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View Full Version : Big Bang Theory Nabs Stephen Hawking for Cameo

vienna
03-13-12, 12:35 PM
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Big-Bang-Theory-Stephen-Hawking-1044663.aspx

I just thought this was rather cool...


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Osmium Steele
03-13-12, 12:50 PM
Is he going to take Sheldon to a strip club? :haha:

and also played himself on The Simpsons (http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-simpsons/100521) and Futurama (http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/futurama/100170).

Right, they didn't just use his name and a copy of his voice synthesizing software or anything.

Bet he got paid either way, though.
vienna
03-13-12, 01:50 PM
Right, they didn't just use his name and a copy of his voice synthesizing software or anything.


It was Hawking's real voice (as 'real' as his synthesized voice can be). The rules are very strict on U.S. TV about using a person's image or voice and representing the usage as real. The legal departments of the networks and TV production companies are very careful to not use images or voices without permission. An improper use can lead to costly litigation and the last thing networks and producer's want to do is spend money. This standard does not apply to "Fair Use" or parody uses; even then, most producers are careful to note "celebrity voice [or image] was impersonated" somewhere in the credits, where appropriate...


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August
03-13-12, 02:15 PM
The wife loves the BBT, it's one of her favorite TV shows. At first I was like "meh" but I have to admit it's got more than a few guffaws out of me.
Osmium Steele
03-13-12, 02:44 PM
It was Hawking's real voice (as 'real' as his synthesized voice can be). The rules are very strict on U.S. TV about using a person's image or voice and representing the usage as real. ...

Hence, " Bet he got paid either way, though. "

I seriously doubt Dr. Hawking spent an hour entering his dialogue into his computer and sent the file to the producer. More likely, his lawyer was presented with the done deal and Dr. Hawking gave his final approval.

And got paid.
Herr-Berbunch
03-13-12, 03:17 PM
Hawking has a fabulous sense of humour, TBBT is quite possibly the funniest thing to come out of the U.S., ergo it would be his real voice.
vienna
03-13-12, 03:23 PM
The best aspect of TBBT is it does not "dumb down" its humor. A lot of the scientific jargon may whizz past the heads of some viewers, but they don't make an overt conscious effort to "explain the joke". The writers respect the intelligence of the audience and do not pander to the LCD (I'll let some else explain that reference :D)...

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Osmium Steele
03-13-12, 09:40 PM
Hawking has a fabulous sense of humour, TBBT is quite possibly the funniest thing to come out of the U.S., ergo it would be his real voice.

Oh, I have no doubt he'll be on TBBT himself. I was referring to the animated shows on which he has appeared. No reason to do those himself.

Enter his lines in any computer with the same decades old software Mr. Hawking uses and voila!

And cut him a check, or get sued to Oblivion.
vienna
04-05-12, 03:08 PM
A bit of an update...

The episode air tonight and this link has a photo of a scene in which Hawkings appears:

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/first-pictures-of-stephen-hawking-in-scenes-from-cbs-big-bang-theory/story-e6frfmyi-1226319282677

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EDIT:

Found alink with more photos and a preview video link:

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/the--big-bang-theory--geeks-meet-stephen-hawking--exclusive-photo-and-video-.html

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JU_88
04-06-12, 07:55 AM
Darn im the Uk so I guess I'll have to wait :cry: