I know RDA is from Minnesota, but does he actually have a Minnesota accent? I had read somewhere that he really didn't, but I always thought he did - particularly in the earlier episodes. According to what I've read online, I have more of a Minnesota accent than a general Midwest accent, and I haven't noticed Richard pronouncing any words distinctly differently than me (other than "interesting"). What are your thoughts on his accent?

"What accent, eh?"

To be honest, I never noticed any accent or dialect but always the normal American English.

I know in season 1 it's more distinct, but is it actually a Minnesota accent that's just softened in later seasons? Or does it sound like he took voice lessons? Or.... does the southern Minnesota accent just sound so similar that it's really not that noticeable to Midwestern ears? Hmm...

That's entirely possible. I'm from the Twin Cities area, and I've been told I have a fairly strong accent when I go to other parts of the country (ie, the southern US), but it's really the northern MN accent that's noticeable. When I lived in Iowa, I was told I had just a touch of an accent. Up along the Iron Range (northeast central part of MN) the accent is strong enough that you'd think people had just stepped off the boat from Sweden or Norway. And it's also possible that Rick took some voice lessons after S1 to minimize his accent. A lot of actors who have very strong regional accents (such as folks from New York) will do so, in order to make themselves more marketable. A prime example of that would be David Caruso, on CSI:Miami. If you watch some of Caruso's earlier work (before 2000), his New York accent is very noticeable. Now, his accent is barely there, just a few traces.

That makes sense. I've heard the Northern Minnesota accent, which is definitely more noticeable. RDA doesn't have an extremely obvious accent, of course, but, still... I just hear some people say he does have one, and some say he doesn't, which is what confuses me.


I'm going to assume that, since I apparently have the same accent, that that's why it's not very obvious to me. (although that reason also confuses me, because I'm not actually FROM Minnesota, but I've been told I sound like the people from southern Minnesota) Guess I don't really know... it's all just one big, confusing puzzle to me.

The only times I've heard an accent from him on any show or interview is when he does it on purpose to be silly.