A Stutterer’s Path to ESPN SportsCenter: The Rick Party Story

November 17, 2022

Episode Transcript

Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn dreams into reality? In this episode, Rick Party, the voice behind ESPN's SportsCenter, shares his story of overcoming a childhood stutter to become one of the most sought-after voices in his era of broadcasting. Rick takes us back to his childhood days of imitating radio hosts with his cousin, offers a glimpse into his passion for voiceover, and guides us through his career trajectory in renowned networks like BET, ABC, and ESPN.

Rick shares a wealth of insights on the significance of goal-setting, the need to embrace criticism, and the power of surrounding ourselves with people who genuinely care about our success - all crucial ingredients in turning dreams into tangible realities. Beyond his personal journey, Rick provides his thoughts on the evolving broadcasting landscape. He explores the future of AM and FM radio, the role of technology, and introduces us to the potential impact of the metaverse in teaching voiceover classes - a unique perspective on the future of education in this field.

The conversation takes a heartwarming turn as Rick recounts the influence of his mother in shaping his belief in giving back to the community. He shares his efforts to mentor and inspire others, reflecting on how this could shape a safer and brighter future for his hometown, Chicago. As we wrap up our inspiring talk with Rick, he leaves us with motivational words - a call to chase and catch dreams, despite the hurdles that may come our way. Join us for the discussion.

Learn more about what Rick is doing at https://solo.to/rickparty

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See full episode transcriptTranscript is autogenerated by AI

Speaker 1 0:00

On this episode we have a special guest that's joining us . Meta Livia , do you want to introduce him ?

Speaker 2 0:04

Yes , so we have the voice of SportsCenter , rick Hardy .

Speaker 1 0:11

Rick had an amazing story that he came and shared and I think that anybody that listened to the podcast is going to be able to relate in some way . You know his story was all about how he went from being a boy with a bad stutter to becoming the voice of ESPN SportsCenter . He shares stories and mentorship . He shares stories about his dreams and I believe anybody that is chasing a dream I think they're going to find this story encouraging .

Speaker 2 0:37

Yeah , I mean , we have heard his story multiple times and every time I hear him speak I get pumped up , you know I'm ready to do some laps or whatever , and even just his voice , it's like how'd that guy read the phone book and then I found amazing .

Speaker 1 0:56

Yeah , I mean when he well , I tell you that was one of my favorite parts is when he used his voice to introduce people into Killer B studio .

Speaker 2 1:04

Every time people came to ask questions , I'm like this is awesome , yeah , doesn't it like make you , you know , like Rocky , running them steps ?

Speaker 1 1:12

Yeah , that's right .

Speaker 2 1:13

Running the air .

Speaker 1 1:14

You're also going to hear him talk about what he's doing in the metaverse . So anybody that's actually considering like maybe could I do voiceovers , could I be in broadcasting ? He's actually doing voiceover classes in the metaverse , so you're going to hear more about that from Rick party during the interview . Now , what I loved I would say one of my favorite parts , olivia , was when you tried to get me to introduce usually I introduce people coming out our guest and you kind of put me on the spot to kind of say , hey , why don't you use your sports center voice Killer B ? And I was like , actually , why don't we flip that around ? Why don't you introduce our guest ? And I think that's a great place to go ahead and start this podcast . So with that , let's go ahead and hear Meta Olivia introduce Rick party to the Killer B studios .

Speaker 2 2:01

All right , Everyone . Please welcome the voice of ESPN Sports Center , Rick party .

Speaker 4 2:09

Welcome to the Killer B studios .

Speaker 2 2:14

I could not see that that was pretty good , that was really good .

Speaker 1 2:18

I think he knows what he's doing here .

Speaker 2 2:22

Oh yeah it's so fun . I was watching his videos of him talking and I'm like , oh , that's so cool .

Speaker 4 2:29

Like how far did you go back in the videos ?

Speaker 2 2:31

You were like recording different clips , like it was a video of you , but then we got to see them on ESPN , so I just thought that was really cool to see you like recording it , and then actually being on Sports Center was really cool .

Speaker 4 2:47

Oh yeah , those are fun , those are fun .

Speaker 1 2:50

Those of you that might not know , Rick . Rick , would you just , within like maybe 30 seconds , just kind of introduce yourself . Let everybody know a little bit about who you are and what you do .

Speaker 4 2:58

Let's say I'm a radio host . I've actually been doing a radio for three decades , also a voiceover professional and professional voiceover coach . So my voice is now heard on ESPN radio stations and television stations around the country commercials , and that's what I do . And then my free time might give back . I love the coach , that's what I do . I found my new love and passion in the metaverse .

Speaker 1 3:24

I heard you sharing a soapstone about how , when you're a boy , you had a really bad stutter , and I would love just to kind of let you take some time to share a little bit about that story . Did you ever see that you were going to become the voice of ESPN Sports ? I mean , did you ? Is that something you always had a plan for was to do voiceovers , even though you know you were struggling with that ? Was that a struggle for you ?

Speaker 4 3:47

Yeah , it was a struggle but , believe it or not , I believed as a youth that I become this big broadcaster . I believe that and , and you know , the mind has power , the words have power , and I've always believed that . I was a kid , you know , in my bedroom with my cousin Don , and we would sit down with a little tape recorder and we record our voices , you know , doing like little skits , dr Demento , and listening to Wolfman Jack , and we do . Hey , this is Wolfman Jack , we're on the radio .

Speaker 4 4:21

You know we'd have fun doing all these little skits . But Don was the more talented one . But we would do this , you know , every single day and we listened to local radio and he was so talented I mean for many reasons . He had a much better voice and he spoke clearly all the time . He never stuttered . But me I stuttered from so many reasons . I mean nervousness . You know mom and dad were having problems . You know they were together , they were not together and that made me nervous a lot and going to school , immediately they thought I had some type of problem , something's wrong with them . He stutters a lot and I was just ashamed to speak after a while . So I took speech classes and all sorts of things . I mean I was assessed for so many things but still , my love was the radio . That was my friend . I could go to the radio and I listened to these guys speak clearly and they were storytellers and I just I love that . I didn't know at that moment that I that I quite wanted to do this . I was just really fascinated with it . Then some , somewhere down the line , it just it just hit me . I said I want , I want to be like these guys and as I grew I continued to listen to the radio station as a teenager , growing up in Chicago , on in the Englewood neighborhood , which was a very rough neighborhood , you know , if you hear about the stories in Chicago .

Speaker 4 5:45

It's gang infested all sorts of stuff . But my mother was an educator . So mom , you know , she , she made sure that we did go to school . It didn't help me much , but I did go to school and by the time I was in high school I was got to the point where I was actually afraid to go to school because of the gang problems .

Speaker 4 6:04

So when mom would go to school , mom would go to school , I'd stay home and and then one day , you know , she would come home late and sometimes me being the oldest of four , she'd always went to home cleaned , and I didn't do that and she got tired of me and she said you know what , you're going to stay with your father . And I was like , yes , now I can really stay home and I go to school . Well , he got the phone call that he got the phone call that I didn't go to school . And so he marched up to the school and he was very loving , dad , and just just very kind . And the teacher said you know well , the way the teacher found out is actually go to school one day . My real name is Zurich by the way , rick is derived from Zurich . So I go to my history class and I said oh . I said oh in the back , and then the teacher goes excuse me , what's your name ? I said I'm Zurich and he goes I don't remember you . Let me look here .

Speaker 4 6:59

Oh yeah , you were expelled a long time ago , so they call , they call my dad , they call me back back in the school and I continue to to fell , you know , here and there . I was just afraid so many gang problems still wind up staying home why ? While dad would then go to work . But I call the radio station , the local radio station WBMX in Chicago , every day at around 10 o'clock , and the radio personality on the other end , his name was Earl Boston . He said young men , why are you calling me every day ? And I go , I'm sick . He goes . No , you , you've been sick for a couple months . Be honest with me , I go .

Speaker 4 7:40

I got kicked out of school . So he took the time to talk to me while he was actually on the air as a radio personality and he literally talked me back into school . Well , I didn't go back to my , my regular high school . I Then I decided to attend an alternative school that would help me get a high school diploma and then also look for jobs for at-risk kids . So that was it , and in that moment this radio personality speaking to me Not only became a mentor , but he was also like a father figure to me , and I knew that I wanted to be just like him . And in that moment my mind said you are definitely going to be a radio personality , because I was in close proximity of this man .

Speaker 1 8:29

Did that belief come after you ? After this , this gentleman that you met started mentoring you and helping you ? Is that where it really Started , kind of like throwing gasoline on that , like you can do this , like to become that ?

Speaker 4 8:43

Yeah , that's when it really happened . Because I was , I was in , I was in close proximity of my dream . I'm absolutely talking to one of the biggest radio personalities in Chicago , on the biggest radio station in Chicago , and for this guy to take the time to speak to me , like who am I ? Like you're taking a time to speak to me . So in that moment I really started to believe in myself . And Not only that , I Would listen to him every single day and I had a notebook Rick parties notebook and I take my notebook and literally you're here with the tape recorder . You could stop and start , stop and start , start . Literally write down everything that he said , word for word . You know 102.7 to be a mechs is Earl Boston . In Chicago weather it's go to a high of 65 , low of 49 right now it's clear and 62 downtown Chicago . I write down everything he would say on the radio . So I've become this guy and I would do this thing . Right , I didn't have a microphone , anything , but I put my ear up to my , my hand up to my ear , my other hand up to my mouth and when you cup it like that it you can . It's kind of like you're talking to a microphone , listening to yourself on with the headphones . So try it . I mean it's just pretty awesome . I did that and to me I sounded like Earl Boston . So I was going to be the next Earl Boston .

Speaker 4 10:23

So not only did Earl Boston talk me back into school , he become he had become my mentor . And you know , time had kind of rolled on . And you know , while I was in school I also found a radio station for kids Owned by the Chicago Youth Center called WCYC , and they had a 10 watt radio station that would that would cover a mile radius . So all these kids would jump on the radio and kind of do radio . And it was , it was just fun , it was something for us to do the inner city kids you know to do , to just stay out of trouble . And it and it kept , really kept me out of trouble . So then I saw one of these commercials on television that said you could be a broadcaster to join Columbia School of Broadcasting . I was like wow , and they , they show all of the equipment , they show the cameras , the live studio , and I say that is my dream . So I took some assessment test past it and now I was a student of Columbia School of Broadcasting and from that moment you couldn't tell me nothing . You .

Speaker 2 11:28

Was Earl able to see you and how . You know much of an impact he had on your life and where you know You've come , because he took the time to invest in you .

Speaker 4 11:42

Absolutely . He um , he knew that I was attending Columbia School of Broadcasting because I said to him I want to be just like you when I grow up . So he had gotten another job in a small city called Macon , georgia , and I didn't have a cell phone I mean , they didn't exist back in the 80s the late 80s , right so and I didn't have much of anything . I had a job at Pizza Hut and every paycheck I got I spent on food and my friends and you know , I didn't have much money .

Speaker 4 12:14

So I was still attending Columbia School of Broadcasting at the same time and Earl had moved on and in Columbia I continued to learn and part of the curriculum you know , you learn and then they help you get a job in radio At least they said that right . But I was very proactive and I would send my cassette tape to radio stations all around the country and there was an opening at a radio station in Wilmington , North Carolina , and I applied for it and they hired me Like I was 19 years old at this point and it was amazing . It was an overnight shift , coming on at 12 in the morning till 6 in the morning . I didn't have a car . The job probably paid I don't know $3 , maybe $2 an hour , I don't remember . It was very low .

Speaker 4 13:03

And I walked about two miles to work and two miles back and I had the at midnight too right . And I had a time of my life and for me a meal was cookies , if I were lucky , a soda , and if I had enough money , gizzards from Kentucky Fried Chicken . Then that was my protein , right , and I'm about 6 , I'm about 6'1 and I'm about 290 now , and I mean not 190 now , I'm sorry , I'm about 6'1 and 190 now , but I was like 6'1 and 135 .

Speaker 4 13:40

Like I was a skinny kid and had no food to eat . It was really bad , but I didn't know that , I just loved radio . That's all I cared about . I lived , I slept and ate radio that was my meal for breakfast , lunch and dinner . So being there for two months in Wilmington , I got a hold of Earl Boston and I called him at that radio station in Macon and I said hey , Earl , it's Zurich . And he said hey , man , what have you been doing ? I said funny , you ask , I'm a radio personality at .

Speaker 4 14:13

WBMS and AM station in Wilmington . He's like you're kidding . He said send me a tape . So drop the cassette tape and snail mail . He got it . He was like , oh my gosh , you are amazing , we want to hire you next Monday . I said oh serious .

Speaker 4 14:30

Yes , no way , yeah . So you know he sent me the money . Of course I think it was like Western Union if something like that and you know he paid for my bus ticket from Charleston to Macon and I was . He allowed me to live with him . I was like his son , his mentee at the same time , and gave me the full time slot seven in midnight and that was my , my real paying job on FM station for $12,000 a year .

Speaker 1 15:03

So did you upgrade your what your meal plans were then ? Oh yeah , I was eating .

Speaker 4 15:07

I was eating McDonald's and Hardee's like tomorrow didn't exist .

Speaker 3 15:12

Oh man , oh geez .

Speaker 4 15:15

After that job that I got for $12,000 a year , you're in Macon , Georgia . I then go into Charleston , South Carolina , then to Norfolk , Virginia , Miami , Dallas and finally I worked at the big station in Chicago , Right . So . So now I become the hometown hero , the kid who stuttered from nervousness , the kid who fell in school . Now I'm this radio personality . I'm no longer Zurich , I'm Rick party on the radio and the buzz was hey , did you know that Zurich is Rick party .

Speaker 4 15:51

He's heard on the radio every day . That's , that's not him , not the stuttering kid , yeah . So now he's on the radio . You know , 1075 WGCI is Rick party . Yada , yada , yada , yada . You know . So I was a fast talker , high energy , and not only that , I really made a name for myself in the industry . I become probably the most sought out radio personality in my era then . And I go on from Chicago to Atlanta to Miami , again back to Chicago , back to another station in Chicago , then a morning radio show in New York City . So can you imagine this right ? Wow , the top urban station in New York is 1075 WDLS . I was hired to be the morning show . So I had the Rick party morning show and the number one market in the world . And , and I did the morning show and my afternoon host on the same station was Wendy Williams , the talk show host .

Speaker 3 16:46

We were . We were at the same station .

Speaker 1 16:48

Yeah .

Speaker 4 16:49

So , as I'm coming down the elevator from the , the 40 something floor , from my office , wendy and I are coming down together and a bus rose by on 34th . We were on 34th in park and on the bus you see my billboard , my billboard poster , on the bus and she goes . See , look at that and I go here . I am the kid who stuttered is working in New York City and he's got billboards all over the city .

Speaker 2 17:19

Wow , yeah , that's awesome .

Speaker 4 17:22

And then somewhere I had to pivot right . You know I couldn't do this forever , just in case . So I found the love of voiceover and started voiceover , maybe 20 , 25 years ago at least , when I wanted to do it . I become the voice of the BET networks and , and then ABC and top ranked boxing and radio stations around the world , and now I'm the voice of ESPN Sports Center and I and I always , I always say the kid that stuttered is now the voice of ESPN . The kid that stuttered was the voice of this . I mean , it goes on and on . I'm the kid that stuttered , I'm the kid that still stutter , sometimes today too . Sometimes today you'll hear me stutter .

Speaker 1 18:06

Okay . So here in all this story , let me ask you something the pro , the process . Would you do it any differently ? I mean , would you want it to speed up faster ? Because I was just meeting with somebody . I was actually out of airport , not even , I guess , two months ago , and they were heading to Los Angeles chasing their dream . And and the the kid was , he was 19 years old . He heard me talk on a phone with some people on radio and he's like oh , are you on radio ? And I was like , well , we work in radio . He just started talking to me . He's like I'm going to Los Angeles right now . I think this is it .

Speaker 1 18:35

He has a family , he has a , he has a young child , he has a lady that he hasn't married yet . And he was actually heading to Los Angeles hoping this was it . And he was asking me for tips and I said Listen , one thing I would encourage you is don't rush the process . So I would love like what would you ? Is there anything that you would change in the process ? Was there a lot of learning that you did during that process ?

Speaker 4 19:00

Yeah , there's nothing I would do differently today . Even with the technology that exists today , I would not use it . For me , we were lucky before this technology existed because we had a chance to mature and we had a chance to really enjoy the process along the way . I would say that's the most beautiful part about growth is the process . In fact , the journey to me is where you have the most fun . You get to see the most things , you get to mature in the process . Sometimes people they move so quickly and they don't really appreciate the growth because there was no true growth . They didn't see the ups and the downs and I could always tell the story about the gizzards and cookies and sodas for years .

Speaker 1 19:50

When you agreed to come on the show , I was like are you serious ? We have the voice of ESPN coming here on the show , Guys , and I'll tell you one of the things that that makes me , and he doesn't even know sports .

Speaker 1 20:00

I don't even know sports . I do know Sports Center and I do know his voice . But one of the things that I've even told myself is I'm not well . I'm not quite saying this , but I don't feel like speaking isn't my forte . It's not one of the things I'm really comfortable with doing . I joke around all the time and say I make up words , I don't remember people's names , and now I have real world names and metaverse names to remember . That's like okay . People say you're really good at connecting with people and I'm like well , maybe that's all right , maybe that's good . Like okay , god just used that I don't have to be a great speaker and hearing you share your story .

Speaker 1 20:44

What would you say to someone that has big dreams ? And I did like what you said about . Not only did you have a mentor that encouraged you and helped mentor you along the way , you also just didn't sit around , you took action . You were chasing that dream , going after that , working hard to get there . So what would you say to someone that maybe has their own , for instance , like myself , that has doubts ? And I mean you guys . How many people here have dreams that you guys are chasing ? How many of you have ever , even in your own head , even kind of , maybe , hold you back . I think we hold ourselves back the most . Yeah , okay , I see hands up , okay , so what would you say to others like us that are letting those things get in our way ?

Speaker 4 21:31

I would say just continue to follow your dreams . Not only chase your dreams , but catch your dreams . A lot of us in the world that we live in the day there's so many distractions , like really take the time out and put social media away and there's so many things that you can learn if you just really just hone in on whatever it is that you really want to do . And , more than anything , I really believe this as I said earlier that I spoke my life into existence , you gotta speak it to existence and it has to be followed by action . Right , set goals for yourself and really go after them . I mean , try to set a personal goal every day and critique yourself , critique yourself , be honest with yourself , and those are some of the things that I would do . And another thing that I did too and I tell people this too , and I love criticism .

Speaker 4 22:30

Criticism is so important to me . I always say be very careful with having too many chefs in the kitchen , because you just don't know if people have your best interest at heart . So just be , but be very critical of yourself and surround yourself with people that you can trust , that will be honest with you , and people who are smarter than you and people that that you can learn from , like , like El Michelle right there , you know , that's that's my partner for a voiceover , very talented individual , yeah , so that's just important . And and with that I mean there's there's no way you can lose , because when I , when I think of myself , people , people will say , hey , you're this and you're that , and I'm like no , I'm just a kid who stuttered , who got you know , who just followed his dream .

Speaker 4 23:24

I'm no different than anyone else . Like , really , this voice to me is Manufactured when I say that I'm normally like a stutterer and or a mumbler , like I have to open my mouth to speak because normally I'm gonna go like this . So what'd you do today ? Now I'm tired , I don't want to do that . This is me every day . So I got a really open my mouth to speak .

Speaker 4 23:45

It's an exercise and I this is something I've done every day . But yeah , so those are , those are my tips , and I'm accessible , like you can reach out , like if you want to talk to me , reach out to me anytime . I'm just that guy . You can send me a DM or ask me a question . I , I literally like , I literally give away knowledge . I give it away because I can't hold on to it and hopes that the people that I give it to and Hopes that the people that I give it to will give it to other people that really needed and deserve it , and those people will give it to others . And it just continues .

Speaker 1 24:19

Yeah , oh , I love that , I love that . Yeah we do have some questions . I'm gonna bring down the mic here .

Speaker 4 24:23

Nate . Welcome to the killer B studios . What's your question ?

Speaker 3 24:27

Yeah , I was . I was just wondering if , if you think that at any point in the future that AM and FM radio will be completely obsolete , replaced entirely with the internet communications .

Speaker 4 24:41

Now look , when you ask me that question , you're not talking about my job here . I'm still a radio personality here , buddy . Okay , I Always get this question . I always go back and forth . The funny thing is is that I'm on , I'm still on radio , and , but Scasters are dominant . But I honestly I believe to answer a question no , I don't think it will go away , but I know for sure that not many people listen like they used to listen . But as long as , as long as radio can continue to play records , because it's been the way that artists , artists , artists are validated through listening to the radio . So it's still today .

Speaker 4 25:27

I've heard some artists go like when was the first time you ever heard your song on the radio ? Like it's for them it's different than hearing it on the internet , because everybody's on the internet , but if it's on the radio or television it's a whole different story . So Will it go away ? No , I don't . It'll always be around . It'll be around . But the problem with it is that Then people had to wait for their favorite songs . Now everybody gets to play the DJ with . With streaming services , you could choose your own music and , yeah , that's the only problem that radio will have To answer right .

Speaker 3 26:04

Yeah , I find this like really , really nice . Like if this right here was radio , like this is the metaverse you know , quote unquote . Like I think that this is great to have here . So thank you so much . I really enjoy this . So thank you .

Speaker 4 26:19

No , you're more than welcome . More than welcome , yeah , all right .

Speaker 1 26:22

So we've got whip D , Wip D is whipped D here . Let's see if I see .

Speaker 4 26:30

Come on down , you're the next contestant on the killer beef studios . What's your ?

Speaker 5 26:37

question with the stands for one progress and I am a DJ over 20 years in Michigan .

Speaker 4 26:46

Oh , what part of Michigan are you in ?

Speaker 5 26:48

Well , Saginaw , but okay both places I have family in .

Speaker 4 26:54

Flint .

Speaker 3 26:55

Michigan I got from it .

Speaker 4 26:57

My uncle actually owned the church there . It was called white cloud . I think it was in white cloud , Michigan . Yeah , okay .

Speaker 3 27:05

Yeah , this should be cool this should Reverend Robert Smith . Yeah , oh okay , that's the way , though , yeah .

Speaker 4 27:12

I'll still .

Speaker 5 27:13

Alrighty , well , thank you for having me up here . Thank you for that . I seen the event for killer B and just having Rick on and I said , well , I need to get there because I Well , of course , I know who is I'm in the sports world , meaning a mom . But I want to just say when I became Introduced to the Oculus , I was like whoa , this is pretty cool . This is pretty cool and you can only say so much to the real world folks because they're like what , what ?

Speaker 5 27:56

Everybody in my family has them , but I have friends . They'll call me on video and they'll say what is that on your head ? I'm like it's the Oculus and da da da display . Some things are like what . So what I start doing was I would videotape Certain places like the family feud or the metal court , and I start posting on my Facebook and they're like oh my god , I got those glasses . I didn't know you could do what it . Where is that at ?

Speaker 5 28:15

So that's what I started doing , because most people are really just oblivious to what is going on or most to say , what are you looking at in those glasses ? Okay , yeah , but reason why I really made sure I come in because I was so fascinated by their horizon worlds and how the different worlds and the building and things like that and I said , wait a minute , I want to build me one . So I got with some people and something close to me is it's my favorite is sports , is football . So I do have a sports bar . Hopefully it'll be Done next week .

Speaker 5 28:47

So when I see that , I'm like , wait a minute here , hey , yeah . So I want to incorporate , of course , what we can actually play football and some things in football type of activity and talks like football , moms and and soon to be , when they hurry up and get where we can get YouTube at least , or some type of visual to play video . I would love to have certain real players , you know , with video , yeah , shots and things like that . So when I see that , rick , I'm like , wait a minute , maybe we can , you know , even come in maybe , because I'm gonna have it where we can talk sports inside . So I got it .

Speaker 4 29:28

I got it . I got to be honest with you , right ? See , as the voice of Sports Center . This is all . This is my only job , right ? They send me a script and you know I'm getting in front of my microphone . They'll call me . I'll look at it , go over it and then I'll go . Still , to come on Sports Center , kirk Herbs , she delivers his picks for the . You know yada , yada , yada . Right , so that's me . As far as sports , I don't know a lot about sports . I'm gonna be honest . Wait , but I do know bass , I do know basketball , I .

Speaker 4 30:03

You know I follow certain teams , I follow certain football teams , but I gotta be honest with you , I'm like a bandwagon kind of person , like when the Super Bowl comes around what team are you picking who's ever ? You know who's ever left .

Speaker 3 30:14

That's what I'm picking .

Speaker 5 30:16

And I've played my favorite players like .

Speaker 4 30:18

I like Zion and and mellow and I like certain players . So that's me yeah when people ask me about sports I go wait hold , that got a phone call .

Speaker 2 30:30

I don't know , anything .

Speaker 3 30:32

Yeah , I don't .

Speaker 4 30:33

I don't , I don't follow it like that right .

Speaker 1 30:44

We got all . Michelle's got a question for you . Let's go and bring hello hello there .

Speaker 5 30:53

Hello , Rick party Hello . Hello how are you ? Oh well , hello , rick party I'm . Well , I guess this is question . What are we doing here ? So , yes , so my question is it ? You kind of touched on it a little bit , but of course I want to know exactly what you're doing here in the metaverse and what is one of the most important things here for you in the metaverse .

Speaker 4 31:19

For me , I'm changing lives . I have my voiceover class here called voiceover metaverse , and I see all of these beautiful faces and all these beautiful people behind the avatars and I hear voices . It's such a great , a great place to just really mentor people , get to know people and touch their hearts through teaching . And here in the metaverse every saturday at 12 noon we do a free voiceover class . A free voiceover class and literally the stuff that you learn in the class can set you up for life , like I literally work from home . Like I work from home doing voiceovers and I share my skill with you and I've got the the amazing l Michelle I Right here by my side teaching you character voices and everything you need to know , and that's , that's all it is . I mean giving back to other people , just it does something for me .

Speaker 2 32:23

I .

Speaker 4 32:26

You don't ? You just walk in just come on .

Speaker 4 32:31

Yeah , yeah , there's no , there's no , it's an , it's an open door policy . Uh , 12 noon eastern every saturday , we're there and it for me it just feels good to give back because Earl boston did it for me and and my mom . My mom got rest , or so . She passed away um three years ago from um , from uh colon cancer which metastasized to her lungs and her brain . And my mom , let me , but let me , let me tell you when she was alive , when you know when , when , when , uh , my , my stepdad left , it was just us I'm the oldest of four in my immediate family and another lady around the corner . Um , her husband left and they didn't have a place to go , and my mom allowed that family to come into her house and she would just always do that for people . Um , when people found themselves homeless , she would allow people in their home . Um , when she was , you know , going through chemo , she would go and visit the sick .

Speaker 4 33:32

My mother was amazing and that seed that my mom planted in me and that seed that Earl boston planted in me , it lives in me every day and I just give back and that's what . That's what life is all about . It's about giving back without wanting any accolades at all . I don't want anything . When people ask me , how do you want to be remembered , I said I don't care if I'm going to be remembered or not , but if you want to remember me , just remember that I gave back to people that gave back to people that gave back . That's it .

Speaker 2 33:58

That's amazing yeah .

Speaker 3 34:02

All right , so can I ask one last question .

Speaker 1 34:04

Brian , go right ahead , you can ask whatever you want to ask .

Speaker 2 34:08

So in our industry I mean we're in the radio industry , specifically christian radio , brian and I like people kind of think we're crazy for spending time In the metaverse because they don't get it . Or there are a lot of people in our industry that are telling people To stay away from it or giving their opinions , who have never even put a headset on . So what do ? What would you say , um , to people that say , like Companies are wasting billions of dollars and this is just a fad ? Or you know a company that's Might not might be scared to come into the metaverse because it is an unknown world to a lot of people . So I mean , do you think this has longevity ? Or what would you say ?

Speaker 4 34:59

I believe in it . Um , that's why I'm here . I mean , it's it . We have to meet people where they are and you know , you meet people on the radio , you , you meet people through podcasts and social audio like clubhouse and , uh , twitter audio spaces , and you have to meet people where , where they are , and this is the perfect place to meet so many young people , um , that are going to lead the future . So , you know , I say you know , forget about what they're saying and continue doing what you're doing . You know , for example , I'm on a radio station in Chicago . It plays it .

Speaker 4 35:32

Chicago's , uh , number one for throwback , for throwbacks , and we play like old school hip-hop , right , we don't play christian music , but , but here's , here's my thing with that . Right , some of the music is , you know , it's , it's from the 90s hip-hop , right , but for me , um , I get to meet people where they are , I get to talk to real life people and I get to change lives While they enjoy their hip-hop . And then I can pause and I can say , hey , um , this , this crime in Chicago has a stop . You know what ? What are we doing about it ? Like , what are we doing about it this summer ? We know , when it gets hot outside in Chicago , um , we're gonna say a lot of crime . So this Saturday the , the park district , is offering summer jobs because you got to keep kids busy . If you don't keep them busy they're gonna get in trouble .

Speaker 4 36:20

So I just kind of plant that seed of positivity and people , and just you know , I want to get people to thinking because when you're around people that are that have perfect lives , you know and you know they every , you know everyone loves god and you know those are my friends . But when you , when you're around people that are always perfect , you , there's not much that you can tell me . I know you can't tip me , so I want to . It's important for me to reach people where they are and I love the fact that there's a . There's two little kids in social media , um , that walk around and I think the spades place and they dress as chucky . I don't know if you met these kids before . They go around terrorizing people , like literally , and they're always getting removed from rooms . But this one right here , el michelle , the , just the , the beauty that lives in her , she , she , you know , with her software , she goes hey , come here , what are you doing ?

Speaker 3 37:15

You know now she's be she's brief .

Speaker 4 37:18

She's befriended these kids and now she's teaching them voiceover lessons .

Speaker 3 37:23

Like she's teaching .

Speaker 4 37:26

See with , with people that are , that are people that don't need help . You can't , there's nothing you can do for him , but we're all you know , we're all of us here are imperfect people and this is the perfect place To meet people just like us . So , for whatever they're saying , forget about it . Just continue doing what you're doing .

Speaker 1 37:46

That's so encouraging because I know we've shared with some people . The studio here wasn't launched to to actually tell stories . That's what . That's not what the original idea was . We were like going to do consulting and coaching . The studio turned into something different that we didn't expect and we don't make Money doing this . We don't make money doing these shows , but , right , we've . I realized that people have stories and it's like people relate to stories and that's what we wanted to allow people to have a have a platform to come and share and be a light to somebody else that maybe absolutely a similar story .

Speaker 1 38:15

So , with that rick , do you have anything , any parting wisdom you would like to give to us before we cue that and that outro music um ?

Speaker 4 38:24

yeah , I mean there there was a . There was something on the door at columbia school of broadcasting that said you never know what you can do Until you try . And then I always add it after that If you didn't , you didn't reach your goal . That means you didn't try hard enough . So , whatever it is you want to do , not only chase it , but catch it and it's yours . That's all I got .

Speaker 1 38:46

Now can you give that , now Can you do it ? Give us that in the yes pin boys .

Speaker 4 38:51

You never know what you can do until you try and if you did not try hard enough . I forgot what the rest of it said .

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New Horizons: A Metaverse Podcast Experience

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