"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
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snipped
These TV programmes often
employ a 'lampooning' style of humour, which appeals to Brits, so the
'archetypal' American that might appear is deliberately 'blown up' into
the brash, loud clown, for just that purpose. Think Fawlty Towers - the
Waldorf Salad episode.

Ah, yes.. ;-)

By the same token, British characters may also be overblown to the same
purpose. Again, think The Major or Basil himself, in Fawlty Towers. Whilst
such people do genuinely exist, they are actually a rarity, but many
Americans that I know, expect all British people to be like that, because
they have seen things like Fawlty Towers, and the similarly archetypal
'Brit' that the American TV people put into their comedy shows.

Does any of that make any sense at all ?

Yes. More Jerry Leadbetter's (of Good Neighbors AKA The Good Life) than
Basil's. Hopefully not as many Margo's - or Hyacinth Bucket's -as there are
Barbara Good's. ;-)

Cathy



Arfa