Proof that not all ads are annoying, Waze celebrity voice prompts originated as a way to interest drivers in seeing movies. They actually played a big role in propping the company up before Google acquired it, and continue to give the service some personality and help it stand out from Android Auto. Over the years, we’ve seen everything from popular sci-fi franchises to a Malaysian rapper-turned-politician lend their dulcet tones to the comprehensive driving directions app. Only available for a limited time, some of the retired ones really stand out.
As an alternative to official voice packs or recording your own, you can download, listen to, and install these (and a ton of others) from this GitHub repo.
1 Colonel Sanders
The KFC figurehead makes an endearing, down-home companion with a deep love for fried chicken. A handful of his phrases are pretty chuckle-worthy, including when he warns you about a pothole, followed by, “I’d fill it with gravy.” When notifying you of the lazyroar, he even enlists you as an alibi, explaining, “If they ask, I was with ya last night, heh heh.”
One of the more blatantly promotional voices, he jokes that he’s set a course for the nearest KFC, before relenting and asking where you’re actually going. He’s also quick to point out when you’re near one of the chain’s many locations. Nonetheless, he’s not overbearing and adds some levity to your daily drive.
2 James Veitch
This English comedian made a splash in the tech world with a TED talk detailing his hilariously in-depth interaction with an email scammer with prototypically dry British wit. He wastes no time, starting trips with admissions like, “I, I really don’t know where we’re going,” and, “Nothing good can come of this journey, let’s just stay at home.” He’s not entirely SFW, either, like in his lazyroar warning (which we’ll let you track down on your own).
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Veitch separately promoted his Waze partnership with a particularly sarcastic YouTube video. The less-than-helpful prompts in the video could be confusing, but his official script lays out directions succinctly. One user did create a custom voice using several of the more amusing lines, but it might leave you a little distracted.
3 Altimet, Malaysian former rapper
Few hip-hop heads transition into government, but popular Malaysian songwriter and former rapper Altimet did. After retiring from performing at age 40, he joined the country’s People’s Justice Party to help promote democracy and good judgment. As of 2023, he represents the Alliance of Hope in the country’s legislature, working to promote the arts within the political sphere, which we think is pretty cool.
Altimet doesn’t crack a ton of jokes, but he is super uplifting. And since he’s working in conjunction with Malaysian company Liberty, he makes sure to remind you to stay fully insured. While he’s not very well known outside of Southeast Asia, any Malay hip-hop fans should enjoy his company.
4 Cookie Monster
The Cookie Monster voice first hit the scene in honor of Sesame Street and came back for a short period around the character’s birthday. Predictably packed with references to tasty baked goods, he even muses on whether the cops ahead want a cookie. He’s also not shy about using exit numbers to help you learn to count.
Cookie Monster was popular enough to spawn a Change.org petition for his return, although he’s not currently (officially) available. While he’s fun, his relatively rough voice isn’t the most calming listen. But if you’re riding with kids who know him, his quips can help pass the time.
5 Kung Fu Panda
With the fourth feature film hitting theaters on March 8, DreamWorks’ masterpiece franchise is fun for all ages. Jack Black got back in the vocal booth as Po and brings not just lighthearted fun, but also some moments of zen that can only help in a traffic jam.
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He offers kind reminders like, “Today we shall love our fellow road users as family. Even if they cut us off… We shall love them anyway. Or at least try to.” Po also lets you drive his Panda Van and use the Spiritual Mood on the app. Altogether, everybody’s favorite black-and-white martial artist makes a fun, engaging tag-along that can help make driving less stressful.
6 Mr. T
The opposite of a zen-minded Panda, this formerly chain-draped action star partnered with the Fuze tea brand to deliver a high-energy script for your travels. He makes sure you “quit all the dillydallyin’, foo,” “drive safe, foo,” and even, “stay alert, foo.” And when you get to where you’re going, he recommends you have an “ice-cold Fuze.”
He’s certainly entertaining, and one of the most energetic voices we’ve heard on the app. The punchy vocals also make it nearly impossible to miss or misunderstand the directions, so he was one of the most effective, too.
7 Stephen Colbert
You might expect the political satirist-turned-late night TV host’s Waze script to be cheesy, and you’d be right. But he also raises good points, as a traffic jam is also our “least favorite kind of jam.” He’s incredibly enthusiastic most of the time, and as easy on the ears as you’d expect from somebody who talks for a living.
Some of his quips may be slightly groan-inducing, but they’re not quite as zany as his promotional video.
8 Shaquille O’Neal
In promotion of the NBA playoffs on TNT, the Big Fella himself keeps you from “Shaqtin’ a fool” on your route. He brings a little more energy to these prompts than he has to the commentary booth for the last couple of years, and drops in some expected basketball-related puns.
He also holds the distinction of saying his name more than any other Waze celebrity, but surprisingly, he doesn’t make fun of Charles Barkley a single time.
9 Terry Crews
Waze’s second-ever celebrity voice, Crews recorded as Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Captain Terry Jeffords. While he doesn’t reference his love of yogurt, he’s considerably calmer than Crews’ other alter-ego, Idiocracy’s President Camacho. He doesn’t make any actual jokes, but his smooth delivery oozes coolness and is enough on its own to make you smile as you hang a left.
10 Honorable mention: Creepy Jane
Finally, far from a partnership, a late 2022 bug in Jane’s text-to-speech algorithm left users freaked out about her sudden change in demeanor. She’d start many prompts fine but would sometimes switch halfway through to a frightening tone reminiscent of a horror movie. Some entire prompts sounded like she was being “held hostage,” according to some. It’s not the first time the TTS software went awry, though, and Google quickly patched it. It looked like Jane got some sleep, and was soon back to normal.
Punch-up your drive
Those are just some of the weird, wonderful Waze celebrity voice appearances. And if you really want something odd, check out the many user-created voice packs, like the one that’s made entirely of horn sounds — which won’t help with driving directions at all.
