VOICEBOX with David Coury

Mel On The Edge

Preparing to do press for Edge of Darkness, Mel Gibson and his publicist knew that some “stock” answers would be necessary to field questions re his highly reported behavior of 4 years ago. And Mel and co. had to know, no matter what questions they deem are “off-limits,” someone/everyone in the press is going to go for the YouTube moment. Well, they’re going for it and they’re getting it. Mel’s on the edge displaying quite naturally a combative, defensive and menacing tone and body language. To make matters worse, his spokesperson now claims Mel was calling him (the spokesperson) an “a**hole” and not the Chicago TV interviewer. This is politics with a candidate who is out of control and a campaign manager/communication director who is out of his league or out of touch. Attention should be paid to Rahm Emmanuel’s reported and necessary apology #2 the other day re his saying the “R-word” back in August. Mel saying “I’m sorry” now, no matter how many times he thinks he’s apologized in the past, is necessary in order for a potential audience to “move on” and the only way for Mel to move on. Also, it’s the only way for Mel to “control” all his Edge of Darkness press interviews. More to the point, it would allow Mel to “feel” in control. When he feels otherwise, the short fuse is lit. Consider this:

“Will the audience welcome you back?”
“I hope so, I think so, people are forgiving and I’m sure they know that I’m truly sorry for my words. Because I am sorry.”

Now what does an interviewer do with that answer? When being interviewed, knowing full well your own history and the inevitable inquiry, your job is to diffuse the bomb, not detonate it. This is the very nature of “public” relations. Mel’s trying to be right. You have to eat it and see the bigger picture. Note to those who care about Mel: consider the bigger picture is bigger than Edge of Darkness.

Add comment February 8th, 2010

Over The Moon

Yesterday, a new client came to get her voice in shape. She’s not only not sung in a very long time, she’s actually been quiet on the speaking front as well. The reason for her self-imposed silence is also her massive gift — her emotion. She’s recording a song for the soundtrack of a film she’s starring in and time is of the essence. We’ve 2 weeks. No problem. I was struck by her gift also being her flaw. When I first asked her to sing for me so I could perform a voice analysis, her nerves and emotion, combined with her buried voice, presented a thing of beauty — and this beauty had a sound. Not the sound I’ll end up getting out of her in 2 weeks but still so compelling a start. It’s the struggle that makes us human and that humanity, when presented fully musicalized, is magic.
After vocalizing her on custom exercises that I created and recorded for her - exercises that will unearth and polish that buried voice — I asked her to sing a favorite song (not the song in her film) to see how already, in one hour, these exercises would allow her new voice to breathe life into a song — a song she wasn’t prepared to sing. She chose Moon River. My favorite. What are the chances of that?
This morning my Dry Cleaner, who knows my life’s work but has never heard me sing asked me to do just that as I was picking up my dress shirts. Because it’s on my brain I began with “Moon River, wider than a mile…” and then she joined in with “I’m crossing you in style…” because she couldn’t help herself — it is her favorite song. What are the chances of that? She was flushed when we were done, over the moon.
“…we’re after the same rainbow’s end, waiting ’round the bend…” — ain’t that the truth.

1 comment March 25th, 2009