By Kate Cahow
It may not be Hollywood—or CNN for that matter—but Auto-Tune the News has provided Michael Gregory ’07 with a hot platform and plenty of fans for his comedic and musical talents.
The brainchild of Gregory, ATTN is an amalgamation of news clips, catchy tunes, political commentary and comedic writing, all compiled by the music industry studies graduate in the intimate space beneath his bed loft—or what he calls “the studio.”
“Auto-Tune the News is mostly about pointing out the absurdities of the news, whether that absurdity is in the news media itself or in what the media is highlighting,” said Gregory, a Radford, Va. transplant now living in Brooklyn, NY.
Gregory utilizes the software program Auto-Tune to manipulate the voices of politicians, news anchors and political pundits so they appear to be singing. He became proficient with the software during late night sessions in the Hayes School of Music’s recording studio. For the uninitiated think digitized vocals a la Cher in her 1998 hit “Believe.”
After creating the first episode in 2008—ATTN #1: “March Madness. Economic Woes. Pentagon Budget Cuts,” Gregory recruited brothers Andrew and Evan, and Evan’s wife Sarah to collaborate on the series.
Through the use of programs like Final Cut and Logic, the foursome appear in round-table and split-screen settings, jousting with the likes of Katie Couric, Sean Hannity, Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich on everything from climate change and gay marriage, to health care reform and President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize.
The series has been widely displayed on YouTube and Barely Political, winning it millions of viewings and on-air interviews with CBS, CNN, FOX, MSNBC and The Rachel Maddow Show.
All ATTN episodes can be viewed at:
