Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White on Family Matters, has long been a public favorite. Besides his distinctive voice, the character was well-known for his unique manner and his distinctive style.
But 47-year-old White recently said that using that loud, nasal tone when speaking “damaged my voice”.
“I spoke to a doctor and what happened is during puberty I spoke at the same pitch for extended periods of time,” he said at a 90s Con 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he spoke extensively about his career.
RELATED STORIES
He told the moderator for the panel, actress Kimberly J. Brown, “If the pitch had been going all over the place I wouldn’t have damaged it quite as much,” People reported.
He emphasized that he chose Urkel’s tone without consulting a vocal coach, which left him without any resources to safeguard his voice. He is currently receiving vocal coaching in addition to medical assistance to “get it under control.”
He shared that he went through a period around 15 or 16 years old when “I felt like I was really losing it. I would constantly get network notes like, ‘We can’t hear him. Please be more clear.’ It was kind of a scary thing for me to go through.”
Nevertheless, he said, “It’s been in remission and I’m fine now,” adding, “I wouldn’t do anything differently. It was a great experience and it was a small sacrifice to make for one hell of a legacy.”
The popular actor portrayed Urkel on Family Matters which ran from 1989 to 1998. He also starred in other comedies such as Full House (1987), Step by Step (1991), and Meego (1997).
In addition, he has been in several movies, such as “Bones,” “Big Fat Liar,” “Scooby-Doo,” “Guess Who,” “Dreamgirls,” and “Grown Ups,” per IMDB.
In the meantime, White’s new book, “Growing Up Urkel“, which comes out in November, promises more tales from the set and his profound career.
He wrote on Instagram, “Pre Orders Matter. See what I did there? #GrowingUpUrkel Everywhere I go people tell me, ‘You were my entire childhood.’ Now I get to share mine with you.”
