What is it about hearing myself on the radio or TV that makes me want to smile? You would think after 30 years of doing VO work, that seeing or hearing a spot I did wouldn’t be any big deal. Is it ego? Is it amazement that I get paid to do this? Is it a desire to self-critique? I’m not sure. Could be a combination of all of those things. But, when I hear myself, I always take notice. I imagine the advertiser is hoping that other people do the same!

Funny thing happened yesterday. You remember the Kaopectate commercial I did recently – the one where I had two words – “uh-oh” and “fast?” Well, I heard the first “uh-oh” from the TV – but I was – uh – indisposed at the time and simply couldn’t get back to the living room in time to catch the rest of the spot. It was on TNT, so I imagine it will flash by again sometime soon. But, seriously, it is one of those blink and you miss it spots.

I’ve had a number of those 10-15 second spots recently. And since the TV is usually on in the background, when something I have done does manage to air when the TV is on and I am in earshot, I usually only hear or see the last few seconds – and when the spot is only a few seconds long to begin with, well, I usually miss them. One was airing on CNBC for ICE FX and I’ll admit that I spilled coffee trying to at least get back to the room where the TV was before it ended. 

The most recent is a :10 TV spot airing in Italy for Calvaresi jackets. That one I will never see or hear unless they send me a copy, or I take a trip to Italy sometime soon. And if I do make it to Italy, I will not be stuck in the hotel room waiting for my voice on the TV.