The #metoo and #timesup movement has had a massive effect on the world of American politics, film, sports, and television. Giants of their respective industries have fallen as brave women from all walks of life have told their stories. Sadly, there are more stories to tell. This one takes place in a recording booth…
About a year-and-a-half ago, I was hanging out in an airport lounge with some voiceover friends on the way home from a conference. One of them, Heather Costa, pulled me aside and said she had a story to tell me. It was about an experience she had with a New York-area voiceover coach named Peter Rofe. I won’t share the details, but it was both disturbing and infuriating. She said she is looking for other women who had similar experiences and to keep my ear to the ground.
Fast forward to last fall. The #metoo movement is underway and we as a nation are glued to the television watching icon after icon fall. Heather discovered a Facebook post by fellow voice talent Elizabeth Laime. That’s when she knew there were others. They formed a private Facebook group and found strength & comfort in each other and worked to find other women. As more women came forward on Facebook and other platforms with similar stories, I noticed one in particular from Becky Poole, a fellow voice talent that I met at a recording session some years ago. Their stories were eerily similar so I introduced Becky to Heather.
Fast forward to last week. Heather and the others found over 30 women who had similar experiences, including Becky. CNN published this article on their website: https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/08/us/metoo-voice-coach-peter-rofe/index.html
Since the story broke on February 8th, it has been picked up by NBC, The New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, and many other local and online news sources. 13 more women have come forward bringing the total to around 45 women. 45. Let that sink in.
Personally, I am both outraged and disappointed. My friends have been assaulted and the industry that I love and been blessed by for so many years is a victim of predators. Some of these women quit the voiceover business as a result of these assaults. Others have continued in the business. Nobody should ever stop doing what they love because of attacks like this. We cannot let this happen to anyone ever again. Heather, Becky, and the dozens of other women deserve better. We as an industry deserve better. You deserve better.
TIP OF THE WEEK
The #metoo movement is going strong, but there are more stories that still need to be heard. If you know of any women who have experienced something similar to what was reported in the CNN article, ask them to contact these women at voiceoverjusticeclub@nullgmail.com. They need to hear their story and help them find justice.
NEWS AND NOTES
Thursday, February 15th @8PM EST: my next Edge Studio “Business and Money 201” webinar topic will be ‘Rates, Negotiating, and Billing’. Click here to sign up.
Tuesday, February 20th @7PM EST: my next Abacus Entertainment seminar will be ‘Voiceover Marketing for Real People’. You can attend either in-person at the New York studio or online. Use the promo code TOMSENTME to get 20% off! (in person session only) Click here to sign up.
Thursday, February 22nd @8PM EST: my next Edge Studio “Marketing 201” webinar topic will be ‘4 Words that will Kill your Marketing’. Click here to sign up.
Sunday, March 18th @1PM EST: at Abacus Entertainment I will teach the seminar ‘Learning to do eLearning’. You can attend either in-person at the New York studio or online. Use the promo code TOMSENTME to get 20% off! (in-person only) Click here to sign up.
Tuesday, March 20th @7PM EST: at Abacus Entertainment I will teach the seminar ‘Get Your $$$ Going!’ about how to manage your finances, pat your taxes, get insurance, and save for the future. Use the promo code TOMSENTME to get 20% off! (in-person only) Click here to sign up.
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Radio Day and Tortellini Day!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
From my village to yours; this is Tom Dheere, The H is Silent, but I’m Not.
Tom Dheere is a 20+year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a coach at Edge Studio, voiceover business consultant known as the Voice Over Strategist, and is currently producing the comic book “Agent 1.22”.