Can you really get me my job back?

Hi, All.

I was personally invited to join the forum, so here I am.

I'm touched by your attempts to give the original Pokémon cast a chance to work on Pokémon again, even though now that the non-compete period has expired, that's not a problem for most of us. I have mixed emotions about the idea of giving us our original roles back, since my original role -- the narrator -- was never really mine to begin with. I replaced the first guy, and now he has his old job back.

However, if you'd really like to help me get a job back, since I lost my day job a few months ago, how about starting an e-mail campaign to bombard my former bosses to re-hire me there. It has nothing to do with Pokémon , though, so it may be beyond the scope of your efforts.

Thanks!

--Mike

Hi Mike! Welcome to SOVA Forums!

Hey Mike welcome to the SOVA! We're really happy that you joined SOVA. You were an awesome narrator. Well you are the original Mr. Contesta who you should be playing.

You lost your job from where 4kids or DuArt? I'll try and help in any way.

By the way, I'm Mitch the guy who invited you. If you have any questions ask me.

Hey Mike!! It's really great seeing another Pokémon VA around these parts. Say, you haven't forgotten Mr. Contesta, right? Although I can totally see where you're coming from with being the voice of the Narrator, Mr. Contesta was always yours. I really, really miss you voicing him. I've only heard the new voice a few times, but he just sounds too fake.

Hey, you probably can't say, but any news on Viva Pinata? It hasn't been on Saturday mornings (Sunday) and there hasn't been any new episodes. I love your role as Langston!

I got a question Mr. Pollock. How come you use the name Herb Lawrence? I'm just curious

Wow!!! Mike Pollock!! It's an honor to have you on our forums and I extend my warmest welcome to you!

I'm Brian and I'm one of the SOVA leaders and a huge fan of the Pokemon dub, as done by 4Kids with you and all the other original actors/actresses. I look forward to seeing you online and maybe in the chatbox sometime!!

Welcome to SOVA! As long as you're on the forums (or even if you decide to leave for any reason) you can ask us and we'll always be there to help you!

This is awesome! Now we have two voice actors supporting us!

I'll fight for you for sure!

Welcome to SOVA, Mike!

Glad to have you on board mike, IM sure all of us on Sova are more than happy to help get your job back! was it 4kids or duart?

itsamike wrote:

However, if you'd really like to help me get a job back, since I lost my day job a few months ago, how about starting an e-mail campaign to bombard my former bosses to re-hire me there. It has nothing to do with Pokémon , though, so it may be beyond the scope of your efforts.

Thanks!

--Mike

Wait, what!? What happened? Did you loose your job with 4Kids? I guess that's a question alot of us would like to know...

And by the way, it's me (Ash Ketchum) from MySpace. It's so great to have you apart of our SOVA campaign and forums. It's really an honor of ours to have you here with us. We want you to know that we will try everything in our power to get back your job with whom you lossed it with.

- Aipom Fan

He lost his day job.

What are their emails?

Welcome, Mike! I'm Shane, and I wish you played Contesta again, the new one sounds too real. XD

Sounds like something doable. Care to give us some background info/contact info

Hiii, Mike!

(waves)

I'm Neku, one of the founding SOVA members... Me and Lisa more or less run things around here. Anywaaaaaaay... welcome. Any technical questions should be forwarded to Brian, who knows far more about these matters than us mere mortals, and in fact, gets paid to do so, and any question questions me and Lisa.

Hope you enjoy your stay with us!

Hi Mike! It's great to have yet another original VA (besides Maddie) on here.

Great to have you on borad
have you got any email details for your idea

itsamike wrote:

Hi, All.

I was personally invited to join the forum, so here I am.

Hello Mike!

I'm sure you remember me, since we used to talk quite often! ^_^

Of course, I don't use AIM much anymore. Nowadays I use MSN and Mirc to speak with my friends. So that would explain my absence.

Anyway, thank you so much for joining the SOVA forums! It means a lot to us that you, another Pokemon VA, is here to speak with us and support our campaign.

itsamike wrote:

However, if you'd really like to help me get a job back, since I lost my day job a few months ago, how about starting an e-mail campaign to bombard my former bosses to re-hire me there.

I see....so you lost your day job. That's not good! =(

Well then, in that case, we will certainly do whatever we can to help you get your job back. This can be a nice little side-project for us. ^^

So, can you give us any details about the place who fired you? Like an address, or even a phone number? That would help us out a lot!!

itsamike wrote:

It has nothing to do with Pokémon , though, so it may be beyond the scope of your efforts.

Thanks!

Oh, of course it doesn't have anything to do with Pokemon.

But, I feel it would be absolutely wonderful if we can help you out, Mike!

Afterall, making sure that the original VAs get their jobs back is our first priority here at SOVA! ^_^

Now obviously, I can't promise you anything Mike, as I'm not sure if we'll actually be successful with this side-project. But, I can assure you that everyone here will try their best to assist you and get your day job back.

Welcome to SOVA, Dr. Robotnik. ^-^

Hi, All....

Just a little clarification: With a couple of notable exceptions that I'm not at liberty to discuss, most of the voice actors on Pokémon -- and most other animated shows, for that matter -- are independent contractors. In my case, my work at 4Kids, DuArt, and the other studios for which I record, are freelance jobs. I'm paid only for the time I'm there to record (usually only a few hours a week), and they don't provide traditional full-time benefits, like health insurance. That's part of the reason why I can work at so many different places doing so many different things. As far as I know, I'm still on the payroll at both 4Kids and DuArt, so not to worry.

However, for most of the past 15 years, I worked at a radio syndication company as my full-time day job, where, most recently, I was writing content for their radio showprep services. For reasons too numerous to mention -- including, in part, all the time I spent out of the office recording cartoons, commercials and all my other jobs -- a few months ago they decided they didn't want me doing that anymore, and they let me go, which is the nice way to say I was fired.

I'd ask you all to send the management there what the fine folks at The Consumerist call an Executive E-Mail Carpet Bomb, but in retrospect, I have no real desire to go back there, since the job had reached unbearable levels of tedium and had become unbelievably time-consuming, and I'm sure they have no desire to re-hire me, since they've already replaced me with someone else (Hmmmm, what anime casting situation does that remind you of?). Just so you're aware, the radio syndication firm has absolutely nothing to do with animation of any kind, so the loss of that gig will have no effect on my future voice-over work.

And a special message to darkblade09: Going by the name Herb Lawrence was a lame attempt to get one over on the Unemployment Benefits people, hoping they wouldn't know I was raking in the freelance bucks while also collecting my paltry weekly benefits. I've since learned that I can still earn some self-employment money with it being a big problem, so the pseudonym should disappear from the credits of several shows in the very near future. Sorry for any inconvienience.

--Mike

ZOMG IT'S DR. EGGMAN

Hehe, sorry this is a bit late, but welcome Mr. Pollock! ^^ Really glad you could join us here. Dunno if you remember me from myspace, but anyways...

About the e-mail carpet bomb... heh heh, if you really did want us to go through with it, don't worry - I got quite a bit of experience in that area.

Also wanted to say I really respect your stand on the whole narrator thing, since, as you said, the original guy actually has his role back now. But hey, I wouldn't really mind it either way - you're both cool in my books

Also, have you heard anything about the Veronica Taylor rumor? Apparently she's back as Ash and the episodes will start airing in September. Any way you can confirm/deny this? If you could get in contact with Veronica herself, that would be great =]

Side note - I was visiting your website the other day and I was cracking up at the Phautographs section You've got a real sense of humor!

For those who don't know what it says...
"Be the first (and only) on your block to own an autographed photo, or Phautograph™, of Mike!
Wanna impress your friends? Get a fancy car.
Wanna impress yourself? Get a Phautograph™ of Mike Pollock!"

I don't get it - if you do not desire to get your job back, then why do you want us to carpet bomb 'em?

Pokémon Trainer Shane wrote:

I don't get it - if you do not desire to get your job back, then why do you want us to carpet bomb 'em?

Because...


THIS

IS

SPARTA

Actually, I think he's just having second thoughts.

Oh, another thing to add, I absolutely cannot wait to hear you, Mike, as Dr. Eggman in the upcoming Sonic Unleashed!! I saw part of the opening cutscene and it looks absolutely amazing O____O
(yes, I'm a Sonic freak XP)

Sucks to hear about the job, Mike. But if they were jerks, perhaps it is all for the better (although it is a sucky situation all around). Hopefully you'll find something that fits you a little better. You have tons of talent and I'm sure you'll find something else to help bring in some dough.

Good luck! If you ever need anything, just let us know. We're a small group, but we have lots of heart!

Sorry, that you lost your job. As what offkilter said, there is something better that will come to you.


I'll try to help

Welcome Mike! You probably remember me from the emails we exchanged!

And I would be more than happy to help get your job back! Just tell me who to email!