Before joining Late Night, Godard was Dateline NBC’s first Announcer, and before that he was an NBC Staff Announcer for seven years. He has also made voiceover appearances on Saturday Night Live, NBC Nightly News, and ABC’s ISSUES and ANSWERS. His acting credits include parts in the Emmy-nominated CBS made-for-TV movie Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones and in the TBS daytime drama The Catlins, as well as numerous commercials and industrial films.

Godard even found a way to incorporate show business during his four years of active duty as a U.S. Naval Officer, spending three of those years as Station Manager of Far East Network - Misawa Radio & Television in Japan. He is also a licensed commercial pilot and former flight instructor, and is a member of Mensa.

ACTOR • SPOKESMAN • VOICE TALENT

Joel Godard was the Announcer on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He was featured in 331 On/Camera Comedy Skits, playing himself on the show. Godard has also served as announcer for NBC's annual telecast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2000.

On Late Night, when he was used in sketches, Godard's character was blatantly homosexual,and had an affinity for young Asian men (preferably wearing Speedos). In real life, however, Joel has been happily married since 1983 to Tedi Dreiser Godard, and has a son from a previous marriage, and so does she.

His character would often pine for "the sweet release of death" and detail how his life was miserable (i.e., "My life is a septic tank filled to overflowing"), but he would say all these things in his cheery announcer voice and while flashing an open-mouthed smile, his trademark.

He was born on March 31, 1938 in Milledgeville, Georgia, and earned an A.B. from Emory University in 1960, where he was a double major in Chemistry and Pre-Med. He was then admitted to Emory's school of medicine, but instead chose to pursue a career in show business.