why does the celebrity john barrowman speak in a fake american accent when on uk tv?

[ScottAlexander]

John Barrowman is a glaswegian! I know he has lived in the usa for a long time, and was well known over there, long before he appeared on tv here. I know he decided to get rid of his glaswegian accent when us tv kept making fun, but he has admitted in interviews he reverts to his normal scots accent when around family. So why keep it up on tv over here in britain, only reverting back to his glasgow accent when telling jokes (such as yesterday on paul o grady!)? This puts him across as completely fake, when overwise seems like a genuine and quite a funny character. Does he hate the business that much, is it a bad habit, or is he just trying to put across that when working on tv not to take anything too seriously? What do you think?

[ICUP]

It is really irritating. Especially since he can do the Glaswegian accent and uses it when talking to family then why not? Is he embarassed of his roots? I don't know really but it bugs me too.

Answer mine please
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ajy5uArjBmfVmecNCPg3CoEgBgx.;_ylv=3?qid =20081127164426AABMslB

[Ellie]

My cousin has lived in America for about 9 years now, but it took him about 6 months to pick up the accent. However when he comes to visit us he goes back to English accent, not by choice but it's just how it is because there are a lot of English accents around. If JB is glaswegian, he probably only goes back to and English glaswegian accent when a few of his family/other glaswegians are around, and he's not really around many glaswegians when he's on TV, is he?

[Jonny]

no so my friend, i lived in america for 1 year and came back with a accent, over there you have to talk like them to be understood, otherwise you have the most terrible time trying to get anything out of anyone, they have no understanding of other accents so you have to change fast, when you get home and live in england for a while you revert back, it's weird.

[Followspot]

He answered this question on TV. When he went to the USA he changed his accent to avoid being bullied at school. He talks with his real accent with family and friends in Scotland.