In a recent Wall Street Journal article, U.S. Repels British Invasion, the travails of British musicians in getting United States visas are chronicled; essentially it boils down to the fact that performers must show that they are "internationally recognized,” which is not as easy as it sounds. It is an interesting read and I recommend giving it a look. However, there is another part of it that merits attention. Near the end of the article, a fangirl, whose favorite band cancels a tour, responds that "I've never experienced anything more heartbreaking or cruel in my life."

Comedians and musicians, when making the transition to acting, often play thinly veiled or exaggerated versions of themselves. In the music world, we have Will Smith, Frank Sinatra and Meat Loaf. I was told that a similar thing occurs in the Beatles’ movies, and this sounds eminently reasonable, despite having only seen the first five minutes of Yellow Submarine. In the realm of comedians, we have a large number of examples. Woody Allen is nebbish and neurotic, as are his characters. Seth Rogen is a laid-back, goofy guy, and so are his characters. Cliff Huxtable is nothing but a sweater-festooned Bill Cosby. Jerry Seinfeld is Jerry Seinfeld, and Larry David is Larry David.