnny-english-is-someone-who-really-means-well-it-s-just-that-he-s/) [Rowan Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-atkinson/) > [If I go anywhere where there are people who vaguely look like me, there is always that feeling of, 'Actually I do look quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/if-i-go-anywhere-where-there-are-people-who-vaguely-look-like-me/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) > [I guess the most interesting thing that people think is I'm English. They think that I live in England and have a British accent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-fulcher/i-guess-the-most-interesting-thing-that-people-think-is-i-m-english-2/) [Rich Fulcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-fulcher/) > [There is a certain advantage to the British accent. I do notice that Americans love it; they think the we Brits are smarter than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-morgan/there-is-a-certain-advantage-to-the-british-accent-i-do-notice-that/) [Piers Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-morgan/) > [That could sound arrogant, I guess, but sometimes I feel like I have a bit of a Zelig thing. I'll blend in wherever. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/that-could-sound-arrogant-i-guess-but-sometimes-i-feel-like-i-have-a/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [ They said \[on a day show\], oh, you can't do a Chinese accent. That's - and I said, I'm not doing a Chinese accent.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/they-said-on-a-day-show-oh-you-can-t-do-a-chinese-accent-that-s-and-i/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I like everything European. Even my GPS has a British accent - it's way less annoying than the American one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bilson/i-like-everything-european-even-my-gps-has-a-british-accent-it-s-way/) [Rachel Bilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bilson/) > [America has had an influence on me, as has going out with a Cuban-American guy and having lots of American friends. But I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/america-has-had-an-influence-on-me-as-has-going-out-with-a-cuban/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [I'd like to do a little bit of everything. I think the only thing I can't do is a British accent, so that's out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/i-d-like-to-do-a-little-bit-of-everything-i-think-the-only-thing-i/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [Comedy has always been something I love, but for some reason - probably because of the British accent - I've always been pushed toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toks-olagundoye/comedy-has-always-been-something-i-love-but-for-some-reason-probably/) [Toks Olagundoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toks-olagundoye/) ## More by Douglas Adams > [2,000 years ago one man got nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be if everyone was nice to each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/2-000-years-ago-one-man-got-nailed-to-a-tree-for-saying-how-great-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [One is never alone with a rubber duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/one-is-never-alone-with-a-rubber-duck/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/this-must-be-thursday-i-never-could-get-the-hang-of-thursdays/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/there-are-some-oddities-in-the-perspective-with-which-we-see-the-world/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Eight hours West sat a man alone on a beach mourning an inexplicable loss. He could only think of his loss in little packets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/eight-hours-west-sat-a-man-alone-on-a-beach-mourning-an-inexplicable/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The Universe, the whole infinite Universe. The infinite suns, the infinite distances between them, and yourself an invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-universe-the-whole-infinite-universe-the-infinite-suns-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/any-man-who-can-hitch-the-length-and-breadth-of-the-galaxy-rough-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“When we told our guide that we didn't want to go to all the tourist places he took us instead to the places where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-we-told-our-guide-that-we-didn-t-want-to-go-to-all-the-tourist/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“But Douglas was a genius, because he saw the world differently, and more importantly, he could communicate the world he saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-douglas-was-a-genius-because-he-saw-the-world-differently-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The bits which did mean anything were often so wonderfully buried that no one could ever spot them slipping past in the avalanche of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-bits-which-did-mean-anything-were-often-so-wonderfully-buried/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) [Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More Accents quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [“It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/it-s-not-my-accent-but-my-brevity-makes-me-stylish/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [You can't live in a dialect without tremendous work. Like any muscle, accents and voices and languages are all formed out of the muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/you-can-t-live-in-a-dialect-without-tremendous-work-like-any-muscle/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. And even with the accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-don-t-think-you-see-a-pirate-with-a-parrot-on-his-shoulder-for/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [I'm a Yente and I have a terrible accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-m-a-yente-and-i-have-a-terrible-accent/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) > [In bed watching Family Guy. Love this show.! So hilarious! Stewie is my favorite :) love his accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/in-bed-watching-family-guy-love-this-show-so-hilarious-stewie-is-my/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [American accents often sound much more confident than British ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/american-accents-often-sound-much-more-confident-than-british-ones/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/much-of-my-playing-is-rhythmic-and-choppy-i-use-a-lot-of-double-stops/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“The accent of one's birthplace persists in the mind and heart as much as in speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rouchefoucauld/the-accent-of-one-s-birthplace-persists-in-the-mind-and-heart-as-much/) [La Rouchefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-rouchefoucauld/) > [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) [Browse all 749 Accents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The word was out that maybe, just maybe, a British accent would fit. 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