Celebrity voice overs seen in front of the camera and guesting in talk shows is not uncommon, but it is still a treat for industry fans to see the voices behind their well-loved characters in front of the screen.
Recently, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert guested two such prolific voice over actors and we got to learn more about them as a voice over and what they were up to outside the recording booth.
H. Jon Benjamin came on the show to promote the 8th season of the animated sitcom Archer where he voices a character he is best known for – Sterling Archer. He also got to share, what many others may have not known, his jazz album, Well, I Should Have… Yes, it’s an actual jazz album from the voice actor and comedian of 20 odd years’ experience in the industry despite not knowing how to play a single instrument. He got to “play” the piano alongside jazz greats like Scott Kreitzer, David Finck and Jonathan Preitz. Only H. Jon Benjamin can pull this off!
The clip below also shows off Jon’s “range” in voicing his characters Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher of Bob’s Burgers.
…and speaking of range, Hank Azaria was also doing the TV rounds promoting his upcoming series Brockmire. Jim Brockmire is a baseball play-by-play announcer, a character developed from a role that first appeared in the third episode of the Funny or Die web-series Gamechangers, entitled A Legend in the Booth.
The Late Show host Stephen Colbert asks Azaria, “Are you your own greatest joy and amusement?”
Azaria responds, “That was certainly true of my childhood. I certainly got through my childhood mimicking whatever came my way… Mimic whoever I heard… I would record myself and it will be hours of entertainment.”
The 6-time Emmy winner, and voice of many The Simpsons characters shared his inspiration for one of his characters, Professor Frink – none other than the great Jerry Lewis in his role as the original The Nutty Professor. And the audience were instantly treated to a magnificent mimicking of Jerry Lewis in the role.
Stephen Colbert said it right… as a voice over you will never get bored as you got yourself to listen to.
What about you… what do you normally get into when you are outside of your recording booth? Give us a glimpse of your voice over life.
