Barbra Streisand called Apple CEO to get Siri to pronounce her name right
I am betting that everyone who has an iPhone and is not named John/Jane Smith will relate to this story. Barbra Streisand is currently on tour in North America. She also has a new duets album named, Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway on which Barbra sings with movie stars like Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Daisy Ridley and Hugh Jackman. During an interview with Scott Simon on NPR to promote the album, Simon pointed out that Siri, the iPhone’s voice system, refuses to pronounce “Streisand” correctly. Siri lazily turns the second “s” into a “z” as in “Streizand.” Not one to sit idly by as some two-bit computer-voiced upstart butchers her name, Barbra got Apple CEO Tim Cook on the horn and “requested” some changes. And, because Tim is much brighter than Siri, he told Barbra he would get right on it.
Barbra Streisand says she channeled her considerable clout into asking Apple CEO Tim Cook to change how Siri pronounces her name — and he happily obliged.
The theatre legend revealed her success story during an interview with NPR’s Scott Simon, who had just asked the iPhone personal assistant, “Siri, who’s the only female vocalist who’s had hit records for six straight decades?”
“Barbra Streisand,” the oft-mistaken robot replied, pronouncing the second S as a Z.
“She pronounces my name wrong,” the Brooklyn-born actress remarked. “Streisand with a soft S, like sand on the beach. I’ve been saying this for my whole career.
“And so what did I do? I called the head of Apple, Tim Cook, and he delightfully agreed to have Siri change the pronunciation of my name, finally, with the next update on September 30th.”
Streisand’s Sept. 30 date could coincide with the release of Apple’s much-anticipated iOS 10, which is due out sometime in the fall.
“So let’s see if that happens because I will be thrilled,” she told NPR.
I know I am not the only out there who has a last name Siri refuses to pronounce correctly. It got so bad two phones ago that I actually had to mispronounce my own name so Siri would dial my husband for me. Of course, my husband could speak Latin while eating a sandwich and Siri understands him no problem – the little home wrecker. I have since switched to the male Australian voice, whom I call Jackman. He can’t correctly pronounce any of the predominately Spanish-named streets in my area but doesn’t give me any lip.
You can listen to the NPR radio interview here. The show samples a few songs from her album. She also mentions her memoir, which comes out next year. I love the way Barbra tells stories so I can’t wait to read it. Plus, as she has never published or authorized any memoir/biography, I am intrigued by what she deems pertinent to include and what famous stories about her are made up. Maybe I should call her and suggest, “The Second S is Soft” as the title?
Photo credit: Fame/Flynet and WENN Photos and Getty Images
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