Gen X Mom:
The Unforgettable Voice
The Voice Of Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson)

Celebrating the human sound. This is The Unforgettable Voice. Part of the Electric Secrets variety podcast. I'm your host, Scott Leon Smith. 

Welcome back to the podcast, everybody. 

This is the third episode of The Unforgettable Voice segment. If you remember, in the first

episode I talked with my friend Lori Turner, who is a vocal coach, about Maria Callis and

Billie Holiday. And the whole conversation was about training versus no training. Maria

Callis being a trained opera singer, and Billie Holiday following her own path in her vocal

work. And it all came down to the question of what makes these voices unforgettable, if one is

a trained voice and one is an untrained voice. And the whole idea was it's storytelling. You can

be, you can have a lot of training, you can have no training at all. If you tell a story well with

your voice, then that's going to make it unforgettable. 

In the second episode, we explored that idea of storytelling a little bit more with Johnny Cash, who was a preeminent musical storyteller.

Now, in this episode, what I want to do is make our first foray into voice acting, more specifically,

voicing animated characters. And we're going to take a look at the work of one of the iconic

voices of animation, that of Julie Kavner. 

Now, if you don't recognize that name, perhaps you will recognize this voice. 

“You should have called. I was very worried.” 

“I’m on a tight budget here.”

“Bart, watch your language. You are not going to perform that operation yourself.”

Yeah, everybody knows Marge Simpson. And for someone of my generation, Marge was our mom in a lot of ways. From 1989 to the present, The Simpsons is a show that is still going strong. It's a, I would say, a miracle that it's been on as long as it has. But what's even more of a miracle is Julie Kavner being able to do that voice for as long as she's been doing it. And it's an amazing accomplishment in the realm of voice acting, because you would think there wouldn't be too much you could do with a voice like that. But Julie Kavner, over the years, has been able to bring so much dimension and depth to Marge Simpson's voice and adapt it to play other characters like her sisters, Patty and Selma. So I'm going to talk about what makes Marge Simpson's voice and Julie Kavner's work … unforgettable.

Now, in a lot of ways, voice acting is a lot more difficult than just straight acting, acting for film, or acting for the stage, because you have to take all of the things that are important about stage and film acting and put it all into your voice. So there always has to be some sort of conflict happening. And to put that into your voice is very difficult. Now, what Marge Simpson's voice represents is the idea of strength in conflict with vulnerability. So when you listen to Marge's voice, you can see that she is the rock that is holding the Simpsons together. And at the same time, you hear that she's almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And Julie Kavner does that so brilliantly that conflict between strength and vulnerability is really unique. Take a listen to these clips where Marge is just being a mom. She's being a mom and a wife. And listen to how Julie Kavner uses her voice to create this tension between strength and vulnerability. 

“Keep the lettuce separate until 11:30. That way, the lettuce stays moist and the bread stays dry. Huh? Huh?”

“Mom, you fuss over us way too much.”

“Enjoy it now, because when you're growing up, you'll have to take care of yourself.”

“Marge, you're just a spider near my car keys.”

“You did the right thing by telling me.”

“Kids, tell me the truth. Am I no fun? Do I just nag all the time?”

“Um, well, uh …”

Now, hopefully, in that first clip, you heard the positivity in her voice. And that's the motherly strength that's being positive all the time, trying to come up with new ways of solving problems and letting her family know, “I've got you covered. I've got your back.” That's the motherly strength. And then the second clip, where Marge is asking the kids if she, if she always nags, if she's nagging all the time, there's the vulnerability. She's holding the family together, but she needs to know what they think of her. She needs to see herself through their eyes. So that is the complexity that Julie Kavner brings to this voice. And as the decades have passed, the more weird stuff the family gets into, the more dimension her voice takes on. And it's always interesting to listen to Marge Simpson dealing with different situations, especially out in the world outside the household when she's interacting with the townspeople from Springfield, which, of course, is a weird set of folks. When you listen to her reactions to what she's dealing with, you hear a new dimension to Marge's voice. 

“Everything on the menu has fish in it.”

“What about the bread? Does that have much fish in it?”

“Yes.”

“I have some tittacks in my purse.”

“Excellent choice.”

“I was thinking more like protection for down there.”

“Oh, why didn't you say so? Knee pads, you got it.”

“I'm talking about his personal…”

“Ah ha, see no more. I read you loud and clear.”

You want shoulder pads.”

“Look, I want a cup.”

“Cup, could you spell that?”

“C-U-P. I want to see you. Oh my god.”

And of course, you can't have a voice like Marge Simpson's and not have your family do impressions of you. With everything she goes through and everything she has to deal with as a mother and as a woman of Springfield, sometimes she has to deal with people making a caricature of her. 

“Eat your vegetables. Take a sweater. I don't think that's a good idea.”

“Take that, Marge.”

So if Marge Simpson's voice is about motherly strength and the vulnerability of someone who cares so much about her family, every time the character has to deal with a new and more ridiculous situation, that vulnerability and that strength takes on more dimension and more depth. And Julie Kavner's been doing that going on 40 years now. 

We hope you're enjoying The Unforgettable Voice, part of the Electric Secrets variety podcast. Be sure to subscribe for notifications when new episodes are available and to gain access to exclusive content and bonus material. If you have a question or suggested topic for the show, feel free to drop us an email: info@monstervoxproductions.com.

Versatility is the hallmark of a great actor, and if voice acting is more difficult than stage and film acting, in my opinion, it's even more difficult to be versatile as a voice actor. And it's even more difficult than that to be versatile with a single character's voice. And Julie Kavner, in addition to playing Marge, also plays her sisters, Patty and Selma, and her mother, all of whom take that motherly strength and vulnerability and turn it into sarcasm and dry biting meanness. 

It's incredible the change that Julie Kavner can make the simple change when she's playing her sisters, especially. Their voices have the same gravelly quality as Marge's voice, but whereas as Kavner has stated before, Marge's voice is a blend of warmth and exasperation. Patty and Selma's voices are cold. They suck the joy out of everything. So what I want to do is play a montage of my favorite Patty and Selma bits and just listen to how even though the characters are related to one another, they’re blood relatives, and they have the same type of a voice, but Patty and Selma's voices are in direct opposition to Marge's warm and exasperated voice.

“Kid, I won’t let you down.I swear to you. When you come out of there, the first thing you’re gonna see is a man with a good job.”

“Yeah, a doctor. Hehehe”

“Am I wrong, or did it just get fatter in here?”

“Just for that, you have to crawl around on the floor like the dog you are.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now say I am Homer Simpson, the lowly dog, and a dog voice.”

“I am Romer Rimpson.”

“Well, good. Jump, Homer, jump.”

“What's going on in here?”

“Rapsolutely Rothing Marge.”

“A tombstone?” 

“It came with the burial plot, but that's not important. The important thing is, Homer's dead.”

“Get out of here, you ghouls!”

“It's Homer!”

“I don't know what you see in that ugly meatball.”

“Uh huh. If you like being plodd by something fat and lazy, we could get a cat, it would leave less hair on the couch.”

“Our first night together is mad and wife.”

“Hey, lovebirds, keep it down.”

“Oh Homer, Homer!”

“They're there, dear. We're all in shock. I thought he’d two-time you for a while first.”

“What's so funny?”

“I was just thinking about the time Homer got his nose caught in the toaster.”

“We'll watch the tape tonight.”

“I want to take the test again.”

“Why?”

“So I can staple my license to Homer Simpson's big bald head.”

“Really?”

“Well, here's your written test. I'll get you started. B-C-D-A-B.”

“Homer had a piece of food in his face for three days.”

“It wasn't little either. It was a chicken wing.”

“Wing”

“Hello? Yes? Oh dear Lord. Homer's in the hospital. They think it's his heart.”

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“Five cents off wax paper.”

“Marge, this is Andre.”

“Hello?”

“I think you two would make a lovely couple.”

“My husband is still alive.”

“Oh, thank God. I hope he pulls through.”

Not me.”

“Come on, boy.”

“There's those Davy Crockett and his bald skin camp.”

“Oh, man. Hey, come over here. I can't go. Patty, what a pleasant surprise.”

“What do you know? He's wearing paints. I owe you a launch.”

“Oh my God. I don't know Jack about my boy. I'm a bad father.”

“You're also fat.”

“I'm also fat.”

“It's the miracle we've been waiting for.”

“What are we going to spend it on?”

“Homer's probably buying some magic beans with it right now.”

“Homer. Maggie really doesn't want to leave the house. Maybe she should just stay with you.” Are you sure that's wise? Mm-hmm. 

“I'll probably trade her for a beer in a nudie magazine.”

“Is Marge here?”

“Who? Or what? Are you?”

“I'm her date.”

“Mm-hmm. I suppose you want to come in and sit down.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Marge's date's going to hold you all the time.”

“Mm-hmm. That's what you get when you don't put out.”

“Aah!”

“There goes the last lingering threat of my heterosexuality.”

And of course, what better target for Patty and Selma's sarcasm than Homer? It gives us a chance to see how much Marge is on Homer's side. How part of her strength is sticking up for her dumb husband? And if you're wondering who's who, it has been said that Patty is the more masculine voice of the sisters, and Selma is a little bit sweeter, but I would say her sarcasm has the ring of sweetness to it, so maybe more passive-aggressive.

And you did hear a little bit of Marge's mom in that montage when they're talking about how Marge should have a cat instead of Homer, and then you hear a voice say that would mean less hair on the couch. That's Marge's mom, Jacqueline Bouvier.

So again, not a voice that you think you could do much with, but little simple changes in tone, in intonation, and in attitude can create a completely different character.

Hey, like what you hear? Maybe you want to start your own podcast. MonsterVox Productions can help. With our bold approach to content creation, we can help you plan and deliver a compelling podcast that builds your brand and gives you a one-of-a-kind platform for your message. Our podcast packages deliver professional production quality at an unbeatable value. We handle everything. Remote recording, expert editing, music, sound effects, and voiceover for intros, outros, and sponsorships. Your podcast also gets linked to our website and promoted across MonsterVox social media. Plus, enjoy 10% off your first package and 20% off your first upgrade. With flexible monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly plans, what more could you ask for? Contact MonsterVox Productions today for a free consultation. Now, back to the show.

Probably the most interesting and compelling part of preparing any character is when the character is tested, when they've been through a lot, and they want to give up. And Marge Simpson has had those moments where she wants to give up, and you can hear it in her voice. And one of the best examples of that is from The Simpsons Movie, where Homer is being so ludicrously Homer, being so ridiculous that he's about to drive Marge away. In fact, he has driven Marge away. And she makes a videotaped message for him. And from the stories I've read, she went through over 100 takes with this little speech that Marge gives on this videotape to Homer. And you can hear in her voice that she wants to give up. You can hear all of those qualities and all of that dimension and depth of decades of work coming out in this one short little speech, and you can hear her almost breaking. But listen to the very end of the speech, and you can still hear hopefulness in her voice when she says goodbye to Homer. So this is the speech from the videotape that she leaves Homer in The Simpsons Movie.

“Okay, here goes. Homer, I've always stood up for you. When people point out your flaws, I always say, well, sometimes you have to stand back to appreciate a work of art. 

“Haha, way back.”

“Lately, what's keeping us together is my ability to overlook everything you do. And I overlook these things because…”

“Because? “

Well, that's a thing. I just don't know how to finish that sentence anymore. So I'm leaving with the kids to help Springfield, and we're never coming back. And to prove to myself that this is the end. I taped this over our wedding video. Goodbye, Homie.”

That whole speech is so heartbreaking. But when you listen to her saying goodbye to Homer, it's one of those goodbyes that isn't a final goodbye. You can hear the hopefulness in her voice that he's going to turn it around, that she still believes in him, even though she's left and taken the kids with her.

And if that speech is the result of a hundred...over a hundred takes, that is some hard work and some incredible dedication on the part of Julie Kavner to do that heartbreaking speech over and over and over again until you get the right dimensions that you're looking for. If you think about everything that's going into that speech, all of the relationships from the past decade of doing The Simpsons, working with these people and working so closely with Dan Castellaneta, who does the voice of Homer and several other voices, and Nancy Cartwright and Yardley Smith, you can imagine what Julie Kavner was going through doing that speech over and over again.

Ah, hey there. We hope you're enjoying the particular segment that you're listening to. Whatever that may be. This is Marty Mermann of The Albatross Cafe, which if you don't know, is the sketch comedy segment of the Electric Secrets variety podcast. Heh heh heh heh.

Beg your pardon. We hope you'll check out our Unforgettable Voices, eh, myself, my beautiful mother, Esther. Hello everybody. And everybody's favorite Septa-genarian maniac, Ma's best friend, Agnes. The new pope is tapping my phones, and Marty has yet to return my socket wrench. Oi, we hope you'll check out The Albatross Cafe for tons of laughs and many moments of WTF. And now, back to Scott Leon Smith. Using your middle name is pretentious. And, eh, The Unforgettable Voice.

For me, what makes a voice great, what makes any art great, is the ability to analyze it over and over again and come back to it and find what makes it so unforgettable and what makes it so important. I think Marge Simpson's voice and Julie Kavner's work is important because it represented such a time in our culture where the dysfunctional family was really important. And what was really in the focus of the American consciousness. We were going through a lot in terms of the relationship between kids and their parents and husbands and wives, and the chaos of family life took on a character of its own when The Simpsons came out. They got a lot of flack for how they portrayed, especially the boy, Bart Simpson, as sort of a lovable delinquent. So now you have this added pressure of, is this really how we want to portray a family on television? But when we saw The Simpsons, we saw a bit of us in it, even though it was a cartoon, even though it was outrageous, even though these characters had funny voices and were drawn in such a… bizarre, surreal way, we could still see the truth of ourselves in these characters. And Marge Simpson has a lot of truth to her character, the idea of the matriarch, of holding the family together, being strong, but at the same time showing that she's human and that she's not strong all the time. And she needs validation, and she's constantly dealing with bizarre situations and just trying to keep the family dynamic from spiraling out of control. And you hear everything, all of that stuff, in Marge's voice.

So I hope you'll check out, especially some of the earlier episodes of The Simpsons. That's where I think you get the purest examples and illustrations of Marge Simpson's character through her voice and Julie Kavner's versatility as a performer.

Thank you so much for listening. I'm Scott.

Remember to check out the other segments in the Electric Secrets variety podcast, Dedicated to the Craft for acting, Rustic Shakespeare for classical theatre, and a new segment on creative life called Struck to the Soul.

I'll leave you with a montage of Marge, and we'll see you next time.

“Why don't you bring this potato? It’s pretty big.”

“Mom, you're always trying to give me potatoes. What is it with you?”

“I just think they're neat.”

“We drove around until 3 am, looking for another all-you-can-eat fish restaurant.”

“And when you couldn't find one?”

“We went fishing.”

“Courts might not work anymore, but as long as everybody is videotaping everyone else, justice will be done.”

“Change my mind, sorry.”

“Cool.”

“Bart, stop pestering Satan.”

“Just perpetuating a negative Italian-American stereotype. I mean, you could be a pizza man, organ grinder, a leaning tower maker, and did I say pizza man?”

“You are listing my broken dreams.”

“What's going on outside?”

“Oh, it's just a mob war. Go back to sleep, honey.”

“Don't mess with me. I've got Jimmy's.”

“They can only see a horrible rainbow.”

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or endorsement of its participants, nor of any companies or persons discussed therein. MonsterVox Productions is not responsible for any losses, damage, or liabilities that may arise from the use of information contained in this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast are those of its participants and may not be those of any podcasting platform or hosting service utilized in its distribution.

MonsterVox Productions. LLC.