Michael flatleys accent.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Following on from Worst irish accent in a film, I was going to suggest Michael flatley till I remembered he's not an actor and that his ridiculous accent is supposedly natural. It's plain ridiculous, it cant be attributed to any parish, townland or county in this country, so where and how and why did aul twinkle toes develop his stupid fake accent?

later12

Ah, Soft day.

Kylo Ren

Ah to be sure, to be sure.

brummytom

He's American isn't he? Probably just an affectation

lolo62

Ah the poor guy doesn't know who he is

Chuck Stone

I like him. He's an accomplished dancer. He provided a lot of opportunity for young Irish people to travel the world with his Lord of the Dance show. He's a successful business man. He's a friend of this country not a foe.

So what about his accent? No worse than Graham McDowell's.

More power and top o' the mornin' to him I say.

brummytom

He's a great flute player* too, actually. That surprised me when I first heard it.




*Not a euphemism.. although...

NegativeCreep

CJC999 wrote: »

Following on from Worst irish accent in a film, I was going to suggest Michael flatley till I remembered he's not an actor and that his ridiculous accent is supposedly natural. It's plain ridiculous, it cant be attributed to any parish, townland or county in this country, so where and how and why did aul twinkle toes develop his stupid fake accent?

He probably got it from the same place a "posh" person might get his American-Irish accent; His imagination.

PseudoFamous

CJC999 wrote: »

it cant be attributed to any parish, townland or county in this country, so where and how and why did aul twinkle toes develop his stupid fake accent?

isn't he from America anyway? I mean, with him not being from Ireland, I wouldn't expect him to have an accent from any parish, townland or county in Ireland.

Cee-Jay-Cee

PseudoFamous wrote: »

CJC999 wrote: »

it cant be attributed to any parish, townland or county in this country, so where and how and why did aul twinkle toes develop his stupid fake accent?

isn't he from America anyway? I mean, with him not being from Ireland, I wouldn't expect him to have an accent from any parish, townland or county in Ireland.

Yes he's American but both his parents are irish but that still doesn't explain why he has a fake irish accent. If he was raised in the US then he'd have an American accent, he doesn't.

donegal_man

Lots of people raised in America by Irish parents in Irish neighbourhoods have a sort of hybrid accent. It's the way accents develop and change over time.

Chuck Stone

CJC999 wrote: »

Yes he's American but both his parents are irish but that still doesn't explain why he has a fake irish accent. If he was raised in the US then he'd have an American accent, he doesn't.

It's said that musically minded people pick up accents easily. Is it so hard to believe that Lord Flately picked up the accent unintentionally?

Johro

Chuck Stone wrote: »

It's said that musically minded people pick up accents easily. Is it so hard to believe that Lord Flately picked up the accent unintentionally?

I wouldn't think so. It's so easy to hate him though I think it's the big girls blouse.

Chuck Stone

Johro wrote: »

I wouldn't think so. It's so easy to hate him though I think it's the big girls blouse.

How dare you sully the reputation of Lord Lieutenant Flately. :pac:

fishy fishy

probably from watching ryans daughter too much, or one of them old irish "comaulia" films.

his accent IS weird.

BraziliaNZ

I'll see your Michael Flatley's accent, and raise you Golf's Graeme McDowell's accent. The f*ck is going on there!?

anncoates

His head is really square, let's be honest.

marcsignal

CJC999 wrote: »

so where and how and why did aul twinkle toes develop his stupid fake accent?

Chicago, according to this vid (close to end @ 1:50)

Jelly2

CJC999 wrote: »

Yes he's American but both his parents are irish but that still doesn't explain why he has a fake irish accent. If he was raised in the US then he'd have an American accent, he doesn't.

He lived in Ireland for some time as a teenager. His sister went to my sister's school.

westendgirlie

Michael is a lovely man, wonderful dancer and amazing musician. His upbringing in the states was based around Irish culture and music. Hence the accent.

SusieBlue

I've met Michael many times, my mom was at his wedding. He's an absolute gent and has done so much for young people trying to make a career out of dancing. He puts a huge amount of money into competition sponsorship and is regularly seen interacting with the young kids at competitions. Always happy to sign an autograph and stand for a photo.

His accent is a bit all over the place, but sure what do you expect when he's lived between here and the US his whole life

Cee-Jay-Cee

Chuck Stone wrote: »

CJC999 wrote: »

Yes he's American but both his parents are irish but that still doesn't explain why he has a fake irish accent. If he was raised in the US then he'd have an American accent, he doesn't.

It's said that musically minded people pick up accents easily. Is it so hard to believe that Lord Flately picked up the accent unintentionally?

He's a dancer. That doesn't make him musically minded, does it?

Jelly2

WhiteRoses wrote: »

I've met Michael many times, my mom was at his wedding. He's an absolute gent and has done so much for young people trying to make a career out of dancing. He puts a huge amount of money into competition sponsorship and is regularly seen interacting with the young kids at competitions. Always happy to sign an autograph and stand for a photo.

His accent is a bit all over the place, but sure what do you expect when he's lived between here and the US his whole life

Exactly. I have a friend with an accent somewhat like his - brought up in the US with Irish parents, eight years in Ireland then before returning to the US, and spends about three months in Ireland each year now too. His accent is a real mix of NY and Galway.
What I like about Michael Flatley hasn't anything to do with knowing him personally since I've never met, but he is such a cultured man, a real renaissance man - hugely physically talented, but very clever too, and immensely cultured in the best sense. What he did to Castlehyde was fantastic, and a real service to Irish heritage.

Teyla Emmagan

His accent is ridiculous, but he's harmless, so who cares.

Don't think I'd be calling him a renaissance man though. Man with pretentious of grandeur alright. I remember reading this magazine article (Hello in the hairdressers) about his bijou London pad. Dear Lord, the crimes against interior design were almost innumerable. It looked like that gypsy house in Newland's Cross in the Funny Houses & Flats to Let thread.

Jelly2

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

His accent is ridiculous, but he's harmless, so who cares.

Don't think I'd be calling him a renaissance man though. Man with pretentious of grandeur alright. I remember reading this magazine article (Hello in the hairdressers) about his bijou London pad. Dear Lord, the crimes against interior design were almost innumerable. It looked like that gypsy house in Newland's Cross in the Funny Houses & Flats to Let thread.

But isn't that the regency house that he had restored using authentic methods and according to the style of the time?

westendgirlie

CJC999 wrote: »

He's a dancer. That doesn't make him musically minded, does it?

He originates from Coleman country. Traditional music is serious business around those parts

Teyla Emmagan

Jelly2 wrote: »

But isn't that the regency house that he had restored using authentic methods and according to the style of the time?

Maybe it is, but it still had a coffee table piled up with stacks of glossy hardbacked books in every room. Not sure how much they were into that in the regency period.

eth0

Salt of the earth lad, Used to like a few pints in Ballyhooly