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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: DoorNumberFour on September 29, 2008, 12:14:39 AM

Title: Announcers
Post by: DoorNumberFour on September 29, 2008, 12:14:39 AM
I think any diehard could conjure up a Johnny O impression (I know I can), but I love imitating Kenny Williams. It's a fun challenge to read as fast as he does during fee plugs.
Title: Announcers
Post by: chad1m on September 29, 2008, 12:29:05 AM
Rod Roddy, most definitely.
Title: Announcers
Post by: Craig Karlberg on September 29, 2008, 04:22:58 AM
Put me in the Gene Wood category.  I grew up watching the Canadian version of Beat The Clock.  That's probably the voice I could easily imitate.
Title: Announcers
Post by: davemackey on September 29, 2008, 07:47:14 AM
[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'198438\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 04:22 AM\']
Put me in the Gene Wood category.  I grew up watching the Canadian version of Beat The Clock.  That's probably the voice I could easily imitate.
[/quote]
I actually used to imitate game show announcers on the radio. Back in the day we'd have a Friday office party drawing, and I remember doing Don Pardo (who we called Don Pardonmeo), Gene Wood (who I called Gene Wooden), and Charlie O'Donnell (I don't think I ever came up with a name for his character). We did this for about a year and a half. I am also said to do a spot-on Johnny Gilbert.

I was also the station's traffic manager, and doing that was stress relief like no other. It was a great way to break from the tension of staging commercial logs for the weekend and Monday and dealing with last minute time sales and copy changes.
Title: Announcers
Post by: geno57 on September 29, 2008, 07:59:17 AM
[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'198440\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 06:47 AM\']
I was also the station's traffic manager, and doing that was stress relief like no other. It was a great way to break from the tension of staging commercial logs for the weekend and Monday and dealing with last minute time sales and copy changes.
[/quote]

For those who aren't familiar with the term "traffic manager" ... It has nothing to do with on-air traffic reports.  At a radio or TV station, the "traffic department" is responsible for scheduling the commercials, promos, etc.,  that appear on the station.  So Dave is the guy who had to deal with the salesholes when they (and their clients) would insist on changing everything that had already been printed and finalized at 4:57 p.m. every Friday.

As for my fave announcer impression ... I can't listen to "A Swingin' Safari" without jumping into my best Johnny-O:  "From New York City, it's time to play ..."
Title: Announcers
Post by: LA the DJ on September 29, 2008, 10:40:19 AM
I used to do this sort of generic stereotypical game show announcer voice, for those who aren't die hards, until it occurred to me that the voice I was doing that fit most people's idea of a cheesy announcer voice sounded a lot like Burton Richardson on PiR94.

Despite the fact that I can do almost 100 different voices, the only two game show announcers I've ever been able to emulate are Rod and Don Pardo, with Don being the more fun of the two.
Title: Announcers
Post by: DjohnsonCB on September 29, 2008, 11:24:00 AM
Burton Richardson: "And now, here's the host of Concentration (with my Random/Double Cash and Money Match features)....Rooooooooosss Shafer!
Title: Announcers
Post by: Joe Mello on September 29, 2008, 12:44:51 PM
[quote name=\'geno57\' post=\'198441\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 07:59 AM\']For those who aren't familiar with the term "traffic manager" ... It has nothing to do with on-air traffic reports.  At a radio or TV station, the "traffic department" is responsible for scheduling the commercials, promos, etc.,  that appear on the station.  So Dave is the guy who had to deal with the salesholes when they (and their clients) would insist on changing everything that had already been printed and finalized at 4:57 p.m. every Friday.[/quote]
As the Ad Sales Underwriting Director for the campus radio station, I'm lucky to have clients who don't call up last minute and be a butthole like that.  

Instead, they don't return my calls.

/Sounds like my love life.
//Slightly off-track, but I tried doing Casey Kasem once
///Failed miserably
////Also sounds like my love life.
Title: Announcers
Post by: tjhornikel on September 29, 2008, 11:36:21 PM
For some strange reason, I've been referred to as the "White Burton Richardson".

One of the great pleasures of watching TPiR for me is to imitate Johnny O saying, "C'mon Down!" My 6 year old also participates in the same style.

I also like to imitate Jay Stewart, but it's not always easy to carry a tv table with prizes on it around while doing the imitation.

Perhaps, this is why my wife, Kim, gets irritated at my "Game Show Voice".
Title: Announcers
Post by: StevenRosenow on September 30, 2008, 06:29:45 AM
Years ago I was told I could pass for Johnny Gilbert voice when I was doing a Jeopardy! runthrough years ago. (was doing an intro from a 1986 show along with the Classic TV Game Show Themes CD's Jeopardy! theme track).

I also can do a pretty damn good Charlie O'Donnell when it comes to the opening spiel of Bullseye.
Title: Announcers
Post by: Jimmy Owen on September 30, 2008, 09:04:05 AM
I can sound like Rich Jeffries without even trying.
Title: Announcers
Post by: Don Howard on September 30, 2008, 12:58:22 PM
Charlie O. is the easiest for me to do.
If I ever find Aladdin's Lamp, one of my wishes would be to do able to sound like Don Morrow.
As for non-game show announcers, every now and again I have fun attempting an impersonation of Another World announcer Bill Wolff.
Title: Announcers
Post by: GameShowGuru on September 30, 2008, 02:49:15 PM
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'198514\' date=\'Sep 30 2008, 09:04 AM\']
I can sound like Rich Jeffries without even trying.
[/quote]

Rich Jeffries' voice = Kermit the Frog with a head cold.
Title: Announcers
Post by: GameShowGuru on September 30, 2008, 02:51:06 PM
I do a good Don Pardo voice impression.
Title: Announcers
Post by: MikeK on September 30, 2008, 05:03:13 PM
At one of the old school GSCs back in the day, someone said I sounded like a mix of Rich Jeffries and Randy West.  I agree with the first comparison a lot more than the second.
Title: Announcers
Post by: ChuckNet on September 30, 2008, 06:17:15 PM
Most people say I sound like Tony McClay...as for impressions, can be fun to do Alan Kalter, but if you and your friends decide to have a "Kalter-off" in the backseat of your buddy's car, make sure doing so won't test the driver's patience. :-D

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
Title: Announcers
Post by: rwalker on September 30, 2008, 07:36:13 PM
Randy West. Why the debate over this?    

/Gene Wood sounds different on NYSI '75
//I didnt know Burton announced RR until I saw the name in the credits(great disguise Mr. Richardson!)
Title: Announcers
Post by: rwalker on September 30, 2008, 07:37:50 PM
[quote name=\'GameShowGuru\' post=\'198540\' date=\'Sep 30 2008, 02:49 PM\']
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'198514\' date=\'Sep 30 2008, 09:04 AM\']
I can sound like Rich Jeffries without even trying.
[/quote]

Rich Jeffries' voice = Kermit the Frog with a head cold.
[/quote]

Aka Hose Head. And you owe me a keyboard, darn you!
Title: Announcers
Post by: Shell on October 01, 2008, 09:31:13 AM
A NEW CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHR!
Title: Announcers
Post by: SRIV94 on October 01, 2008, 11:53:26 AM
[quote name=\'rwalker\' post=\'198559\' date=\'Sep 30 2008, 06:36 PM\']
Randy West. Why the debate over this?    
[/quote]
No debate--I don't have the pipes to imitate Randy.

I have tried Charlie O. and Johnny Gilbert; I'm not great but I don't think I'm horrible either.
Title: Announcers
Post by: kenbob_clarker on October 01, 2008, 07:30:31 PM
I do a fantastic Johnny Gilbert.
Title: Announcers
Post by: PIR85 on October 01, 2008, 07:35:07 PM
Rod Roddy!
Title: Announcers
Post by: TenPoundHammer on October 08, 2008, 09:27:55 PM
[quote name=\'DoorNumberFour\' post=\'198429\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 12:14 AM\']
I think any diehard could conjure up a Johnny O impression (I know I can), but I love imitating Kenny Williams. It's a fun challenge to read as fast as he does during fee plugs.
[/quote]

I can do several pretty good imitations: Gene Wood, Johnny O, Johnny G, Rod Roddy (the voice cracks are a bit tricky, but I can do them sometimes), Daniel Rosen (yeah, I know), etc. etc. My favorite to imitate is probably Burton Richardson, just because it's so fun to imitate his over-the-top style.