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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:50 am Post subject: slightly offensive gig at Voices

How many of you saw this??

Erica Bontje · Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 5

Hi Jeffrey,

I received a couple of responses from voice talent similar to yours (I'm the "job poster" at Voices) and have decided that perhaps I was too swift in approving this project. After some reflection on the script and our policy against posting projects including racist content, I have just emailed the client and informed him that his project has been closed.

I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by the text.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me:
erica@voices.com

Best regards,
Erica Bontje

jrodriguez315

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:09 am Post subject:

we call it 'Utahnics' here. seriously.

nice to see a swift response to that, and a personal one to you, too, jeff. that's service, i s'pose.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:23 am Post subject:

yes, thank you Erica, for taking care of it. Gotta wonder how many auditions they had before it was yanked...
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Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:18 pm Post subject:

We oft' find a lot of Needtugetoutmoronics.

skynet74 · Guest

I would have done this project without a problem. We are Voice ACTORS. Pay special attention to the word ACTOR. I've done some pretty crazy jobs before simply because I realize that is what most projects call for. They don't want us playing ourselves. They want an Actor to play a role. That is our job. To me it's no different than being cast in a movie or a Television show. Of course the character will not reflect who I am as a person. It's not supposed to. I am only playing a part. This is how I approach each and every Voiceover job I do. They want an Actor. Therefore "I ACT!"

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:19 am Post subject:

The above posted without even a hint of irony. Laugh

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:50 am Post subject:

skynet (sorry-i've forgotten your given name) fair enough.
i think the issue is the description of the job.

ick.

i can only imagine the actual copy. Rolls Eyes

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Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject:

so waitaminute.

If the job posting had been "I want a stereotypical Jew who says 'Oy, I found a great deal on this watch, talked the guy down five dollars!'"

or

"I want an Asian who says 'you give me raundry, I wash it for you. Five dorrars'"

Would that have somehow been ok? I don't think so. Yes, we're just acting but there's a difference between playing a character in a movie or TV show and using a negative stereotype to try and sell a product to the very race/gender/whatever that we're insulting.

And Diane, honey, that was the script.
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http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Jeffrey, you're right—it stinks.
Stereotypes are for suckers and UGLY stereotypes are a scourge.
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JBarrett · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:38 pm Post subject:

Pam · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject:

When i see things written with stereotypes, my first thought...after I get over being offended, is how lazy and uncreative the writer is. It's the cheap and easy way to get to a description and really shows me the lack of intelligence on the creators part. jmo.
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Now what did I come in here for?

Bruce · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:43 am Post subject:

Of course then there's the "urban" sound, which isn't offensive because it's an accent, not a dialect, right? Ninja

Is this the closest emoticon we've got for a brother?

A few years back I was voicing and producing commercials for a radio network in Missouri, and the producer said he needed an "urban" sound for a few commercials...could I help? Well Phoenix is about 3% African American and I said "really?", but he said he couldn't find appropriate talent there. Well Missouri's like 12% AA, so it's not like the East or Deep South, but gee. Anyway, we have a the great Black Theatre Troupe here and I called some friends and their friends and we've done some very warm, realistic work over the years. I will say my African American actors do roll their eyes a bit when I ask them to turn the "urban" up or down just a bit.

B
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