My Own Talk Show?

My friend Kathy has been complimenting my postings and has said a couple of times I should write a book and just recently said I should have my own TV show! She said I would be better than Martha Stewart! Wow!

That's just one of the nice comments she's left for me after reading my blog and honestly, I couldn't feel happier when I read her comments, everyone's comments, my beautiful niece and cousin, family and friends, it's a wonderful feeling to be compliemented on my work and on me! Thank you all for all your comments of encouragement and kindness.

So my own talk show. Well first, it would be my own "tawk" show. I'm from Brooklyn, New York and am reminded of it pretty often. At least once a week if not more as I now work in New Jersey. I worked with my friend Jules for a few years. She's from Texas, no accent, she has a melodic speaking voice, an aspiring opera singer, and just listening to her "talk" you can tell that she must have a beautiful singing voice (which she does! I've heard her sing). Julee teased me all the time about my accent. I was on the phone one night at work "tawking" to my sister in law about the American Idol judges. She told me that Simon said something nasty about one of the performers we liked, I said, "vote for her" but Jules heard "vohfaha". She couldn't wait for me to get off the phone to ask me what the heck I was "tawking" about!! When I told her it was "vote for her" she cracked up. It reminded her of hearing girls tawk on the subway when she first moved to New York, hearing someone say "and I hate her hair". She was delighted that we really did sound like girls in the movie "Working Girl" .

If you're not from NY, to understand how exactly the word "hair" was pronounced, see the below instructions for acquiring a New York accent I found on line.

Quote from “eHow” website: How To Talk With a New York Accent

Understand the pronounciation of certain words. In a New York accent, the “r” at the end of a word is almost never pronounced. The “g” at the end of a word isn’t pronounced either. So “going” is pronounced “goin’“ and “here” sounds like “hea”. The “th” sound sounds something between “d” and “th”, but if you’re unsure, speak with the “d” sound.

Know that many of the words that have the “o” sound (like in coffee, dog, talk) are pronounced with an “aw” sound, so the word dog, for example, would sound like “dawg”, as well as “cawffee.” The “aw” sound tends to replace the “o” in all words spoken with a thick New York accent.

Know that the traditional New York accent is strong and rough, often with a deep sounding voice. Words are spoken kind of in a relaxed way. Since New York was at one point very Italian, Staten Island and Brooklyn in particular, people of Italian descent that live in the areas tend to have a little bit of Italian accent mixed in. Familiarity with an Italian accent may make the process easier for you.

Have an attitude. Speaking like a New Yorker is less about what you say, and more about how you say it. New Yorkers are known for being direct, opinionated and confident. They are also known for talking a lot, and talking loudly.

Look to American television and popular movies to listen to this accent. The Sopranos series, and any gangster movies, such as The Godfather, are filled with the NY lingo.

Okay I'm not known for being direct or opinionated and I don't think I have an attitude, but maybe I do sound that way to non-New Yorks. I do "tawk" a lot and I guess sometimes I could be loud, but more I would just say I talk a lot and fast. I once won tickets for a Bruce Springsteen concert on WAPP Radio. I think I had to be caller number 103 or something like that, their radio dial position. In case you haven't read, I am a super Bruce fan! The office I worked in at the time had a phone with the redial feature, very new at the time and it gave me an edge. I tried for weeks to get tickets, would call and get a busy signal or sometimes, actually a few times, someone would answer and say "your caller number twelve" or whatever number, and I would be elated that I even got through. Well finally one day I call and they answer the phone and say "who's this". I know that this is something! I think I've won! I say my name so fast. And after my name I say "did I win!" It probably sounded something like this "Itstrshaglindidiwin". They say "who" and again I say "Itstrshaglindidiwin". When they asked me the third time I spoke louder and spoke as slow as I possibly could. I knew I won and they had to know who I was! I was going to see Bruce again!!! One of my friends was on the bus, commuting home with a Walkman, also very new at that time, and she's cracking up on the bus all by herself knowing it was me right away, she said everyone was looking at her like she was nuts. I love that part of the story too, that one of my friends actually heard me.

So again, a "tawk" show? Here's a sample of what I think my tawk show would be like!



I hope you enjoyed my "tawk" show..."I'm so glad with had this time together..."