Amazon this week added two new celebrity voices to its Alexa platform and smart speakers: Melissa McCarthy and Shaquille O’Neal. The unlikely duo join Samuel L. Jackson to share the news, weather, jokes, and more.
To get started, ask Alexa to “introduce me to Shaq” or “introduce me to Melissa”; once acquainted, simply say “Hey Melissa” or “Hey Shaq” for your daily needs.
“Get ready for the vocal stylings of this nasal midwestern gal,” McCarthy said in a statement. “I hope you all enjoy all my dad jokes. Fun fact: If you hear a slide whistle, it’s my personal one that I brought with me to the recording studio.”
“It’s on!” O’Neal added. “Shaq is in the house to make your speaker bounce. Boomshakalaka.” Ask the former basketball pro to spin a rap or the actress to tell a funny story. The new celebrity personalities are rolling out first to customers in the US for $4.99 each.
When Amazon launched its Celebrity Voice Program in 2019 with Samuel L. Jackson, the actor’s iconic timbre became the top-selling digital purchase online. Users could download the skill for $0.99 to ask Sam the important questions, like what his favorite movie line is or how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. Jackson’s digital personality has appreciated over time, now also costing $4.99.
In addition to a pair of fresh celebs, customers can now choose between Alexa’s original voice and a male option, as well as a new wake word “Ziggy.” Say “Alexa, change your voice” or “Alexa, change your wake word” for a change of pace.
