Awkwafina is Now the NYC Subway Train Voice in Queens
By Ryan General
January 17, 2020
Golden Globe winner Nora Lum, also known as Awkwafina, has taken over conductor announcement duties on the New York City subway’s No. 7 train.
Awkwafina recently lent her voice to the passenger messaging service of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of a promotional campaign for her upcoming semi-autobiographical sitcom “Nora From Queens,” which will premiere on Comedy Central on Jan. 22.
For an entire week, her voice recording will be injecting some much-needed humor into the commute of passengers at over 22 stops along the No. 7 line, which serves around 820,000 riders daily.
Awkwafina’s pre-recorded messages, which will only be heard on trains and, unfortunately, not on platforms, include the following hilarious lines:
“This is 69th St., which is definitely, definitely not funny in any way.”
“This is 103rd St.-Corona Plaza, and no, this is not where the beer is made.”
“This is Hudson Yards-34th St. Hope you like weird architecture!”
Awkwafina’s new line announcements were tested on Jan. 10 via a single R188 train, marking the first time in transit history that automated announcements have been re-recorded for an ad campaign, and of course, first-time jokes were added to the script.
It was also the first time that all in-station announcements have been announced by the same person since the introduction of the R188s in 2013.
According to MTA officials, they are considering opening up their public service announcements for more sponsorship opportunities to generate revenue, the New York Daily News reports.
“We are exploring new and different ways to generate much needed revenue, while also surprising and delighting customers,” NYC Transit chief customer officer Sarah Meyer said.
“Our focus will always be to run the trains safely and on time, and if a well-known voice can bring attention to an in-car messaging, we are all for it,” she noted.
The 31-year-old rapper turned actor is known for her supporting roles in the comedy films “Ocean’s 8,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” and “Jumanji: The Next Level.”
She also played a leading role in the comedy-drama “The Farewell” (2019) with which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, and became the first woman of Asian descent to win a Golden Globe in any lead actress film category.
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