Voice-over artist Justin Hibbard, a native of the Kansas City area, lives with his partner of 10 years in sunny Venice Beach, Calif., and by all reports, things couldn’t be better.
“I’m really blessed that all these pieces have come together in my life in the last few years,” he said, referring to his business, which he said was thriving, and his clients, whom he called wonderful.
Hibbard has an in-home recording studio at his house for his company, called Just the Voice: Imaging Productions. Consequently, he has a flexible schedule and can work from home most of the time.
Another benefit of Hibbard’s craft, he said, is that it puts him in contact with people around the world.
“I have lots of European and Asian clients,” he said. “I mean, it’s pretty cool to get to speak with people on a daily basis in London or Paris … and I don’t know of very many other jobs where you can do that and be creative while you’re doing it.”
Along the way, he volunteered for a world hunger public service announcement in Africa, which placed him among a group of like-minded voice performers. “That was pretty rewarding to get to contribute my talents to that project,” Hibbard said.
He’s also started working on a new reality TV series called Italian Pickers, which was based on the antique-collectibles show American Pickers, on the History Channel.
“I’m dubbing the voice of the Italian host, which is definitely stretching my chops a bit,” he said. “It’s not easy being the voice of an Italian with an American accent because they speak very quickly, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
He enjoys doing promos as well, “because they are basically short stories, which are generally very upbeat.”
From an early age, Hibbard was interested in broadcasting. He recalls watching the news in Kansas City as a boy and being impressed, particularly by NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw.
“I always wanted to be the next Tom Brokaw,” Hibbard said, laughing. “I was probably 8 or 9 at the time, and I would build these little TV studios in our basement in Overland Park and I would pretend.”
Even so, Hibbard stresses that his greatest source of inspiration has been his father, a successful microbiologist.
“He was a brilliant, brilliant man,” Hibbard said. “He really had an entrepreneurial spirit, which he instilled in me, and was the same character and personality type as me. We had the same dreams. He really inspired me to never give up.”
Hibbard said that his family and friends were all very supportive when he came out years ago. “I came out in Kansas City back when I was 24,” Hibbard said. “I thought it was a great place to do it. I had a lot of friends there ― and I still do ― and I found it to be pretty vibrant gay community.”
Hibbard started out as a broadcast journalist. “That was really my passion up until my mid-20s,” he said. “And then I went back to graduate school and got my MBA, and then ultimately ended up moving to Los Angeles in 2000 to build a voice-over career.”
He credits his broadcasting background for teaching him to articulate, giving him a sense of timing (including how to meet deadlines) and a sense of how to tell a story well. He also received advice there for the next step in his career.
“One of my TV news directors once said, ‘If you ever leave TV news, you should do voice-over,’ so he planted the seed. But it was kind of a gradual transition,” he said.
Hibbard left the industry for a few years, but around the time that he turned 30, he had what he calls “an epiphany” and realized that he really wasn’t doing what he wanted to do and that he should change his career and location.
“I realized that I needed to pursue that creative aspect. It was really a leap of faith,” he said. “I moved to L.A. really not having any connections at all, and it was just like that philosophy ‘leap and the net will catch you’ and it did.”
Hibbard’s strong voice and natural talent for phrasing have helped him go far in the career path he has chosen.
“I have a very youthful sound, which I’m very grateful for, because that’s very marketable these days. And having grown up in Kansas City, it’s nice to have that Midwestern accent. I didn’t have to get rid of any accents. It’s that real down-to-earth, All-American sound that clients really seem to love.”
“Today the trend is toward much more natural delivery. The days of ‘the announcer’ are long gone. I just like to inform.”
Hibbard said that when talking about voice-over work, one has to consider both “particulars” — questions that may only apply to a certain job — and “universals.” “An example of a universal is ‘who is my audience?’ Who am I talking to? As well as, ‘why should I care about this person?’”
The overall mood of the piece and where the action is supposed to be taking place also have to be considered. “A particular would be ‘where do I put my inflection?’ or ‘what words do I emphasize?’” he said. “It’s really more about the universals first. Then the particulars are later.”
Looking at his career as a whole, he said, “My greatest triumph, I would say, is overcoming that fear and doubt everyone has at some point in their lives, and gaining an overwhelming sense of control over my success or failure. Ultimately, I know in my life I’ve succeeded and I’m running a successful business — and I have a family, a partner and very good friends who are very supportive. And I think we have a lot of fun doing it!”
To learn more about Hibbard and Just the Voice, and hear audio samples of his work, go to Justin Hibbard."
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.