You know exactly who Paul Marcarelli is, even though you don't know that you do. He's the "Can you hear me now?" guy. His be-spectacled face has graced dozens upon dozens of Verizon ads, which have bombarded you for nearly a decade of your life, whether you like it or not.

Spencer Morgan got Marcarelli, who's now being eased out as the face of Verizon, to speak on the—and we're editorializing a wee bit here—soul-sucking corporate slavery of life as a ubiquitous pitchman. It sounds awful. Especially with that loathsome line following you everywhere:

At a cousin's wedding, he wore "the grayest of gray suits," but still wound up feeling "like a cafone-Italian for "oaf"-when more people lined up to take pictures with him than with the bride. A few months ago, he attended his grandmother's funeral. As her body was being lowered into the ground, he heard the hushed voice of a family friend: "Can you hear me now?"

Now, Marcarelli's getting back into regular acting. He has a movie coming out. He's financially secure. But listen to me closely, Paul Marcarelli, when I tell you this: Can you hear me now? Hahaha, I got you so good! You were in those commercials, right? Hey, can I get a picture? Honey, it's that guy!

[The Atlantic]