i think it's because they seem to be enjoying themselves, but there's still a sort of awkwardness to it. like when the girl from the o.c. says "shitface" and then giggles.

Yeah it's entirely about the enjoyment (un soupçon de jouissance, s'il vous plaît), right? Also I like that, because I don't have cable, I don't know who at least 70% of these people are but I know that they're famous and swearing "out of character". I also like how her out of the Sopranos says "I like 'cunt'" in the same way you'd say "I'll have the fish". I especially like "Buggeration!" and "Sloblocks!" because fake or near-fake or anagrammatic swearing is better than regular swearing, unequivocally. I also wish I was really English rather than only pretend English so that I could say "WankaaaaahhHHHH!" like that lady at the end because she looks like she's really enjoying herself. I'd sound like an asshole saying that. There are a bunch of Anglicisms that sound totally ridiculous coming from North American or even mid-Atlantic accented mouths, among them are "Cheers" (how much do you hate that?), "Quid", "Prat", "Taking the Piss", "Gob" etc. I'd say "Brilliant" and "Bugger" are pretty dicey but usually okay, if giving off a whiff of effort.

this commercial reminds me of when i was little and starting to swear for the first time. up until then i'd been completely scandalized by kids who cursed. like the kid we called hashish who lived across the street; i was always like "he said the f-word!" and i couldn't believe it. the kids at school were no better. then one day when i was about eight i spent a good hour saying "fucking bitch" into the mirror, making a tough guy face, then throwing my hands over my mouth, awash in catholic guilt. hilarious!

i don't know about englishisms. i mean most of my friends spent their teenage years, as i did, reading select magazine and we just picked that stuff up along the way. like i say "fucking hell" a lot, but i still remember the first time i heard someone say it aloud, in a london tube stop. maybe those phrases and words do sound totally ridiculous, but there's still an element of fun there, like "i'm saying 'ring you up' but i'm totally north american but i'm identifying myself as a bit of an anglophile and yeah, you know i have the first elastica album."

On cassette!