Being a limey I’m not too hot on American accents - I can spot a New York accent and a southern accent and maybe at a push a west coast accent - so where does the simpson family’s accent come from?
The Simpsons accent is kind of a generic accent similar to the way people speak in the midwest. Sometimes they’ll throw in a stereotypical New England accent though, usually with a nameless character.
I’d say they’re a hodgepodge of accents, caricatures and stereotypes, with no real region (and not the Midwest).
Mayor Quimby has a Boston accent or maybe it’s just Teddy Kennedy?
Mayor Quimby has a Boston accent (clearly inspired by the Kennedys). Cletus the slack-jawed yokel has an Appalachian accent. The Simpson family does not have a strongly regional accent, but Dan Castellaneta (Homer) was born and raised in the Chicago area, Julie Kavner (Marge) was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Nancy Cartwright (Bart) was born and raised in Ohio, and Yeardley Smith (Lisa) was raised in the Washington, D.C. area.
Isn’t it obvious? In the state where Springfield is located.
What about Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer? They must do about half of the voices on the show.
You know, I don’t know any American’s that sound like the Simpsons. (the family it’self)
Now King of the Hill is great at a variety of Texas accents.
even Boomhauer (Sp?) ?
Man, I tellyouwhatman, thatthereisagenuinetexasaccentman.KnowwhatImean.
Translated: “Yep, even Boomhauer.”
In one of Molly Ivins’ books, she said that Boomhauer sounded more like a ‘real’ Texan than any of the rest.
Flanders sounds just a touch southern, like it’s an affectation he got from watching too many TV preachers.
Mike Judge is from Austin Texas and I believe Austin is the city upon which Arlen is based. Anyway, the characters and setting are based on a lot of Judge’s real life background so there is some authenticity to the accents.
Springfield, of course!
Mike Judge has said that the inspiration for Boomhauer’s voice came from an angry message someone left on his answering machine after seeing an episode of Beavis and Butthead.
Well, to this Northern Californian, most of the people in Springfield have a “neutral” accent—not much different, if at all, from what I’d hear if I drove into the nearest town or city. Wikipedia actually calls it a “General American” Accent, and says it’s based on a “generalized midwest accent.”