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Author Topic: Copy Cat. Copy Cat! COPY CAT!  (Read 3520 times)

Don Howard

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Copy Cat. Copy Cat! COPY CAT!
« on: August 31, 2008, 06:26:39 PM »
Not to be confused with the mid-1970s short-lived comedy/variety program The Kopycats:
For those of you who were or are in broadcasting either as a host or announcer (be it your main job or something fun you do on the side) was there anyone in particular you tried to sound like and hope you sounded like while performing your assignment?
Did you approach, for example, a sportscasting assignment hoping your delivery would emulate Vin Scully?
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geno57

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« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2008, 09:45:37 PM »
[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'195637\' date=\'Aug 31 2008, 05:26 PM\']
For those of you who were or are in broadcasting either as a host or announcer (be it your main job or something fun you do on the side) was there anyone in particular you tried to sound like and hope you sounded like while performing your assignment?[/quote]

Without naming names ... There were progressive, free-form rock stations I was listening to as a teenager in Chicago.  I tried my best to imitate those ultra-cool, laid-back, stoned-sounding guys.  Of course, by the time I actually got on the air in the Second/Windy City, I had developed my own style.

(Edit early Monday)  As for GS connections, I did emulate many hosts and announcers, but never tried to imitate them.  I learned a lot of my interviewing and announcing skills, by studying the work of the greats.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2008, 05:13:56 AM by geno57 »
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Jimmy Owen

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« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2008, 09:48:29 PM »
Yes, both coincidentally worked on Pyramid. I adopted the relaxed style of Bill Cullen on my radio show, aping his "Monitor" persona. I tried to voice spots in the style of Fred Foy but couldn't quite get the knack.
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clemon79

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« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2008, 11:30:18 PM »
When I did basketball, I quickly developed a "Yes!" that I probably owe Marv Albert a royalty for, but I swear it was completely natural. (I would never suggest I was as good a basketball guy as Marv, anyhow.)

The other sports, and my public address work: just me, beginning to end. There is too much to keep track of when you're doing live sports to throw impressions into the mix. Mind you, when you're doing baseball, of *course* you hope that someone at home says "hey, he sounds like Vin Scully," because my gawd, is there a bigger compliment?

A few years after my college broadcasting career, I took to heart the words of Olbermann and Patrick in their book The Big Show when they said that trying to sound like someone else meant you were passing up the opportunity to potentially sound like someone better.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2008, 11:34:00 PM by clemon79 »
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Tim L

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Copy Cat. Copy Cat! COPY CAT!
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2008, 12:09:43 AM »
My own voice would never pass muster on radio or TV, so I know I would never be in the business..However, There was a guy who broadcast Cleveland Indians Games on Radio with Herb Score in the 1988 and 89 seasons by the name of Paul Olden.  Though he was African-American, he sounded very similar to Vin Scully..He later was a radio voice for  the Tampa Bay Devil Rays..
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PYLdude

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« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2008, 12:12:34 AM »
[quote name=\'Tim L\' post=\'195673\' date=\'Aug 31 2008, 11:09 PM\']
My own voice would never pass muster on radio or TV, so I know I would never be in the business..However, There was a guy who broadcast Cleveland Indians Games on Radio with Herb Score in the 1988 and 89 seasons by the name of Paul Olden.  Though he was African-American, he sounded very similar to Vin Scully..He later was a radio voice for  the Tampa Bay Devil Rays..
[/quote]

I always thought Paul Olden was more Burton Richardson sounding than Vin Scully.

/he was the play-by-play man for the Jets and Yankees for a brief period of time in NYC, so that's how I know him...also did PA at the Super Bowl for quite a while.
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calliaume

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Copy Cat. Copy Cat! COPY CAT!
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2008, 12:54:14 PM »
In the semester I was working behind the scenes (writing questions, etc.) on WAMU (American University) in Washington, the guy who hosted our Match Game was doing an all-out David Letterman impression (which I didn't get at first -- it was 1983, I hadn't seen much of Letterman, so I thought it was a bad Steve Martin).  When I was allowed to produce and host Password for the same station later that semester, I made sure I sounded as natural as possible -- not like Allen, Tom, or anyone else.

On the other hand, I wish somebody had given me some wardrobe advice...
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BrandonFG

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« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2008, 01:10:29 PM »
My two college radio announcing gigs, I never tried to imitate anyone per se. However, when I did the jazz format, I did try to keep that mellow, smooth jazz announcer's voice. When I hear myself talking or announcing, I always think I sound like someone announcing for a public radio station like NPR. Make of that what you will...

I wish I had kept airchecks, so I'll just tell myself it sounded great. :-)
« Last Edit: September 01, 2008, 01:12:14 PM by fostergray82 »
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Joe Mello

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« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2008, 01:35:07 PM »
Our former Jazz director had that kind of voice on the radio.  He also had one of those "body does not equal voice"  frames that made him look freaky when he was on the air.

If I try to emulate someone, it's normally on purpose.  I know I would like to do a couple of Stan Freberg-style promos for the station, complete with Stan Freberg-style voice.
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Fedya

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« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2008, 04:14:37 PM »
calliaume wrote:
Quote
On the other hand, I wish somebody had given me some wardrobe advice...

You mean they didn't tell you that you were supposed to wear clothes?  :-p

Sadly, I'm what Seinfeld would call a "high talker", so a career in radio was not for me.  Reading the news on the college radio station was it....
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SRIV94

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Copy Cat. Copy Cat! COPY CAT!
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2008, 07:20:26 PM »
[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'195637\' date=\'Aug 31 2008, 05:26 PM\']
Not to be confused with the mid-1970s short-lived comedy/variety program The Kopycats:
For those of you who were or are in broadcasting either as a host or announcer (be it your main job or something fun you do on the side) was there anyone in particular you tried to sound like and hope you sounded like while performing your assignment?
Did you approach, for example, a sportscasting assignment hoping your delivery would emulate Vin Scully?
[/quote]
With my voice, I can't really sound like anyone but myself (I don't exactly have the Melvin Mellifluous timbre, as those of you who want to admit that you've met me could attest :) ).  So the few voiceovers I've had the pleasure of being able to do are very characterish.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2008, 07:21:16 PM by SRIV94 »
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ChrisLambert!

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« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2008, 10:39:25 PM »
I tried not to sound like other sportscasters when I did PBP (even still, shades of the Pacers' Mark Boyle's cadence and detachment seeped through). A few times, that turned out to be a bad thing, as I overcomplicated some calls of big baskets (making sure I didn't infringe anyone's lines) and killed the moment when a simple Marvalbertian "Yes!" would have suited the broadcast better.

There's a chance I might get to try it again this winter after an 8-year hiatus. We'll see if all these years of critiquing myself has served me well.

ObGS: Chris Lambert twice appeared on "Hoosier Know It Alls" as a questioner, and kinda sounded like Wink.
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joshg

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« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2008, 07:43:15 AM »
My voice cracks at the most inopportune times, yet that hasn't stopped me from a "career" in broadcasting. Granted, the one liners and incomplete phrases I spout mostly fall between the voice cracks so that's a slight bonus.
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Offshored2007

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« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2008, 10:23:26 AM »
[quote name=\'joshg\' post=\'195801\' date=\'Sep 2 2008, 07:43 AM\']
My voice cracks at the most inopportune times, yet that hasn't stopped me from a "career" in broadcasting. Granted, the one liners and incomplete phrases I spout mostly fall between the voice cracks so that's a slight bonus.
[/quote]
And sadly, Don LaFontaine died yesterday.
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Don Howard

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« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2008, 03:00:15 PM »
[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'195740\' date=\'Sep 1 2008, 07:20 PM\']
With my voice, I can't really sound like anyone but myself (I don't exactly have the Melvin Mellifluous timbre, as those of you who want to admit that you've met me could attest :) ).  So the few voiceovers I've had the pleasure of being able to do are very characterish.
[/quote]
From the first and my Bev backs this up, we are aghast that you're not doing VOs on a regular basis.
People should be banging down the doors trying to sign you up. And I am not kidding.
Mine were the booth announcers at WJKW-TV 8 in Cleveland. The one I sometimes still channel is John FitzGerald. So natural, but so full of power. One of the great ones here on the North Coast.
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