Laugh Track: A Throwback Voice

Actor Hank Azaria appeared on TBS’ “Conan” last night to promote his new IFC baseball-themed comedy, “Brockmire.” Host Conan O’Brien said “you probably attacked” the character of Brockmire, a baseball announcer, “almost through the voice first, trying to figure out what he sounded like.” Azaria said the “baseball announcer voice” he used for the Brockmire character is a “voice that I keyed into as a teenager, the generic baseball announcer voice of the ‘70s.” O’Brien noted in one episode of the show, Brockmire is shown running around the bases naked and asked, “Was that something you were eager to do?” Azaria said jokingly, “I insisted on it.” O’Brien said of Azaria  throwing out the first pitch at a Mets game last week, “It looked like you had the right form and the intensity.” Azaria said he “actually threw a strike and I wanted them to show a video of that, but apparently your staff thought it was more amusing to show me in my silly glasses.” O’Brien: “I’m guessing there may have been some money involved in us showing the clip and we’re not going to spend money on that shit.” Azaria said since he has been promoting the show, he was “in the Mets radio booth last week and I’ve been actually starting to call games.” O’Brien: “I want to hear you do a whole game” (“Conan,” TBS, 4/25).