joe cipriano auditions for wheel of fortune announcer job
I’m not sure if everyone is getting these emails or if it’s just me but the big news in voiceover land this week seems to be that voice over talent Joe Cipriano is one of the announcers auditioning for the announcer job on Wheel of Fortune – one of the most popular game shows on the planet.
Sadly, long time Wheel announcer and true voice over legend Charlie O’Donnell died in November, 2010 and with complete respect, the show must go on – a new announcer must be hired.
So what seems to be happening is that announcers are being tested for two weeks worth of shows (according to the Cip interviews I’ve seen, the taping schedule is Thursday and Friday of every other week – each day taping 6 shows).
A big part of how the producers will decide who gets the gig is audience feedback on the Wheel of Fortune site. Smartly, Joe is talking up this “feedback” fact on shows like Westwood One’s Jim Bohannon Show and other media outlets – one set of Joe’s Wheel of Fortune show’s are airing this week.
Who are the other announcers auditioning? A quick Google search uncovered Lora Cain – a female announcer which I think is an idea long over due as I noted in a conversation following a blog post and an idea which certain female voice talents – who shall remain nameless but who has the first name Amy – thought was unrealistic.
Guess I wasn’t so silly after all.
Rich Fields I recall a while back as another candidate for the gig. And a voice talent named Jim Thornton is also in the running.
Now – I can hear you asking yourself – “Peter K. O’Connell when will you be auditioning for the announcer of Wheel of Fortune? O’Connell, O’Donnell – you’re both announcers, it makes perfect sense.”
Tell me about it! 😉
Well, I’ll check my voice mail and get back to you on that but certainly feel free to confuse the hell out of the producers and tell them in the comment section where they want their feedback how much you loved my audition.
Possibly a better idea would be to focus your votes for those folks who’ve actually been invited to audition for the job – all good and talented folks who would be a fine addition to the Wheel of Fortune cast.
But since I met and spoke with Joe for a bit at Voice 2010 in LA (which he does not remember I am sure) he’ll get my vote on this one.
