Ross Mathews on voice pitch

[Acastina]

There's this gay comedian that I guess I'm late to learn about (not watching much network TV) named Ross Mathews. A friend gave me his book Man Up! and I'm finally getting around to reading it.

With so many of us here expressing exasperation with our male voices when out and about, I thought it might be a hoot to share the following from pages 26-27. He apparently has a voice that never really changed and is often mistaken for a woman on the phone (and, according to him, in person and on stage, but that may be another joke):

"My voice is so high-pitched, only gay dogs can hear it.

Even Richard Simmons thinks I should butch it up.

My voice is the only thing Don't Ask, Don't Tell still applies to [not here, of course].

You'd think I'd like vaginas, since most people with my voice have one.

Equal parts my voice and Fran Drescher's voice are how doctors cure those four-hour Viagra erections men are warned about."

:laughing:

[Dawn P]

Ross got his start as a usher or a page for NBC on the Jay Leno Show. Jay would send him out with a cameraman and a mike and do on the street trivia with people.

[Traci H]

Ah yes Dawn, now that you mentioned such, Jay Leno gave give quite a bit of exposure and he was pretty decent. He would be out at Hollywood events etc grabbing comments from celebrities and adding his own. Then he left to make it on his own and I really haven't heard much until this. Interesting and yes he made it pretty obvious that he was gay.

[Leslie Langford]

Ross shouldn't beat up on himself so much (or think that he is so unique) when it comes to rationalizing his femmy voice. It's not just the pitch, it's also the cadence, the enunciation, the choice of vocabulary, and the "upspeak" they practise that typically distinguishes women from men in the way they talk - traits that many swishy gay men also share (think Chris Colfer of "Glee" fame here, among others), and which they default to naturally.

Methinks that Ross is just being a drama queen (pun definitely intended - LOL!) when he tries to position himself as being something of an outlier here. The way he speaks and comports himself is typical of many effeminate gay men, and especially those who are "out", at peace with their sexuality, and don't give a flying fig about how others might perceive - or judge - them.

[Pat]

Methinks that Ross is just being a drama queen...

Nah. He's being a working comedian. It's lesson one in comedy -- if you have an attribute that sticks out, make fun of it. Comedians actually get together to make fun of each other so they can discover the possible topics. I've seen comics who try to ignore something about themselves (height, weight, color) and it ends up being a distraction to the audience. Much better to get out in front of it.

[Lorileah]

OK, how is this related to member's here crossdressing?

[Leslie Langford]

Ummm...maybe because on some level, there are those of us here who secretly wish we could sound as feminine as Ross does when we are out and about en femme as a way of helping us "pass" (or at least blend in) - something that he is presumably able to achieve naturally, effortlessly and unconsciously. I know I do... :sad: