Isolation has encapsulated the land in this surreal climate we now call “the new norm.” Forced to stay home for the planet’s safety the only thing left to do is “watch, read, and listen.” Podcasts have sky-rocketed into a new popularity and one of the most entertaining shows has become, “The Leo Affects” hosted by New York based Ray Rumsey.
The Leo Affects features interviews from celebrities including: Pink Floyd’s Scott Page, super model Sherry Nelson, top music promoter SohoJohnny, TV host/actor Ron Russell, Profiles TV Host Mickey Burns, actor Jason Simpson, Jamison Price, director David McAbee, and a slew of other interesting people. I spoke with Ray regarding his show which is up lifting, inspirational and FUN……Ray is also an aspiring voice actor and a lover of “Dungeons and Dragons.
What inspired you to start a Podcast?
I really don’t have a definitive answer other then I didn’t start out doing interviews. I started out playing “Dungeons and Dragons.” The reason I started doing that aside from enjoying it, I was trying to build up a demo reel for voice acting. With “Dungeons and Dragons” I could use a whole lot of different voices to facilitate that. That’s generally why I started podcasting in the first place.
How did you transition into interviews?
The group that I was playing “Dungeons and Dragons” with was approached by a publicist offering us clients to interview in order to boost our numbers. At that point in time it was all about trying to do the numbers thing. We explained that we really didn’t have a show for that, however, the network that we did the podcast with told us that we could create one. We went ahead and created a show and it was called “Breaking the Fourth Wall” and because I had already had some experience in talking with celebrities after going to a convention in North Carolina, they thought I would be best for this. There I was. I started interviewing all of these celebrities. Let me tell you, those first interviews were terrible.
Were you nervous?
I was definitely very nervous. I went into it with the thought that I would write down these very specific questions and that I would follow these questions. What ended up happening was I was so focused on asking those questions that I wasn’t even really listening to the answers.
When I first started doing interviews, I was guilty of that as well.
You get done and then you realize that you had no idea what that person said for the last half hour, so hopefully it was good.
Well you seem very comfortable now. People want to know how and when they can listen to your shows?
There is really no easy way to answer that because I don’t have a set schedule. I’m all pre-recorded so I try to have the interview released the next day at the very latest. It goes out on social media, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I do have a business page for the Leo Affects on Facebook and my actual Facebook itself is also the Leo Affects. It’s sort of a double whammy.
When you’re not Podcasting what do you do?
My day job I am a food service worker at the Veterans hospital here in my hometown. I got out of active duty, the Air Force after 14 years and my wife and I and my three kids moved back home to my hometown of Bath. There is a Veterans hospital here so I applied. They also have an extensive rehabilitation program there, so I get to see people of all ages and veterans of all different types, so I pay it forward.
If you could have me ask you any question on the planet, what would it be?
I guess I would want you to ask what my overall goal is in all of this? Where do I see myself going?
Ok what is your goal and where do you see yourself in five years?
Well with any luck this voice acting hobby right now will actually become a career and I can branch out into film acting as well. I am trying to branch out beyond podcasting into the entertainment industry in general.
How did you come up with the “Leo Affects?”
It’s ridiculously stupid. It’s funny to me and I guess that’s all that really matters in a podcast. That’s what they say. As long as you are enjoying yourself. So, the real idea behind it is I was sitting on the couch and watching one of my favorite shows called “LetterKenny.” The gist of the show is it is about a bunch of hicks from Canada and they run around the town of 5000 people doing nonsensical things. I am a Leo. I was born in August and I really embrace that. So, I was talking to my wife who is really my driving force. She is the one who actually sent me to the convention in North Carolina. She was following Will Wheaton and heard he was going to be in North Carolina so she decided I was going. I really wanted to meet him so badly because not only is he an actor, but he also played Dungeons & Dragons on The Big Bang Theory and also for those who created content for Dungeons & Dragons. So, my wife sent me there and while I was there I met all these other voice actors that I idolized and never realized they did those voices. That really poured gas on the fire and motivated me to really wanna do this. I wanted to call the podcast something easy and that could be abbreviated and that people would grasp. I really liked the idea of having the Leo in there. The original idea I had was to have it called the Leo Effects with an “E” implying that I’m effecting someone. In “LetterKenny” they do a skit about how everybody that goes to Los Angeles never pronounces it the same again. Every time they come back, they always pronounce it differently. So, they do this whole long skit about LA…..and it makes me laugh every single time I watch it. I die of laughter. That’s what sealed me. I decided to do “Leo Affects” with the letter “A” and the abbreviation for it would be LA. …..
The official website for The Leo Affects may be found at:
https://theleoaffects.wixsite.com/podcast