Homeless man with the #GoldenVoice - who cares?
Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 7:29AM#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard
You know what, no. I'm not co-signing on this bullshit. I've seen the video, I've read some of the stories...whatever. Who cares? Yes, this man has a great voice, and it's perfect for radio. So what? And yes, I see that he was homeless. Again, not impressed. Do you know why he was homeless? Because he made shitty decisions, became an addict, and lost the life he worked for. I understand addiction is a disease and it takes work to get out from under it, that's not what I'm addressing here. The thing is, why is this man such a superstar now?
Honestly, it's not like he's a random homeless dude that happens to have an amazing voice that would be excellent on radio. He's a homeless DJ. That's what his profession was, I would sure as hell hope he had a good voice. Would it be so super impressive if a doctor pissed away everything they had worked for, became homeless, and then we discovered that they knew some doctor stuff? Not at all, right? So what's the big deal with this guy? He worked for years to become a DJ, "went to school for it", trained his voice from a young age...of course he has a golden voice, and he's sure as shit not alone in that one. He just happened to make a series of choices that lead him to where he was. Does he deserve a second chance? Sure. But it's just not amazing that a homeless DJ has the voice of a professional DJ. Come on, people, get it together.
What do you think about it? Drop me a line on Twitter or Facebook, and let's have a chat!
Reader Comments (21)
Jensquared = fail on this one. It's not that his voice is impressive. I'm sure it's a visual contradiction so the video got views. The buzz is about the power of social media. The shit we shout about every day. There's a homeless dude with a good voice. He will work for far cheaper than seacrest. Give him a job. Hell higher 24 of them to work 1 hour shifts so they can get by.
I agree completely with you Jen, life is about choices and while I see that addiction is a disease you had to choose that path in the first place to get addicted. which made a huge spiral of mess that left the poor man homeless in the first place. I also agree that he should get another chance, again its all about choices and what you do with those choices that make a part of who you are.
Steve, I guess I don't see this story as a social media thing. The thing I took from it was how sensational it is that a homeless man has a voice like that. I do think it is amazing that he is getting a second chance through social media, and that his story is so widespread because of it. I don't like that people think he is amazing because he has a good voice and is homeless. The two have no correlation, in my opinion.
I love (1) that you make me think and (2) that you're not afraid to go against the opinons of the world. I have to agree with you; what's the big deal? Pretty sure I could go down to the Salvation Army men's shelter right now and find some good voices. @Steve = did you really say "higher 24 of them"? Kind of made me smile, because when I got hired, I guess I was higher than I was before. This guy's problem is that he was higher, not hired... LOL
Jen, I think you're missing the point. You're dismissing everything about the story that makes it special. The majority of the population believe that all homeless people are lazy good for nothing addicts. Mr. Williams is visual proof that this is not the case. He proves that homeless people just as much as any other people are full of great potential. Furthermore this story shows that becoming homeless can be the result of bad decisions. Like Steve said this story also shows the importance and power of social media. Mr. Williams' life has turned around in just 24 hours. That's amazeballs!! Most importantly this story shows that the American Dream is alive and well and available to everyone.
Loving this feedback! I'm totally not missing the social media aspect of this - and that I think is amazing. I just think the reason that people are excited is silly. Like, "OMG, a homeless person actually has something to offer." Yeah, I'm sure there are tons of homeless people that are skilled, talented and educated. The fact that someone found him and he became an overnight sensation is amazing. The reason, not so much.
Another thing that kinda bugs me is that there are tons of homeless people out there that rely on people to give them money to survive. They could go out and try to get a job, I know here in Houston the news paper hires people like that to sit at intersections and sell new papers, if they are going to be sitting there anyway, why not do it for a salery, and not just beg for money. If this man was successful once before, why cant he try to do something to make money now, rather than trying to get other people earned money???
So what do you propose instead? We all continue to ignore the homeless, believe that they are useless, and just camp outside your house until you "wow" us with something that elevates you over being a painfully dull and average person? The only reason you've gone on this little rant is because you're jealous that a person, who you believe is below your social class, is getting more attention for doing something you think you could do if given the opportunity. But you've missed a glaring fault in your argument, which is... while he did study to be a DJ originally, you've probably made poor decisions to bring you a life of desolate mediocrity. He probably reached a high point in his life and through his poor decisions fell to the bottom. But this goes to prove that his talent and hard work from the beginning never left and through luck (which is usually attributed to hard work and good timing) has gained him a viable second chance at getting his life together. You, on the other hand, are upset you weren't given a first chance.
JenSquard and Jen Friel are entitled to their own opinions whether anyone agrees or disagrees. Fuck you for being an asshole, they don't deserve your shit, so YOU ARE an IDIOT.
Wow, someone here seems to have missed the point of the post... (*hint - you're an idiot). Nowhere does she say he is below her social class, that she is better than him, nor anything else along those lines. Simply that it's bull that someone notices a guy with a DJ voice begging for money, that's pretty cool. That is until that guy come to find out is an unemployed DJ. So of course he should be charming, carasmatic, and have a great voice! His story would be much better had he done more than just sat on a street corner begging for handouts and like TNTML Jen portrays and get out and do something if you want to change! Where in JenSquards post does she state that she has done nothing with her life, has had no chances and is going nowhere with her life. Is it because she has kids? She's a photographer? Maybe it's just that she's rich (which I don't remember her ever saying)? Just because you disapprove of someone that does not make you jealous of them. If you're an addict and lose everything because you can not control your addiction, too effing bad for you. I have self control, I don't go out and spend every penny I earn on drinking or drugs. If you chose to do so, good luck on the streets, have fun struggling becasue you make piss poor choices. Shit happens to good people but if you get off your ass and work hard you can make it. I bust my ass to make sure I have a roof over my family's head and to see people begging because their life is hard, come on, please... get over your pity party, get a job, prove yourself and make something out of your hard work!
I am someone who adamantly believes that we all make mistakes in our lives, and can redeem ourselves no matter how low we have gone. The Homeless population has not proven to me that they can sustain themselves on the basis of that they obvious either have (a mental illness, b) drugs and alcohol [like our friend Mr Williams], or c) they just don't have the power to change whatever it is within them that is causing them to hit the wall. In turn, I agree that though his story is uplifting, tragic, and amusing at the same time [especially that voice], he made the decisions to get himself there, and the only reason he's getting any credibility is because someone decided to take a camera and film him doing this.
I DO NOT however believe that personally attacking someone on the basis of where they come from, or who their life is at the moment [i.e. you're an idiot] will allow us to understand each other, or to understand that things like this happen. Life happens. If we all just respected each other's opinions instead of telling people "You're wrong" all the time, we might actually make some positive changes in our society. It's people like you [you're an idiot] that make me sad for the future.
Well, thanks for the feedback! I suppose we will have to agree to disagree on this one, but I would love to chat about it more, and really get in depth about it! Seriously, if you want to talk to me about your opinion, we can post about it and get your voice heard, too. Tweet me: @JenSquard, or find me on Facebook: facebook.com/jenswedhinphotography, or even send me an email: mangotreelover@hotmail.com
The internet and social media are so great, we can bring all of these ideas into one place, throw them all together, and pick out what we like. Beautiful!
sorry, meant where* not who*
FYI - Update.....Man with "Golden Voice", Ted Williams, was offered to go to Hollywood and be a contestant on the upcoming reality TV show, America's Next Voice (searching for the next big TV voice-over artist). It was offered by voice gurus Joe Cipriano, who is heard everywhere on FOX and CBS and Randy Thomas, voice of Entertainment Tonight and the Grammys. For Ted, I would say what a genius marketing campaign this is! However, a great voice does not always make a great voice-over. I'm interested to listen in and find out.
http://www.voiceoveruniverse.com/profiles/blogs/americas-next-voice-in
However, as in all great inspirational stories, don't be surprised if we all find out that he was a working radio DJ in the past, but changed careers to an addict, a thief, or a pimp. Perhaps he is homeless or perhaps he just didn't cut his hair a shave for a few days before standing on the corner. Or maybe he just lives at home with his Mom and is ready to get back to work. None-the-less, now he's a social media hit and soon to be reality star. Go social media, go. Let the dust settle and we'll see what or who is left standing. Oh, the cycle one can create! News at 11......
It's a fairly cognitive assumption that her stance was to undermine his recognition, purely out of the fact that he's homeless and made poor decisions. I highly doubt that any of you can claim to have made the best decisions in your life, mainly since you're on this crappy website defending this post. Yes, it's ironic that I'm on here commenting as well, but this website just acts as an easy target of how NOT to run a site about social media, a site about nerds, a site about community, a site about information, a site about virtually anything that has been done before and much better. Sure, I'll give you the fact that she didn't come out and say, literally, that she's better than someone, but it's clearly implied. Her whole post can be regarded as an "opinion," but not without a severe undertone of unnecessary judgment.
And no, her decisions aren't bad. But obviously they haven't accrued her the fame that Ted Williams has so "undeservingly" gained. And that's what she wants.
It is pretty petty to shit on the success of this homeless man who caught a break. He's a guy who recognized his drug and alcohol addiction and was attempting to turn his life around. He had a marketable skill that somebody discovered. It's his story that gave hope and inspiration to the millions of people who watched the video, and not just the fact that he has a decent radio voice. People care because he's the underdog. Just like Susan Boyle, there's a ton of people out there with amazing voices, but it was the fact that such a talent can come from such an unexpected source that makes the story special. I agree with "you're an idiot." You're just a petty, selfish person if you can't feel good about a downtrodden person's success story.
Idiot: what's your deal? You are reading way to far into what she's saying!
CLIFFNOTES: HOMELESS DJ WITH DJ VOICE - WOW BFD!
That's all I took from it. Not that she's better than him and envious of him in any way. I could take the EXACT same thing from what you're saying to her, you're jealous of her having her own lifecasting on this awesome site, you wish you could speak your mind and go against what everyone else thinks because that's how you actually feel, and you can do that without being a total dick! I could be 100% wrong about you and probably am from interpreting what you wrote that way. Or if the personal attackks weren't there I would have taken, I disagree Jen this is an awesome story about someone's shitty luck is turning around.
Now back to the issue at hand, let's look at Ted's "fame" in 1 year, that's right watch one of those best of 2011 shows, he'll be on there and everyone will say oh yeah I remember him what the hell happened to this "famous" guy. Probably the same as Mr. Chocolate Rain, remember him? I can make a list of "success" stories like that if you like
Keep reading the posts on "this crappy website," increase it's popularity and when it has a movie or tv series about it, Jen and everyone contributing to it are living it up. Maybe you will look back and say, "well shit that site was actually better than I thought!" (Okay we both know you'll never say that but we also know you will be pissed that you were wrong!
I would like to point out that all comments from me are posted under JenSquard, and the other commenter Jen is not me. I feel like maybe some of her opinions may have gotten attributed to me.
JenSquard is correct Jen is me Jen Hoyt. (who is also NOT the TNTML Jen either) So not all the Jen comments are by her, don't take my opinions as hers as we are two completely different people! :)
@B I'd like you to re-read what you wrote. Why would I be jealous of someone who is life-casting in general? It doesn't take any effort to waste time online and document the mundane happenings of one's life. I don't do that because my life is important and I don't have time to do that. I'm busy actually doing things. And I can guarantee you, you've seen the things I've done. Furthermore, life-casting on this "awesome site"...? ...Is that supposed to be a joke? Because that's how I read it. This site is the joke. A small community of people who are clueless about life, led by someone who doesn't have a clue herself. Explain to me what this site is about in a targeted statement. Then, validate it with something that is a unique point and not a watered down, uninformed opinion-driven, version of something that already exists out there as a more successful business model. I came across it today, through a friend mentioning it to me in passing, as how it basically is just a site talking about how people think they're accomplishing something but nothing actually being accomplished. I check in on this post, because I do like debate, but it's almost pointless because you all just seem so inundated with the idea of expressing an opinion no one asked for or cares to hear. Yet you look at yourself as accomplished contributors to this "awesome site" that is just a joke in almost every venue it claims to be a source on. Go to any other site and they're going to ask you for qualifications to be a writer. Not here... here you're not required to qualify any pre-requisites to gain this feeling of being a "life-caster." Literally, any idiot can do it. If this Jen person was homeless and someone saw what she wrote, she wouldn't be noticed because she doesn't have any beaming, or original, talent as a writer. It's just stream of conscious bullshit. If she wants to be taken seriously, she could actually apply herself and get off the damn computer and read good writers and actually learn something about phrasing her opinion into something interesting that would draw people to access her repeatedly as a viable voice. Her options would open up and she could maybe write for a valid publication, online or in print. But no, you sit here and voice pointless opinions and cast judgment and justify it as life-casting because you can hit "Create Post" and it's on the internet and you feel like you contributed. It's just masturbation. You're not accomplishing anything. Sure, you've riled me up and got me to comment on it. You could do the same thing by taking a shit on someone's desk. You'll get comments, I guarantee it.
And I'm not "reading too much" into what she said. Me calling her out, and receiving this backlash, is a great scapegoat for deniability that she wasn't trying to do that and was merely expressing her opinion. But it wasn't just that, she clearly feels he isn't deserving and is asking for validity in why he does deserve something--implying that why wouldn't someone like her get the same. It's a common sociological response and once it's brought to attention, brings up defenses, because no one wants to admit jealousy of something they feel they're already superior to. And don't act like walking past a homeless person doesn't distinguish a sense of a class-based society. Hell, even I've walked past a bum and unfairly cast judgement, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the success of someone who got a chance to actually turn their life around and possibly be a contributor to their community again. Not like any of you, you accomplish nothing by voicing these stupid "opinions" and I guarantee you no one cares unless they're equally or even more clueless than you yourself are.
http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/12/ted-williams-rehab-drugs-alcohol-homeless-man-golden-voice-dr-phil-show/
ok so this is to back up my comment on your facebook page, that addicts are liars, and "he probably isnt clean and sober" well guess what!? he wasnt. but i really hope he takes this as a chance to get sober and start his life over! everything happen for a reason, maybe all this publicity was all to save this guys life. or to helkp other who might be in the same situation.