What voices can you do? Tips.

[Kevin the Frog]

So when are we going to hear someones impressions? I was brave enough to post my youtube Halloween videos, but there's GOT to be people on here way better than me. They are having a PBS festival in Indianapolis in June. I'm thinking about walking around with Grover and a few other Muppets and entertaining the kids....and of course videotape and post links here so I can make a fool of myself. It's fun!

 

[spcglider]

Hmmm...

The voices I can do knowing I'm hitting them dead-on:
Kermit (both Steve and Jim)
Rowlf
Fozzie
BeBop De Diddly Dog Bop
LaChoy Dragon
Animal
Link Hogthrob
Dr. Teeth

Sesame Street:
Ernie
Grover
Martian

Non:
A.L.F.
Count Blah

Most folks can do passable imitations of the characters if they try, but the majority of them are really only parroting dialogue they've heard a thousand times over on their dvds or vhs recordings.

Now, you have to understand my criteria. I can do all these voices AND handle original dialogue all at once. That's how I judge other people's impressions as well. Call me a Muppet Impressions Snob, but if they can do the voice and extemporize (or even better, sing a NON-Muppet song) believably in that voice, I call them accomplished.

-Gordon

 

[Marky]

Hmmm...

The voices I can do knowing I'm hitting them dead-on:
Kermit (both Steve and Jim)
Rowlf
Fozzie
BeBop De Diddly Dog Bop
LaChoy Dragon
Animal
Link Hogthrob

Sesame Street:
Ernie
Grover
Martian

Most folks can do passable imitations of the characters if they try, but the majority of them are really only parroting dialogue they've heard a thousand times over on their dvds or vhs recordings.

Now, you have to understand my criteria. I can do all these voices AND handle original dialogue all at once. That's how I judge other people's impressions as well. Call me a Muppet Impressions Snob, but if they can do the voice and extemporize (or even better, sing a NON-Muppet song) believably in that voice, I call them accomplished.

-Gordon

So what you're saying is, if a panel of people like, oh, I don't know, Jane Henson, Kevin Clash, Martin Baker and Debbie McClellan are sitting across from you as you do voices of Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzon, Statler, Waldorf , Animal, Bunsen, and Pepe, (as well as Ernie, Bert and Grover for Sesame Workshop), and you become one of only two people left out of others who've actually worked with JHC in the past, and you're handed the Fozzie used in MWoO (de-lionized, of course), then you'd consider that person up you your standards?

 

[spcglider]

So what you're saying is, if a panel of people like, oh, I don't know, Jane Henson, Kevin Clash, Martin Baker and Debbie McClellan are sitting across from you as you do voices of Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzon, Statler, Waldorf , Animal, Bunsen, and Pepe, (as well as Ernie, Bert and Grover for Sesame Workshop), and you become one of only two people left out of others who've actually worked with JHC in the past, and you're handed the Fozzie used in MWoO (de-lionized, of course), then you'd consider that person up you your standards?

You must be joking. MY standards are MUCH higher than theirs.

LOL!
Just kidding.

But seriously, I couldn't know the answer to your question unless I was there.

Obviously I would trust the panel you mentioned to identify the best impersonations from whatever group they were auditioning. I'm assuming that YOU are the person you're talking about. If so, I'd lay money on you being pretty darned good.

But I'm talking "on the street". There are most likely people out there with near absolute vocal matches to Jim, Frank, Jerry, Karen, Steve, etc., but none of them might be at an audition.

That takes nothing away from anybody here.

When I talk about Muppets with somebody, they invariably feel the need to exibit their talents at impersonating the Muppets. Almost everybody thinks they can do a Muppet voice. Or ALL of the Muppet voices. And when they aren't very good, but you try to point out where they can improve the impersonation, they get all whack. Its a weird, ego thing that happens. Not just defensive, but downright angry. So I don't play the "I'm better at Kermit than you are" game. I know the voices I'm practiced at. The ones that I feel confident that I can hit when asked. If I am asked, I'll be ready. I like doing voice work, and I've done a good share of it both professionally and for fun. But I don't go pulling Kermit out routinely... simply because it prompts others to "compete".

Suffice it to say, there are folks already filling the positions at MHC and JHC... so no matter how good anybody's impersonation of any of the Muppet characters is, they aren't going to be giving Steve W. or Jerry N. et.al. the boot anytime in the near future.

 

[spcglider]

Hokey smokes! I didn't intend to bring an end to the conversation!

Sorry if it came off that way!

-G

 

[Frogster]

Muppet voices-
Anything from Jim... and yes, I can distinguish the characteristics and pitches/volume of Waldorf, Dr. Teeth, Rowlf and the Newsman.

Jerry N.- Robin, Floyd, Uncle Deadly, Pops, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry (on a good day) Count, Herry, Gobo, and Pa Gorg... It's tough doing the Trash Heap; I can't do Gobo's voice AND a harsh German accent at the same time lol.

Frank O.- Everyone except Piggy... I just can't do it lol. The closest I can get is Marvin Suggs, and that's only when I'm singing "Witch Doctor" out loud.

Dave G.- Bunsen, Zoot, Beau, Boober, Digit

Richard H.- Scooter, Janice, Statler, Wizard of FG, Mudwell

Kevin C.- Clifford, Leon, Hoots

Non-Muppet voices:
Regis Philbin
Will Ferrell's Harry Caray
Johnny Carson
Christopher Walken (I'm workin on it still)
Gary Busey
Darrell Hammond's Sean Connery, Phil Donahue, John Travolta, Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Rather, Ted Koppel.
Family Guy: Peter, Chris, Joe Swanson, Cleveland Brown, Brian, Adam West, Tom Tucker, and Mort Goldman. (No, I can't do Stewie)


And spcglider, I todally understand where you're coming from... I've done some voice work myself, and I love doing voices when asked. I don't like prompting challenges either... way to go on those voices, man.

 

[Kevin the Frog]

I know the voices I'm practiced at. The ones that I feel confident that I can hit when asked. If I am asked, I'll be ready.

spcglider - You seem pretty confident about the voices, I'd love to hear them.

So, I am asking if we can hear them?

 

[spcglider]

Sure! What time will you be over?

Honestly, I don't have any method of providing you with voice samples on the net. My apologies. Guess I should be prepared to back up bravado with a little technology, huh?

I'll look into method. I should do that anyway.

BUT WAIT! If you go to YouTube and type in "burger czar" you'll see a puppet piece I did a while ago. The orange furry guy is me. I'm not trying to hit Rowlf the dog, but he's approaching that range. You can hear me NOT trying to impersonate a Muppet voice there, if you like. You can also hear me NOT impersonating Kermit on my own website www.puppetforge.com. If you play the short called "Geek Opera", the alien puppet is me. Once again, I'm not trying to hit Kermit dead on, but the voice is similar. And if you go to www.carschoolfilms.com you can watch the Star Trek parody that I did three years ago. I do the voice of Spock, which, as it turns out is in the same timbere as some of Frank's characters (cookie monster and Sam the Eagle).

None of these are proper examples of me trying to hit the actual Muppet voices. But hopefully you'll hear a similarity in resonance.

-Gordon

 

[Marky]

Guess I should be prepared to back up bravado with a little technology, huh?

Considering the number of people who do the voices - well - here, yyyyeah.

 

[AveQ]

Mine:

Muppets
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Kermit and I'm working on Animal


Avenue Q:
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Princeton
Nicky
Rod
Trekkie Monster
Kate Monster