POV: Duke Nukem wakes you up to go to Chipotle (Patreon)

Today's audio file is special because it allows you a rare glimpse into my diminishing mental stability. Somebody on that image commented that when I dub it, Duke should pronounce it "chip-ottle" and I thought it was a pretty funny idea so I wanted to try to make it work but something about it just felt like it wasn't working to the effect I wanted. Then I ran some takes just pronouncing it the usual way and it hit me - Duke Nukem just saying "Chipotle" is on its own REALLY fucking funny.

The "chip-ottle" gag is definitely good, but I think it steals the show too much. I think to leave it in would plop a massive elephant in the middle of the room which instantly confronts you, leaving you unable to process (or enjoy) anything else going on. It's, perhaps, *too* strong. I dunno, something about it just felt like it didn't quite work, at least this time.

I also originally thought I wanted him to sound hurried because it'd be funny to have that sense of urgency, but I just wasn't too happy with how it felt in the video itself. I think because the amount of airtime the voice acting has is already so brief, it felt more right pacing wise to have it hang a little longer. Originally I'd only recorded longer and slower versions as a safety for variety in case I didn't like the rushed ones, I didn't really think I'd end up using one. But one of them I liked a lot - the one I used, because there's a certain dark menacing quality to it which I think fits the image very well.

I was going to completely paint this as more of a horror thing than an action one, but then I thought about the gag of Grabbag muffled and I knew what I had to do. I was willing to throw away whatever it took in order to do the muffled Grabbag gag. Totally worth it every time. Love it.

Was I right in all my choices? I don't know. But I definitely said the word Chipotle enough times to feel like I tried. I should note, at least this once, that there are in fact MANY takes which never see the light of day, on Patreon or otherwise. It's just not quite how I work to save them all, and especially if I don't like them, I don't want *anyone* to hear them, even though it might interest some of you, a lot of it I just don't feel comfortable sharing, just feels weird to me to be like "Look at this shit that sucks" and make you deconstruct all the various reasons I'm not good at what I do.

Also, they're usually not that interesting. I save them when they're fun or good in any way, but usually it's just "ehh, the energy wasn't right on this one, do it again" and I instantly toss whatever I didn't like. I tell you all this to emphasize what I'm about to say: I said the word "Chipotle"... a LOT of times.

https://twitter.com/KinoFabino/status/1380675653150855169