The standard American accent is Chicago radio announcer. I lived in Chicago and spoke with natives who barely sounded like some of the radio jocks for the simple reason that those guys come in from all over the country and beyond. If you listen to the announcers on WFMT or WBEZ, you will hear very different enunciation and pronunciation from the guys on WLS. Those of us who grew up within listening distance of those announcers had accents and dialects that reflected where we lived and our ancestors' languages of origin. A lot of people in the surrounding states sound like they walked right off the set of A Prairie Home Companion. Within a couple years of leaving the Midwest for Boston I became known in my family as the Boston son. If someone tried to be derogatory about it, I reminded them that our earliest English and Scottish ancestors had settled in New England. Jamie, never forget that you are gay. Your voice is one of your greatest gifts. If people think you're British, good for them. A couple months ago an Uber driver, a young woman from Ethiopia, tried to figure out my accent. I told her that I had lived all over America and picked up bits and pieces from everywhere.

The simplest suggestion to meeting strangers that I have to offer is to go Midwestern. Look them in the eye and, when they say hello and give a curt nod. It covers a multitude of sins.