I’m so thrilled Rachel Butera has been nominated for a SOVAS Voice Arts Awards for her narration of NAKED DJ, as have I for my narration of WHEN I MARRIED MY MOTHER. Known as “The Oscars of Voice Acting” it’s indeed an honor. The awards ceremony is Nov 13, 2016 at the Warner Brothers Studio in Los Angeles. Check back for the results.
Since I’m a voice artist and former DJ, you may wonder why I didn’t read the audiobook for NAKED DJ. Because I knew Rachel Butera would do a better job. What I didn’t know was that I would learn even more about its fictional characters. Wait. I created them. Wouldn’t I know everything there was to know about them? How could hearing their story change that?
It’s the power of the human voice. And a great talent like Rachel, of course. She’s one of the best voice talent/impersonator/comics in America. Just ask Howard Stern (she won his impressionist contest). Or Dana Carvey (she just won his national TV competition “First Impressions.”). Or her rapidly growing number of fans. She is an unabashed original. She moved to L.A. in her forties to become an actress. Who does that? And succeeds!
But back to the magical power of the voice. We hear before we see. It’s the last sense to go when we go. We long to be enthralled by a bedtime story when we are a child. Media guru Marshall McLuhan described radio as a hot medium and TV as a cool one. When you can’t see something it engages your imagination. It goes deeper. Oscar-laden actress Meryl Streep says she finds her characters through their voice. As legendary DJ Ariella (still rockin’ well into her sixties) says in NAKED DJ: “The human voice is incredibly powerful. It soothes. Destroys. Manipulates. If the eyes are the windows to your soul, the voice is what’s beyond the window, what’s really there.”
Heroine Jazmyn Brown became feistier and more vulnerable.
Mr. Perfect-on-paper Nigel Hamilton-Jones grew sexier.
The rapper Mr. Ree oozed even more sensuality and danger.
Cat Cruz, the kind of person we’ve all worked with who should have been fired a long time ago, is up there with Cruella de Vil in those we love to hate.
Krazy Karl had me laughing out loud, as did on-camera coach Darla Sharp. She only has one scene but you won’t forget her. Ditto Donna D. and so many others.
How Rachel did it, I don’t know. I’m just happy she did. Hear a sample on my Soundcloud page here. While you’re there, check out some classic airchecks from my radio days, including one where Howard Stern called me after I was demoted to weekends at K-ROCK in New York City. Gotta love Howard and Robin. It gives you a glimpse into the wacky world of radio. NAKED DJ gives you the grand guided tour.
The book is available in all formats here. For personally inscribed copies call McIntyre’s Fine Books at 919-542-3030. The ebook and print versions have book club questions.
For what to listen to after NAKED DJ check out my Pinterest page AUDIOBOOKS I LOVE.
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