Roger Ebert gets his voice back...

[hebrides]

Roger Ebert has been unable to speak for several years. A Scottish company used many hours of his DVD commentaries to create a computerized version of his voice for him. Even in beta, it sounds quite impressive. Wait for it -- you'll definitely notice when the new voice kicks in.

http://gawker.com/5483834/roger-eberts- ... e-imagined

ETA: My wife's dad died of ALS in 2006. I never really got to hear him speak in his own voice, though I've heard a little bit in recordings. He was on the city council for years, and there are hundreds of hours of recordings of meetings. I really wish this had been around sooner.

 

[Captain Khajiit]

I had no idea! I saw him on television years ago and used to buy his film guides, but over the last few years I've simply read reviews of his online on Rotten Tomatoes and the like, so I guess I must have missed this.

That's impressive technology. It must be much nicer to have your own voice, rather than one of those synthesiser-type voices that sound alike.

 

[elbarto1]

we are one step closer to the war with the machines.

 

[Frantic Canadian]

He looks so unrecognizable now. And his mouth looks very strange. Almost like he's got a piece of string in his mouth and somebody is pulling down. It's so weird to see him like that. And who's that woman? Is it his wife?

 

[hebrides]

He looks so unrecognizable now. And his mouth looks very strange. Almost like he's got a piece of string in his mouth and somebody is pulling down. It's so weird to see him like that. And who's that woman? Is it his wife?

His mouth does look strange, yes, but it's because they removed his lower jaw, and attempts to reconstruct it have been unsuccessful, so much so that he refuses to try again. He hasn't been able to eat or drink in a long time as a result, so he's also dropped a lot of weight. I'm not sure who the woman is; does anyone know?

ETA: Actually, frantic, you're right -- it is his wife, Chaz Hammelsmith-Ebert...and according to at least one source I read, one reason he appeared on Oprah is that he used to date her, long before she became famous.

That's impressive technology. It must be much nicer to have your own voice, rather than one of those synthesiser-type voices that sound alike.

I would think so, yes. I'd really give anything to have been able to have talked more to my wife's dad and to have heard his "real" voice.

 

[Frantic Canadian]

He used to date Oprah?!? Damn! That must of been a long time ago.

 

[hebrides]

Here's a more extensive clip of the new voice, along with Ebert's Oscar picks. It's somehow even more impressive to hear his voice in its "natural" element, talking about movies.

http://anythinghollywood.com/2010/03/roger-ebert-oscar-predictions-oprah-video/

 

[Captain Khajiit]

I'd really give anything to have been able to have talked more to my wife's dad and to have heard his "real" voice.

From your posts, it sounds like you're still pretty upset, Hebrides. I don't really know what to say, man. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[hebrides]

I'd really give anything to have been able to have talked more to my wife's dad and to have heard his "real" voice.

From your posts, it sounds like you're still pretty upset, Hebrides. I don't really know what to say, man. I'm sorry for your loss.

Thanks. Yeah, I guess I am, especially for my wife. Mostly, though, I'm just really impressed that the technology has come so far in such a short time; that's the main reason I shared this.

 

[hebrides]

And now Roger Ebert has a prosthetic jaw that he will wear on his new show. I'm honestly not sure what to make of this, but he seems pretty excited about it, and there's no denying the quality of the work they did to construct it:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/01/after_surgery_i_studiously_avo.html