Steve From Sex and the City Did Not Voice a Tiny Monkey in Wicked

by

It’s hard to accept that this needs clarification: Steve from “Sex and the City” didn’t play Dr. Dillamond’s tiny monkey friend in “Wicked: Part One.” Ariana Grande made a jest about it on the 2024 musical’s commentary track, which was misconstrued as fact by some media outlets. However, I haven’t found solid evidence to support this claim.

In contrast to the flying monkeys, Grande is alluding to the tiny tamarin from the “Something Bad” scene who uses a candle bigger than himself to create shadow puppets depicting Dillamond’s cutouts, symbolizing the mistreatment of sentient creatures in Oz. He has a mustache, an endearing old-man voice, and only utters one line: “A solicitor was dismissed for simply presenting an argument!

It seems like that character is Steve from Sex and the City, jokes Grande in the commentary, as the monkey delivers its line. He makes a brief appearance with just one line, but it’s the best one in the entire production, the tiny monkey tamarin. According to People, Grande then mimics David Eigenberg, Steve’s portrayer, using his distinctive ‘aw-shucks’ tone, somewhere between a seasoned New York cabbie and a spirited bat boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s. “You were fantastic across 20 seasons of Sex and the City,” Grande adds.

However, let me clarify that I’m quite certain the sound coming from that monkey isn’t Steve’s voice. This conviction stems from my extensive viewing experiences – I’ve watched “Wicked” four times and “Sex and the City” a staggering 400 times. The monkey’s voice in my mind is distinctly different, with a noticeable warble. In the credits, both the tamarin (and an owl) are attributed to voice actor Kim Durham. His profile on voicecall-online.co.uk includes a sample audio clip that bears a striking resemblance to the tamarin’s voice in the movie.

It’s quite clear that Grande’s remark appears to be a playful joke, similar to the type she might make during a red carpet event or on a show like “Las Culturistas.” The small monkey with its adorable voice seems to remind her of Steve, making him an apt comparison. Moreover, the character is well-known for its comedic value among women in their twenties and thirties, much like Grande herself. On TikTok, impressions of Steve are quite popular, rivaled only by those of Jennifer Coolidge. To put it simply, this whole situation seems to be Grande showing off her wit and humor.

I attempted to confirm this independently by watching the “Wicked: Part One” commentary track on Amazon, but unfortunately, they didn’t deliver as promised; despite advertising extra features related to Wicked in their $19.99 rental package, the playback system lacks the commentary audio tracks. However, considering the film’s own credits, Kim Durham’s previous recordings, Ariana Grande’s personality, and basic logic, it seems clear that Eigenberg did not make an unacknowledged appearance in Wicked. For now, I have contacted his representative for a statement regarding this matter.

It seems there’s a discrepancy here: Eigenberg is now uncredited on the film’s IMdB, but Durham is still credited and listed higher. If I’ve misunderstood the credits, I’ll gladly admit it with a chuckle and take a bite out of my pointy black hat!

Read More

2025-01-23 02:56