I really hate the catchphrase, “I have a face for radio!” I'm clearly a fan of self-deprecation, but there’s so much assumption wrapped up in that statement that it really irritates me.  

Think about the last movie or TV episode you watched. The vast majority of actors you see on the screen have non-standard appearances. Contrary to popular belief, movies and television shows are not the exclusive domain of beautiful people. In fact, beautiful people are the exception rather than the rule. 

Steve Buscemi is one of my favorite actors. He has a non-standard appearance and gets leading roles, not bit parts. The same goes for Bill Murray, John C. Riley, and almost every other actor. Would the shows they appear in be better if they instead had classic good looks? No, not at all.

These professional working actors all share one thing in common, and it has nothing to do with their faces. It’s that they are professionals who have worked very hard to get very good at what they do.

It’s the same for us, podcasters. We should each work hard at making our voice is as good as it can be. Not “as pleasant” or as “approachable”. As good as it can be. And you get to decide what “good” means. 

But don’t work at changing your voice. Your voice is your voice. You can’t “change” your voice any more than Bill Murray can “change” his face. With actors, it’s about learning how to use their faces. And for podcasters like us, it’s about learning how to use our voices effectively. 

The most important thing about a podcaster is not the tone or timbre of their voice: It’s the way they deliver words to the audience.

My friend and fellow podcaster George Hrab has a song that, I feel, perfectly captures this reality. It’s called Blue Genes and is worth a listen. Yes, right now.

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Podcast Pontifications is published by Evo Terra four times a week and is designed to make podcasting better, not just easier.

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