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00:00Jaleel White says that playing the iconic role of Urkel on Family Matters during puberty
00:04damaged his voice for decades.
00:06Despite starting the role at the age of 12, he says that no one ever bothered to send
00:09him to a vocal coach to protect his changing voice.
00:12We all know Jaleel's performance as the nosy, nasally Urkel on Family Matters is best
00:16defined by the catchphrases and high-pitched tones that scored his rise from side character
00:20to series protagonist.
00:21He didn't even appear on the show until the 12th episode of its first season, but
00:25as soon as audiences heard his heightened squealing and saw his eyes shifting mischievously
00:29from behind his comically oversized glasses, he became an instant pop culture icon.
00:34Then, when Family Matters finally concluded in 1998, Jaleel found the character of Urkel
00:39hard to shake, both from a career perspective and physically.
00:43During a recent interview at 90's Con, the now 47-year-old revealed that the strain of
00:47creating such a loud and high-pitched tone for 25 episodes per season without any professional
00:52or medical guidance did some serious damage to his voice.