Tom Bodett

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Thomas Edward "Tom" Bodett (pron.: /boʊˈdɛt/ boh-DET; (born February 23, 1955) is an American author, voice actor, and radio host. As of 2013, he is the spokesman for the hotel chain Motel 6, whose commercials end with the phrase, "I'm Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we'll leave the light on for ya."

Contents

Personal background [edit]

Thomas Edward "Tom" Bodett was born on February 23, 1955, in Champaign, Illinois and raised in Sturgis, Michigan.[1] As of 2013, he resides in Dummerston, Vermont, where he is a member of the town's Selectboard.[2]

Career [edit]

Spokesperson [edit]

Motel 6

In 1986, Bodett was both building houses in Homer, Alaska and contributing content to NPR's All Things Considered show. A creative director at the Richards Group ad agency heard him on NPR and hired him to record a commercial for Motel 6. Bodett ad-libbed the famous line "We'll leave the light on for you" and has been the spokesperson for the chain ever since then.[3] The director, David Fowler, hired him because he "sound[ed] like the kind of person who stays there."[4] He thought, "Gosh, if I only had an account for a national budget motel brand with a sense of humor and humility, I could make a heck of an advertising campaign with this guy."[3]

In 2005, Motel 6 began using Bodett for their wake-up calls. The chain hoped to bring a more personal touch to people's day by using their spokesperson's voice.[5] Bodett was also featured on the first Motel 6 podcast, released for the holidays.

Media appearances [edit]

Television

In 1997, Bodett hosted the public television program, Travels on America's Historic Trails.[6][7]

He was featured in the animated series Animaniacs as the announcer for the segments "Mime Time" and "Good Idea, Bad Idea."

His work in Animaniacs was spoofed in an episode of Pinky and the Brain where the titular mice attempt to raid a sound studio at the same time Tom is recording a "Good Idea, Bad Idea" segment.

Radio

As a broadcaster, Bodett hosted two radio programs, The End of the Road from 1988 to 1990 and Bodett & Company in 1993.

As of 2013, he is a contributor to The Bob Edwards Show on XMPR and a member of the stable of panelists on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, a National Public Radio news quiz show.[8]

Bodett was a regular columnist for the webzine Mr. Showbiz. He also did the voiceover for "Mime Time" and the "Good Idea/Bad Idea" segments featuring Mr. Skullhead on Animaniacs and a brief cameo in Pinky and The Brain as well as narrating the 1999 direct to video Animaniacs movie Wakko's Wish.

Writing [edit]

In 1999, Bodett started The Loose Leaf Book Company, a radio program that centered on author and book interviews, discussions, and dramatizations. He also published his first children's book, titled Williwaw![9]

Published works [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099577,00.html
  2. ^ http://vtdigger.org/2012/11/14/tom-bodett-of-east-dummerston-appointed-to-governors-energy-generation-siting-policy-commission/
  3. ^ a b http://www.motel6.com/about/bodett.asp
  4. ^ Williams, Kimberly D. "Actually, you can get the light", Advertising Age 78, no. 35 (September 03, 2007): 8-8.
  5. ^ Jayne Clark. "This is a new recording: Souped-up wake-up calls", USA Today, 30 December 2005.
  6. ^ Stump, Julia, and Bette-Lee Fox. "Video reviews", Library Journal 122, no. 19 (November 15, 1997): 87.
  7. ^ http://www.motel6.com/about/bodett.asp
  8. ^ http://www.npr.org/programs/waitwait/images/guests/2005/tbodett140.jpg
  9. ^ Maughan, Shannon. "Bodett Brings Kids' Books to the Airwaves", Publishers Weekly 246, no. 51 (December 20, 1999): 29.

External links [edit]

Authority control
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