Helen Mirren
Ricky Gervais
Russell Brand
The style of humor constructed by British writers, creators and actors within film and television has been around for decades. From classics like Monty Python, Are You Being Served? and Black Adder, to modern-day originals such as Coupling, Mr. Bean, Little Britain or The Office, Brits make us laugh by being cool, sarcastically honest and yet ridiculous. Today's celebrities with those quirky, familiar accents are unknowingly augmenting a trend of how we perceive entertainment, starting earlier this year when Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes. Though some of his raw delivery and distasteful remarks appeared to shock a majority of American audiences, we still accept him and adore him for who he is.
Now, more and more “hosts” are popping up on television are originally from overseas. Case in point: Saturday Night Live. Within the past two months, Russell Brand, Elton John and Helen Mirren all hosted the legendary SNL. Each of them brought their individual personality to the stage along with an exclusive array of comedic material, even if some may have been a bit more impressive than others (John, despite a cute opening monologue, played himself in almost every sketch minus the flamboyant cowboy in the 'Old West' saloon scene). Is it a new wave of comedy? Does the fact that the upcoming royal wedding suddenly make England's presence emanate across the borders? Though we may not realize it right away, there is a fresh je ne sais quoi about these lovable actors that make them fashionable in the world of pop culture.
–Olivia Kinter
