Verizon's "Can You Hear Me Now?" Guy Gives an Exit Interview

For nine years, Paul Marcarelli has been Verizon’s “Can You Hear Me Now Guy,” which is both a blessing and a curse: It’s steady work! But it’s also the same work.

Now Verizon says it is “taking its ads in a different direction,” says the Atlantic, which makes it a good time to read up on Marcarelli’s life story.

It’s a great piece, and you should definitely read the whole thing yourself, but here are a couple highlights:

• Verizon’s official name for Marcarelli’s character is “Test Man.”
• Marcarelli’s contract with Verizon required him to work “a couple hundred days a year” for the company.
• The role is a very hard one to shake: “A few months ago, he attended his grandmother’s funeral. As her body was being lowered into the ground, he heard the hushed voice of a family friend: ‘Can you hear me now?'”

I’ve always been fascinated by people who become identified–publicly or not–with commercial characters. I even wrote about it years ago–remember the Taco Bell chihuahua?

Which reminds me: Still love to chat with Dan Bakkedahl, who continues to play “AT&T” in those anti-AT&T ads that T-Mobile is still (!) running. Dan, drop me a line when T-Mobile gives you the go-ahead!