I think maybe you Americans like people who smile a lot - more than we do in England. I remember Berkley had an an English annexe near our college when we were kids and we used to gaze in wonder at the Americans - particularly the girls - keeping up a fixed grin while they were dancing. It was a bit Stepford Wives.

I expect its a cultural thing. Buble is always doing chat shows over here, smirking away for for the Great American Smirk title like his life depended on it.

If we had the 1500 metres Smirking as an event in the Olympics, that guy would win the gold medal. Probably the Marathon Smirk as well.