Everyone knows that many actors moonlight as waiters. Well, back when I used to wait tables by night, several actor friends and I who also shared the job, would use fake london accents that were 99.99% completely undetectable...unless of course you were from London and could pick out the tiny, tiny mistakes.

The average American can't, and won't. Surprisingly, doing this increased our tips a great deal. No joke, Americans love exotic waiters. The only slippery part is the chance that you're going to actually run into a Briton, and they'd call you out by asking you questions. That's when you'll need to know a bit of geography and some basic factoids.

Ok, what I'm getting at is..what do you think of/do you know any Magicians that have used fake accents? Have you done it? Has it changed your performance, or reaction at all?

I personally Have an accent and many people have told me that that makes the presentation different and in certain way more exotic, mysterious, or interesting. However no fake accent here, This is genuine.

I'm in japan so I use the japanese accent for english which is very weird and japanese love them when a foreigner is using it!

Why Ah bin duin an accent awl mah life! Most places ah bin dun thank mah Texun accent is jest about rat. But then ah gotta use mah Texun accent, cuz ah dun't speak none o dem ferign languages, lack Anglish. If it works, use it.

Heh, he got it down. Redneck to the max (well almost).

Hm, I'm from Germany. So when I speak English, I think I have an accent....

Magixx

There's an old joke (well, there WOULD be, wouldn't there?) about a university professor who had a very pronounced accent and was guest of honor at a private dinner arranged for him.
The social-climbing hostess really didn't know what the professor did (or even care) but she knew that others considered him famous and that was good enough for her.
Speaking to him at the party, she said, in her cattiest manner: "My, but you have a very strong accent!"
"Ja," said the professor, "und I haff zat problem in twelve ozzer languages, too!"

Sure, an accent will make you sound more exotic; just be sure you know what you're doing.

My accent sux...haha...mexican.

I don't have that much of an accent since I was raised on english but when I am talking to people that speak english even more than me, I know its there.

Am I exotic....nah.....theres too many mexicans in the us with the accent..hahaha...

Plus I look weerd enough as it is.

People like the magic and me regardless. Should try with some other accent.

This guy not only did an accent, he went the full yard change his race for his show. Though I don't believe he ever learned to speack any oiental language, just jibberish which an assistant translated.

Chung Ling Soo was the stage name of American magician William Robinson. He was inspired to take the name by the work of magician Ching Ling Foo. Do a search on him for more info.

It's an interesting idea, but be sure to have that accent down perfectly. How embarrassing would it be if you slipped?

I'm in Taiwan (Mandanrin speaking) and from Hongkong (Cantonese speaing). So I've a genuine accent here.

What I find is, people mostly like it. And I use some patters about Hongkong and that work's fine.

I'm in Canada, when I speak to anybody, it must sound like I have an accent.

Hi,
Vat, theeese accceeent?

I usually have people express astonishment when they find out I was born in France and yet don't have an accent. I was still a kid when my parents immigrated to Canada. My mom always spoke to me in French and I responded in English. Looking back, it must have been seeming slightly funny to others viewing this, but I was so used to it. My mom continues to have a French accent when she speaks English.

When we visit France and she spoke to me in French, I still replied in English..we'd still get funny looks. Ha Ha! (She was told her once perfect French now has an accent).She suddenly started speaking English and I replied in French. Ha Ha! No matter what language she speaks now, she has an accent in either language. I have one when I speak French.

French citizens assumed I was American when I spoke French and often commented on my American accent. A few years ago I lived in Paris for a few months and had to fend for myself and it helped gain my ability to speak it once again. Still people would kinda shake their heads in a confused way, when they realized I was born there. They assumed as many others do that everyone is Canada speaks it but that's usually in the East. Canada is a bilinqual country but not every citizen speaks both.

When I worked in New York and other places as I frequently travel to the US, I'm told I sound British. Maybe cause I don't' say "eh" Hey! Not all Canadians say eh!!

Another tidbit of info which you guys might find interesting is accents are caused by what's called Laterization of the Brain. I took a linguistics course a few years ago and was suprised to find out that there is a scientific reason why people retain their accents. Even if they have lived in another country for 20,30 years or more. Apparently before the age of puberty, info goes either to the left side or the right side of the brain. After puberty it only goes into the dominant one, of that individual. In a nutshell, if you learn another language before puberty hits..you will not have an accent.

Arg! Long winded post to get to the point! Hangs head in shame and apologizes.
Overall, anyone that is not a native speaker may have an accent and most of us have one when we travel. An accent evokes images of mystery I think and for that reason the performance is seen as more mysterious, perhaps?
Chrystal

To answer the original question:
Slydini.

Of course I have an accent. I don't think that's the issue though. People seem to love the way that I slow down the tricks. I take my time with them.

You'll hear a lot of people say that you should 'get to the final load'. But I watched Gazzo do his routine and he'll do an a phase, then talk for five or ten minutes!

As long as you are entertaining. I play on my natural mannerisms. We in the south are known for our euphemisms so I sprinkle them liberally through my speech. I've gone so far as to study to learn more. Here, I'll give you one for free, right after you perform some miracle:

"Now wasn't that just as slick as deer guts on a brass doorknob?"