Boston's Most Well-Known Unknowns

When a Newbury Comics exec was tapped as a model for the hit game Rock Band, she joined a cadre of locals who are often seen (or heard) but never recognized.

By David Wildman. Photos by Vito Aluia.

Jill Jacobsen
GARMIN GPS VOICE

The Day Job: Voice-over artist.
The Big Gig: When Garmin gives directions, that's Jacobsen speaking. In its TV ad, she's heard saying, "Turn left on Maple."
The Experience: Recorded nearly 60 hours of weather reports, directions, and news for the device. "I'd have to say hideous things like ‘The car crashed and 37 people died' in cheerful, warm, relaxing tones," she says.
The Takeaway: "I like telling people about it, but I wouldn't want to be recognized on the street."

Anthony Winston III
MCGRIDDLE HOLDER

The Day Job: Electrical engineer.
The Big Gig: His hands hold the McDonald's breakfast sandwich in a recent advertisement.
The Experience: Auditioned and won. The spot was filmed not on a soundstage, but at a real McDonald's, where a food stylist placed the sandwich in his hands. "They adjusted the light and shot it," Winston says. "They put some sort of glaze on the meat for the camera, so it didn't look too edible."
The Takeaway: "I don't care whether they show my face or my hands. The money's still green."

Valerie Forgione
ROCK BAND CHARACTER

The Day Job: Executive VP, Newbury Comics.
The Big Gig: Her body was used as a model for the game's female singers.
The Experience: Was recruited by a fan of her band, Mistle Thrush. She wore spandex with tracking balls on it, and rocked out while being filmed by motion-capture cameras. Her image was then converted into computer animation.
The Takeaway: "It's exciting. In a strange way, I've become immortalized in ones and zeroes."

Eric Bruno Borgman
EXTRA EXTRAORDINAIRE

The Day Job: Actor.
The Big Gig: Borgman has appeared in the background of 40 TV shows and movies, including 21, in which he's memorably credited as "pervert in strip club."
The Experience: Finds work through Boston Casting. He got his most prominent role, as a stand-in for John Cleese in The Pink Panther 2, because he does a decent impersonation of the former Python. When Cleese himself heard it, he said, "That does sound like me. I guess I can just go home."
The Takeaway: "Not being seen is kind of a pity. But the experience was great."