Skip to main content

From Trump haircuts to lawn mowers, ‘Sounds Fun’ is an Alexa game about noises

Sounds Fun with Mike Epps - Alexa, enable Sounds Fun
When comedian Mike Epps was a kid growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, his family didn’t have a lot of money for things like toys or games. So, to amuse himself, the star of
Recommended Videos
Next Friday and The Hangover learned how to make realistic noises with his mouth. Taking a cue from his inspiration, actor Michael Winslow of the Police Academy movies, Epps would recreate sounds like tea kettles and weed trimmers. He would play jokes on his friends by walking up behind them and making the hiss from spray can that sounds as though he were spraying the backs of their heads.

“As soon as I’d hear something, I’d just make the sound,” Epps told Digital Trends, noting that the sounds typically came easily to him. “I used to do typewriters, helicopters, spray cans. I was the king of sounds. I’d make the sound with my mouth and they’d say, boy, you crazy.”

Now Epps is channeling his inner child — and talent — with the creation of a game called Sounds Fun With Mike Epps. The game, created in partnership with audio company Ground Control, is designed around the Amazon Alexa platform, and players access the game by enabling it as an Alexa skill through an Amazon Echo or the Alexa app. The release of the game coincides with that of Amazon’s Echo Buttons — push-button gadgets designed for family game nights.

Mike Epps Sounds Fun
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The stand-up comedian, known for his performances on the Starz series Survivor’s Remorse, is currently on tour and also working with Comedy Central to develop a show called Inappropriate. He also has a movie coming out soon, called The Trap, produced by Queen Latifah.

“I had a light bulb moment: This could be a fun, hilarious, and interactive guessing game.”

The premise of Sounds Fun is pretty simple: Individuals or teams guess the sound that Epps is making, which ranges from silly things like “lawn mower” to “Donald Trump getting a haircut.” Those who guess correctly, win the round. You can play multiple rounds and have a good laugh in the process. Every day, a new sound will be released, and Epps also serves as the game’s judge, providing a mix of encouragement and his trademark comedic, snarky remarks.

Epps — who’s favorite sound to make is the aforementioned weed trimmer — told Digital Trends that he got the idea for the game after playing it with his kids at home.

“I had a light bulb moment — this could be a fun, hilarious, and interactive guessing game,” Epps said. “When the opportunity arose to partner with Ground Control to make this into a game for Alexa, I jumped at the chance.”

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The game is also coming soon to Google Assistant and other audio platforms, and it isn’t the only game Ground Control has in the works for Alexa. There’s also “Fourth Down Football Trivia with Philip Rivers,” “Buzzer Beater Basketball Trivia with Karl-Anthony Towns,” and “Full Count Baseball Trivia With Buster Posey” — all featuring athletes in their respective sports. Other celebrities who have lent their voices to Ground Control and the Alexa platform include former Vice President Joe Biden, who has an Alexa skill called “Bidens Flash Briefings” where you can have Biden tell you about what’s going on in the world during your daily flash briefing.

Now that Sounds Fun is live, Epps says there are plans to eventually make it into its own app. He also plans to play the game with his children often and hopes that people find it entertaining.

“I hope people enjoy playing the game,” Epps said. “I really enjoyed creating it.”

Kim Wetzel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before joining Digital Trends as Home Editor, Kim was an adjunct journalism professor at Linfield College and high school…
Everything you need to know about Yellowstone season 5, part 2
Kevin Costner in Yellowstone.

Kevin Costner recently released the first entry in his series of Western films dubbed Horizon: An American Saga. However, for the vast majority of Yellowstone fans, the only saga they want is the conclusion of the Dutton family's story and a glimpse of what comes next. Costner reinvigorated his career by headlining Yellowstone as John Dutton, but his clashes with Paramount Network and showrunner Taylor Sheridan have led to Costner's departure from the series.

Although we're still several weeks away from the return of the series, we're sharing everything we know about Yellowstone season 5, part 2. And we'll keep updating this post when anything newsworthy comes up.
When will Yellowstone season 5, part 2 premiere?

Read more
Everything you need to know about Yellowstone season 6
The cast of Yellowstone.

Since its premiere in 2018, Yellowstone has been a breakout hit for the Paramount Network and one of the most popular shows on TV. Taylor Sheridan's modern Western also revitalized Kevin Costner's career by placing him in the lead as John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family, who own the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Montana.

The fifth season of Yellowstone premiered in 2022, but the future of the series and the franchise were called into question when reports emerged that Costner was leaving the show and Paramount Network had already ordered a sequel series that will continue without Costner's involvement. To bring everyone up to speed, here's everything you need to know about the future of Yellowstone.
Will there be a sixth season of Yellowstone?
Until August 2024, it had been understood that the remaining episodes of Yellowstone season 5 would wrap up the series. However, it sounds like Paramount Network isn't willing to let its most popular show go quietly. Deadline is reporting that negotiations are underway with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser to co-headline a sixth season of Yellowstone.

Read more
Stranger Things season 5: everything we know so far
The logo for Stranger Things 5.

After one of the great cliffhangers in the show's history, fans are eager to gather every detail about Stranger Things 5. Understandably, season 5, the finale of Netflix's Stranger Things, is now one of television's most highly anticipated events. Since Vecna succeeded in tearing open a massive gate to the Upside Down, audiences now expect the heroes of Hawkins to engage in an epic final battle against the evil psychic and his army of monsters.

At this point, details regarding the season to end all seasons have been scarce, and the world likely won't get to see the show's last episodes for quite a while. In the meantime, here's everything that has been revealed and should be expected from Stranger Things 5.
Stranger Things season 5 release date

Read more