I acted in a radio ad for Mitsubishi's 10th Anniversary Sale

Here's me as the husband who forgot his wife's anniversary once, in a radio ad for the Mitsubishi 10th Anniversary Sale, recorded March 20, 2013 at Tattoo Music & Sound in Toronto. It's a bit unrealistic because I'll probably never be married. But it's very realistic in that if I do get married, I will for sure forget my anniversary. And I'll be scared of my wife.

I acted in 2 radio ads for Alberta hockey

Osum is an energy company in Alberta. The Cold Lake Ice are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Cold Lake, Alberta. Trigger Communications is an ad agency in Calgary. Put them all together, and you have these two radio ads I acted in on March 21. I was in a studio in Toronto. Trigger was in a studio in Calgary. And a couple of the other actors were in a studio in New York City. Thanks to modern technology, distance is no obstacle to comedy gold.

Client: Osum

Title: "I don't like ice"
Here's me as the innocent guy in a restaurant saying he doesn't like ice in his drinks. A nearby hockey fan thinks I'm saying I don't like the Cold Lake Ice hockey team.

Client: Osum
Title: "The ice sucks"
Here's me as a passionate hockey fan who's a friend of an innocent guy saying the ice on the lake sucks for ice fishing. Me and another friend think he's saying he doesn't like the Cold Lake Ice hockey team, who are in the Alberta provincial finals. I'm the one who says, "We still going ice fishing today?... Sorry, what?... Uh, yah. Nypower, Cunnigham, Bourget... Top 3 point scorers in the playoffs. I don't see any suck in that lineup." (I improvised the line "I don't see any suck in that lineup.")

I acted in this Rent-A-Center radio ad

My voice can currently be heard in the U.S. in a Rent-A-Center radio ad that I acted in, called "Whirlpool Washer Interest." I got the part through my L.A. agent and was patched into the ad agency in Dallas to record it on September 9, 2012. I'm playing the bitchy credit card accounts phone rep. It really is a stretch for me to play a rude, disinterested person. But that's how amazing an actor I am. Click here to listen: 

I'm acting in this Popeye's Chicken radio ad

Currently airing across Canada, a new radio ad for Popeye's Chicken features me as a guy who's so passionate about his Popeye's Chicken that he's recording himself "unboxing" it, just like those people who make videos for YouTube of themselves unboxing new products like iPhones. At the recording session, the Copywriter (who's familiar with my work) told me: "I just knew you'd understand making an unboxing video." Not sure why he'd think I could get into the mindset of someone who puts their whole life on the Internet. But anyway, thanks for reading my blog post about the radio ad I just acted in! You can hear it by clicking here.

I wrote Cinnamon Pops commercials that will pop your head

Kellogg's needed to let the world know about their new Cinnamon Pops cereal. They wanted to highlight the crunchiness, the cinnamon, the deliciousness. And of course it all had be entertaining. Right after the briefing meeting, my art director and I cracked the problem in 5 minutes while eating hors d'oeuvres at an agency party. Inspiration may or may not have come from a segment on my Rogers Community Cable show 20 years ago where I would draw a face on an egg and then crush it. See that segment below and decide for yourself.

There are more commercials to come. Currently online are the spots "Spelling Bee" and "Ghost." And on TV and in movie theatres is the spot "Opera."

Oh, and I'm also the voice of the announcer in all the spots and of the sleeping man in the Ghost spot. If you could tell that already, well, you're probably my mom.





And here are those clips from my old cable show. The egg crushing segment starts at 3:22.

I took Debra Toffan's animation voice class!

Yes, you've heard my voice as a Scotsman in the animated show Time Warp Trio and as a chameleon in the commercial for Hubba Bubba Max. But I'd like to do even more voices for animation. And I always enjoy taking classes to learn new skills in any discipline. So when I heard that Debra Toffan was offering a class for animation voice, I jumped at the chance to take the April 7th one. She's casted tons of animated shows and has voice-directed superstars like Matt Damon, Joan Rivers, and Holly Hunter. I was afraid that she would confuse me for Matt Damon, since he and I look so much alike. But fortunately, my vocal gifts made me stand out. Or maybe it's just that I'm a bit more muscular than Matt. ANYway, I had a lot of fun in the class, and I recommend it to any voice actors who get a chance to take it.

I review my script while other members of the class take their turn doing voices in the booth.

Debra listens to the actors in the booth and offers her sage advice.

I'm acting in the Tim Hortons latte radio ad!

Wondering why you know that Tim Hortons lattes are just a dollar? Maybe it's because of my great acting in the radio ad that's currently getting lots of air play. Or maybe it's because a dollar is a great price for a latte. But I'm going to pretend it's the former. Because to my self-esteem, that's worth a... Well, you know. To hear the ad, click here.

 

Acting in radio commercial for donut chain

Here's me acting in a radio commercial for a donut chain's delicious new product. In the spot, I'm outwitted by a girl. Funny how life imitates art. Hear it here: http://www.voices.com/demo_detail/60684

I'm rapping and recycling in a convenience store radio ad

As you know from my eco hip hop video, rapping and recycling are my two fav things to do. So you can imagine how excited I was to be asked to rap in a radio ad that's currently running for Couche-Tard, the Quebec chain of convenience stores, and how much more excited I was when I saw that I'd get to mention that I recycle bottles. See if you can hear the excitement in my voice by listening to the spot here: http://www.voices.com/demo_detail/56459. (And yes, confused Ontarians, in Quebec you can actually buy beer in convenience stores. Are we in the wrong province or what?)

Acting in a cell phone radio ad

Here's a clever new radio ad that I had the honour of being cast in. I'm the first guy, who starts off saying, "So, what's your plan?" I think you'll agree, I really "cell" my performance. Listen to it below or by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xqWv8ki-RA.

Acting in a mall radio ad!

Returning in my 3rd radio ad for an awesome shopping facility, it's me as the shopping expert who's BFF's with a couple of women. Which is a true testament to my incredible acting skills. Because in real life, of course, no woman will even stand near me, much less discuss their "favourite things" with me. (Oh, and further evidence of my acting genius is that this spot ends with me just like the last one did. I actually ad-libbed that line in the last spot and the client liked it so much they put it in this script so that it's my catch-phrase. That's right, I have a catch-phrase!)

Acting in iLane radio ad!

Here's me acting in a radio ad for iLane. I've got about 5 syllables in this baby, but I make them count. And, ever the copywriter, it was my brilliant idea to move my second line up into the middle of the announcer's speech, rather than after "...is his business." So, like, when you cast me in things, you get added value. Just sayin'. Anyway, iLane sounds pretty cool. When they come out with a version that I can attach to my Metropass or bike, I'm so there.

Listen to me acting in a Zellers radio ad!

Apparently these Moonlight Madness sales bring in huge business to Zellers. Perhaps it's because of the great deals. But I prefer to think it's because I originally wrote the ads and continue to voice them. In any case, I think I should walk around a Zellers looking at prices while exclaiming: "That's MADNESS!" I think that will be a lot of fun until I get escorted out by security.

Listen to me acting in a Walmart radio ad!

Me as "Student 1" in a Walmart radio ad. I start off cool, but then I'm exposed for being a loser. Just like when I was actually in university. Without the cool part.

Listen to me acting in a radio ad for Drenched Water Ski Fest!

Below is me as "Guy 2" in a radio ad for Drenched, a pretty awesome-sounding water ski festival in Alberta. Water skiing was actually my favourite activity at summer camp, so this is especially meaningful to me. Even though I have no idea what I'm saying in the ad. Okay, that's not true. At the session, they told us what the dialogue means. But for the audition, my co-star - Scott Gorman - and I were clueless. But I guess it worked for us, because we auditioned together and we both got chosen for the spot! That's some magical chemistry there. They even wound up using our little improvised bit at the end. That growling was my idea. And guess what? Turns out Scott acted in A Midsummer Night's Dream with my sister Naomi a few years ago. So this guy is pretty much part of the family. The brother I never had. The son I'll never conceive. The husband I'll never... Okay, you get the idea. Oh, and a "hungry sea lion" is a cougar.

Listen to me in GreenSaver radio ads!

Why am I doing things like hiding in an air duct and sitting on my front steps nude? Long story. But suffice it to say, it's thanks to the great work of GreenSaver. GreenSaver is a home energy audit company that will come to your home and tell you all the things you can do to save energy, money and the environment. I wrote them some scripts for fun YouTube videos. They decided to produce them as radio ads. And they asked me to act in them! (I'm sure you're particularly glad that the nude one got done as radio instead of being filmed.) As an eco-friendly guy, I'm excited to be helping out such a great green company. Book your home energy audit today at greensaver.ca. No hiding in air ducts or nudity required.

Listen to me in a James Ready Beer radio ad!

James Ready Beer wants your help to keep it a buck a bottle. So they asked drinkers to send in photos to fill the billboards they'd bought, because they couldn't afford to make ads. As thanks for the help, JR is now offering their radio ad space to loyal drinkers. Here's my contribution, which is currently on the air. (Carly at my work apparently turned red when people played it for her. Do you think that's a good sign? Hmmm... Come to think of it, she hasn't spoken to me since. But she's probably just shy, right?)

Listen to me acting in the Bell radio ad that's on the air now

Currently all over the air is a radio ad I didn't write, but I'm acting in. Yep, my agent called me about the audition, I auditioned for it and I got the part! That's me as the guy outside the club, trying to tell my buddy that I'm leaving to get fries. He mishears. I think we've all been out for a fun night on the town and wound up in this situation, no? Too bad there was no room in the 30-second spot for the little improvisations that got me the role, such as me saying at the end: "I'm not your friend anymore." Ah, yes - I'm so hilarious. Does anyone have Larry David's phone number? Tell him how hilarious I am when improvising. Curb Your Enthusiasm is mostly improvised, you see. And I would like to be on that show. In the meantime, though, I'm in a Bell radio ad. Which you can hear by clicking here. Or clicking on the video below. (Informational tidbit: The day of the record, the cold that I caught in LA went full-blown, but I didn't let that compromise my performance and everyone's liking the spot! So... Yay for me! And... Yay for Bell! Use their mobility service!)