Jon Hamm, he of Mad Men (and several unforgettable 30 Rock spots) is narrating commercials for both Mercedes-Benz and Comcast. I'm not likely to buy from either company any time soon, but I think Hamm's character Don Draper would approve of the ads anyway because a) I listen to them every time they come on, b) I can remember the products they're selling (generally, anyway - at least I get the brands right), and c) Hamm's voice makes me think "Ooh, sexy," and I'm sure on some subconscious level that I'll be associating that with the products. Well done, faceless advertising execs.
So this got me thinking about ways to use great celebrity voices to their full effect. I'm pretty sure I would pay more attention to public service announcements if they were narrated by a voice like Hamm's. Actually I'd pay attention to pretty much anything that Jon Hamm might tell me. And I might actually purchase audiobooks if I could take my pick of actors to perform them (sorry, Morgan Freeman. I like you but I don't like you enough to listen to you reading a book for hours). And wouldn't it be lovely to hear the news read by compelling celebrity voices? I don't think I'd ever turn off NPR if that were the case (though in their defense, NPR does have some great voices - Peter Sagal in particular is one of my favorites to listen to).
Here are some celebrity voices I'd like to hear more of:
Jeff Bridges. Okay, he has his Hyundai ads, but for christ's sake, can't he do some other voiceover? For something more interesting? Or an audio book?
Tom Hanks. Actually I guess Toy Story 3 is kind of one big voiceover. Thanks, movie gods ... er, Pixar.
Jon Hamm. Duh. (I already went through this earlier. And if you've ever heard his voice - especially in combination with seeing his face - you understand).
Alan Rickman. I know he has done audiobooks, but he needs to do more. MORE, I say! He is literally the entire reason I ended up feeling any sympathy for Snape in the Harry Potter books. Moreover, Rickman IS his voice. It's definitely his most unique and appealing trait.
Ed Westwick. He can do either his native British accent or his bizarre American-modeled-after-creepy-rich-guys-in-80s-movies drawl. In fact he could just record a tape of himself saying "I'm Chuck Bass" over and over and I'd be fine with it.
Seth Rogen. But only if he laughs while recording his voiceover. I love the combination of his (clearly) Canadian accent and the "huh-huh-huh" sound when he chuckles.
Colin Farrell. This is another accent-related request. I love how he sounds so Irish that it seems fake, like he might be dressed up as some corny leprechaun and about to dance a jig.
Hugh Grant. Yes, I do see a pattern and I refuse to apologize for it. Grant's got the posh Brit thing going on, but there's a hint of pure mischief in even his mildest words.
John Cusack. I've always liked the way he talks, and that he sounds simultaneously sardonic and earnest. It's also very easy to picture his expressions when you hear his voice.
Owen Wilson. Actually it could be any of the Wilsons, but I think Owen has the most pronounced Wilson accent. I call it that since, although they're from my home city of Dallas, I don't think of the way they talk as recognizably Texan - just odd, mannered, and hilarious. Just imagine him saying "Everyone knows that Custer died at Little Bighorn. What this book presupposes is ... maybe he didn't?" and try not to giggle.
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