John Moschitta Jr. became famous in the 1980s as the motor mouthed spokesperson for Federal Express and Micro Machines.
You’ve probably heard him… even if you didn’t realize it. Long before viral ads and TikTok speed challenges, one of the fastest voices in history came straight out of Uniondale, and once you hear it, you don’t forget it.
Growing up in Uniondale, John Moschitta Jr. wasn’t chasing fame at first, he was chasing a record.
- As a kid, he practiced rapid-fire speech in hopes of landing in the Guinness Book of World Records
- At the time, there wasn’t even a reliable way to measure how fast he could talk
- Even without the record, people were drawn to the novelty of what he could do
That early obsession turned into something bigger. What started as a local curiosity became a skill that would eventually define an entire era of advertising.
And if you grew up watching TV in the 1980s, you’ve almost certainly seen it in action.
Moschitta Jr.’s speed-talking didn’t stay local for long.
- He appeared on the TV variety show That’s Incredible!
- That exposure led to appearances on major programs, including The Tonight Show
- His ability wasn’t just impressive, it was entertaining enough for national audiences
From there, it didn’t take long for Madison Avenue to realize what they had.
Advertising in the early 1980s was about to get a lot faster.
Moschitta Jr. became instantly recognizable as the fast-talking pitchman in Federal Express commercials, complete with a mustache and machine-gun delivery that felt impossible to keep up with.
- His Federal Express commercial earned a Clio Award for Best Male Performance
- Ad Age later named it one of the 100 best ad campaigns of all time
- At the time, there really wasn’t anyone else like him on TV
That same rapid-fire delivery led to another iconic role.
- He became widely known as the “Micro Machines Man” in a series of toy commercials
- The ads leaned fully into his speed, turning it into the entire concept
For a stretch in the 80s, his voice wasn’t just recognizable – it was everywhere.
He Actually Became the Fastest Talker in the World
The record he chased as a kid? He eventually got it.
- Moschitta Jr. made it into the Guinness Book of World Records
- His recorded speed: 586 words per minute
To put that in perspective, most people speak at around 150 to 160 words per minute. He was doing nearly four times that – clearly, cleanly, and on cue.
And he didn’t just keep it to commercials.
From the Oscars to Michael Jackson
His speed became a kind of spectacle, something people wanted to see pushed to the limit.
- He appeared at the 55th Academy Awards, reading the rules in just 15 seconds
- He was introduced by Liza Minnelli before delivering the rapid-fire segment
- He even took on the challenge of reciting lyrics from Michael Jackson’s song Bad on a news program
It wasn’t just about speed, it was about control. Every word had to land, even at that pace.
And Yes… He’s Still Around
Here’s the part most people don’t realize: he never really disappeared.
- Moschitta Jr. is still working today
- Fans can even request personalized video messages from him through Cameo
- Those messages still feature the same rapid-fire delivery that made him famous
So if you’ve ever wondered what it would sound like to have someone talk faster than you can process – it’s still very much an option.
