Meet Phil
computing, Fun July 23rd, 2008UPDATE: The fine folks at Odiogo emailed me this morning to report that they gave my blog a female voice! My older posts are still in Phil’s voice, and I’m not sure whether they’ll change over to “Phyllis” down the road.
Anyway, this post no longer makes sense because it was intended for Phil. You can listen to it anyway if you like. I talk about boobs.
Here is the content of the original post:
In order to make the most of this post, please scroll to the bottom and click on the Listen Now button next to Kathy’s name. I’ll wait.
Ready? OK. Let’s get started.
My name is Phil. I’m the voice of Odiogo, a cool, free, text-to-speech tool where you can voice-enable your blog!
Kathy invited me here because a few of her readers have weak eyesight and would benefit from this technology. In addition, you can download the audio files to your iPod and take Kathy on the road with you.
My name isn’t actually Phil, but it’s the name Kathy gave me because Phil is an every man name and she likes it. Also, it’s the name of the host of her favorite reality show, The Amazing Race, which, by the way, she was not accepted for. Bastards.
Anyway, Kathy told me I could say anything I want on this blog post, but only this one. After today, I have to say exactly what she wants me to say. For now, I can let my hair down.
So, get this. When I started out at Odiogo, I was under the impression that I would be hired along with a group of other fake voices. Both men and women.
But it turns out that Odiogo is willfully violating all the Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action laws on the books by hiring only men for the part, which is very stupid because like, Kathy’s a woman, and it would sound dumb if I said something she wrote, like, “I went for my mammogram today and my boob got stuck in the scanner.” See, I do not have boobs. Not even manly boobs. I’m very fit.
I was hoping Odiogo would hire at least one woman so I would have someone to go out with after work. I’m single. Is that hard to imagine? What? You don’t think I sound sexy? Oh, I’m very sexy. They just gave me a bad voice.
It’s the same kind of voice they use for those hellish automated telephone menus when you call a company to request service or complain about something. Do you know how you can avoid most of them? Press zero on the key pad and you go straight to a human. Little tip from me to you.
Anyway, back to my sexy voice. I’m all business while I’m at work, but you should hear me after I’ve had a few beers. I’m smooth. I’m awesome. The ladies love me.
In fact, they like it when I get up at the bar and do karaoke. Here’s a sample of the latest song that got all the women hot.
I’m a model. You know what I mean.
And I do my little turn on the catwalk.
Yeah. On the catwalk. On the catwalk. Yeah.
I do my little turn on the catwalk.
I’m too sexy for my car. Too sexy for my car.
Too sexy by far.
And I’m too sexy for my hat.
Too sexy for my hat. What do you think about that?
See? You can’t resist me. Please answer my call for help. Leave a comment below and let Kathy know how much you want me to have women to work with. Tell her that she has to contact Odiogo and inform them of their grave mistake and they need to hire a chick to read Kathy’s posts.
And not just any woman. She should be a built brunette and have legs that go on for miles. That’s how Kathy sees herself and frankly, that’s the kind of woman I want to hang out with in the recording studio.
Do a guy a favor, eh? Thanks, and now I’ll turn Kathy’s blog back over to her. You’ll always find the Listen Now button at the bottom of her posts so you lazy asses who don’t want to read, can still get a dose of The Junk Drawer.
Over and out.
Stumble it!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I emailed Odiogo about the lack of female voices, and they responded saying they DO have a female voice! Get them to switch it out for you… I want to hear it. 🙂
Kelly’s last blog post..Kokopelli Wind
July 25th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Aw, while the female voice is great news, the loss of the Phil voice on this particular post is a tragedy.
I think I grew to love Phil a little bit. I mean, he’s such a trooper, saying his lines as he’s told no matter if it includes discussion of his mammogram. And, well, his rendition of “I’m Too Sexy” still haunts me today. Sort of in the same way William Shatner’s singing does, but still.
Give my love to Phil.
Jenn Thorson’s last blog post..Arte Y Pico: Simple Patron of the Arts or Blogging Evil Super Genius?
July 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Well, I would like to loan the talents of my grey parrot who, God knows, is (in)famous the world over. He has been photographed with me in several magazines, has an amazing vocabulary, sings up at storm, and here’s what caught my eye in this post of yours — he has a little ditty that goes like this…
“I’M too sexy for my BEAK
Too sexy for my FEET
Too sexy for my WINGS
I-can-make-my-tail-SWING!”
At which point he wags his birdie tail back and forth and looks smug. It’s unseemly really, but we all have our talents…
*v* (Henry, Grey Parrot & Office Manager at Dragonfly Cottage) “And I have more than most.”
Grey parrots are NOT humble….
Best to you. I love your voice idea. I know many people whose eyes get weary at the computer. Great idea! And I love your blog!
Maitri
Dragonfly Cottage
July 25th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I just read the last sentence in your UPDATE….I can listen to you talk about what???
OK gotta go….Have a nice weekend
Alan Bamboo’s last blog post..My Entrecard Mix + Picks ( Part 1 )
July 25th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
This was absolutely hilarious…..male or female voice…..hilarious.
Bruce’s last blog post..The Dip-Shit #15
July 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Much better than phil and his no man boobs chest
July 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Grant — Do not toy with me. You know I love your radio voice. But will you say anything I want you to say like Phil did? Phil was so easy to work with.
Kelly — Done! I like her voice. She actually enunciates a little better than Phil, doesn’t she? Still, I found that I missed Phil’s voice today. Phil, we hardly knew ye.
Jenn Thorson — I know! It is tragic! I will always love and miss our too-sexy Phil.
Maitri Libellule — Love it! Oh, can’t you post a recording of that? Your parrot might just put Phil to shame. Thanks for dropping by!
Alan Bamboo — You read it right. I believe this is the first reference to boobs in my blog. How is that possible? Butts, on the other hand, have been around here forever.
Bruce — Thanks. It was a joy to write and listen to, Phil or Phyllis. Though you know by now I’m saddened by the loss of Phil. I’ll have to look for other blogs written by men who are using Odiodo. I can always visit him elsewhere (though it won’t feel the same. Sniffle.)
brooke — I know the man boobs freaked you out. I promise never to mention them again.
July 26th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Aw, Kathy, if you doubt my willingness to say anything, then you don’t know me that well… 🙂
July 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Grant — Then you should be very afraid!
July 26th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I LOVED it, Kathy! I thought the Voki reader was real cool the other day, too. I went to the site and tried it out for a while, wasting all sorts of precious time. But it was fun!
And thanks for the tip! I’m going to try the little catwalk song and dance on Princess Gail tonight. That should turn her on! Oh, yeah!
Ferd’s last blog post..The Royal Ride
July 27th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Ferd — Ah,but fun time is not wasted time. So does this mean we’ll have a Voci from you sometime in the near future? Please do! That song is awesome. Had it running through my head since I wrote this post, and I didn’t mind! Princess Gail will not be able to resist.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Hey Kathy!
My site is back up! Hurrah!
Soooo, Odiogo does have a “Phyllis”? So cool…I’ll email them to change mine!
You found Odiogo on my site and I found Voci on yours! Tit for Tat…oh wait…I should save a comment like that for “Olga, the Traveling Bra!”
kp
kpasa’s last blog post..Once Again, Live (!) on Kpasa’s World!
July 29th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
kpasa — So glad you’re back! I was looking for you shortly after I found you and thought “Oh no! She’s gone already! Crap!” Oh, you must do a Voki! I can’t wait to do another one. Yea, tit for tat is right up Olga’s bra … er, alley.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
BTW, having tried using this odigo thing at Rickey’s site, Rickey noticed that it was causing our Firefox users browsers to crash. Anyone else experiencing that?
Rickey Henderson’s last blog post..Rickey’s Overdue Mets Update: The “Holy Shit, We’re Relevant Again!” Edition
July 30th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Rickey Henderson — Hmm, I haven’t heard about FF crashing. I’m using FF 3.0. What version are you using? I’d recommend mentioning it to the Odiogo people. They’re very responsive to inquiries.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:13 am
I second Kathy’s post. I fired up Firefox 3.0.1, and the podcast plays fine…