Voice Over & Political Affiliation?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 8:48AM 
Just a few days ago when I was visiting a production house in Washington DC metro, I was asked if I did voice work. I answered "yes, yes I do". Immediately I was then asked "what my politics were". I thought it strange that such a question would be asked of a talking head such as myself, but then thought the person questioning me must produce for a particular party in the DC market. My hunch was right. I was then given the option to choose a party. What?! This made absolutely no sense to me.
OK I get it. But to "get it", and then consider what it is that voice over actors do just doesn't make sense to me. Why would it matter what politics I leaned toward? After all, this is voice over - talking head stuff. I am a no-name actor with no recognizable voice. Could it be that I won't read the script with the right passion for the subject matter because I don't agree with it? Certainly that must be the reason. But to even consider that is disrespectful to the craft itself. And if that were the case, then all of us would also have to know, and be well acquainted with each and every product that we sell. That would mean that I would of had to of have cardinal knowledge of the adult diapers that I just sold on cable. Or, I would of had to of played (and liked) with that super soaker water gun that I just did VO for on Cartoon Network.
Voice over isn't an endorsement. It's an acting job. When Spielberg puts a voice to a movie trailer about an adventure in outer space, the voice over actor didn't actually go there. He or she didn't ride the hover cycle that is featured in 120 frames of the trailer. The voice over actor just knew how to sell a story.
That's what we do. Tell stories.