When Serial was running, the show’s biggest question wasn’t about whether Adnan Syed killed Hae Min Lee or whether Jay was a liar. It was about the mystery voice in the show’s opening, the one that couldn’t seem to pronounce the words “Mail” and “Chimp.” Almost instantly, #MailKimp became a hashtag, “Mail Kimp” remixes hit the web, and ad blogs started expounding on how, with two poorly pronounced words, MailChimp got one of year’s best deals on advertising. Now, thanks to NPR’s Linda Holmes, Serial’s biggest mystery has been solved.
The show’s producer, Julie Snyder, told Holmes that the voice behind “Mail Kimp” was a 14-year-old Norwegian tourist visiting New York and taped while waiting in line with her parents for an iPhone 6. It’s a reveal that makes perfect sense. Of course it’s a Norwegian teen. And no wonder she didn’t step forward in the wake of all this American Serial hype. Whether she even knows about her meme-based fame is anyone’s guess, but it’s nice to have this whole thing answered, finally.