Here's Why the Public Announcements You Hear on the Way to the Airport May Sound Familiar
Attention, Rockies fans: The next time you fly out of Denver International Airport, you may feel a tingle of hometown pride. Rest assured that there's a good reason for it — you're starting off your journey with Rockies pitcher and hometown boy Kyle Freeland.
"Welcome to Denver, this is Kyle Freeland, Denver native and pitcher for your Colorado Rockies," Freeland says in his new recorded announcement for the trains that go from terminal to terminal inside Denver Airport (DEN). "We’re excited for the 2019 season, and there is no better place for baseball than Denver. Get outside and enjoy your summer. Go Rockies!”
In both the east and west of Canada, devotees of both pop culture and a certain newly legal psychoactive drug ramp up or power down from their air travel to the raspy guffaws of the actor and native Vancouverite Seth Rogen.
"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but stop clipping your fingernails on the TTC!" Rogen says in his recorded message for the Toronto Transit Commission.
Whether they're A-list celebrities or simply soothing voices that are seemingly ubiquitous, the people who record public announcements for use in airports, airport trams and on public transit are stepping out of the sound booth and into the limelight.
A city's personality, of course, plays a big role in who represents it in front of straphangers, tourists and flyers. Denver, for example, has a long history of borrowing the voices of famous athletes who call or have called the Mile High City home, including Peyton Manning and Lindsey Vonn. Freeland's recordings, which started about a week and a half ago, will soon be joined by other athletes, including a member of the Colorado Avalanche.
"Denver is big on sports, and we want support all our native teams," Denver International Airport spokeswoman Alex Renteria said in a telephone interview. "We want to get passengers returning or leaving Denver to get excited about Denver teams. What we like to do the most is surprise and delight our passengers, and it's exciting if you jump on a train and, when you're expecting the average 'Get off at A Concourse here,' you hear, 'Welcome to Denver! This is your pitcher of the Colorado Rockies!' It's really nice to get off a plane somewhere and hear a familiar voice."
But there are potential pitfalls when cities go the star route: Rogen got his gig as the voice of Vancouver's TransLink only when the man previously tapped for the role, Morgan Freeman (whom the city had celebrated with great fanfare), had been quietly fired following sexual-harassment allegations. Lovable as he is, Rogen himself wasn't wholeheartedly welcomed in Toronto, where many in TO wondered why someone from British Columbia should represent a city with no shortage of local celebrities.
Even when the voice that accompanies you to your flight is anonymous, though, it can seem oddly familiar, even in the most unexpected places. Does it feel like the public announcer followed you all the way from New York City to Paris? No, you're not crazy -- that's the voice of Mainer Carolyn Hopkins, who reminds you to watch your step at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York-JFK, Grand Central Terminal, the Staten Island Ferry, the rebuilt World Trade Center, the New York City subway system and Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and the Paris Metro. You can't even escape her in Asia, because she's also the English-speaking voice in Incheon International Airport (ICN) in South Korea. (In fact, the Louisville, Kentucky, company Hopkins records for does the announcements for 110 airports around the world, while Hopkins herself can be heard at over 250 airports.)
Even regular commuters have become spokespeople. In 2006, Washington, DC, held a competition to find someone to warn travelers when the doors on the Metro train — like the one you take to Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) — are about to close. They chose Randi Miller, a 40-something local who worked at a car dealership and had zero broadcast experience.
"Can you imagine having 700,000 people hear your voice every day?" Miller asked The Washington Post when her recordings first went live in 2006. "Very cool."
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Terms Apply.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.