"My personal faith in you has been vindicated," Railly declared, his usual jovial self.

Brock sounded his usual jovial self when he finally came on the line.

He seemed less than his jovial self, too tentative and not always aware of the openings Lampley was gently giving him.

He seemed to be trying to be his jovial self, but his thick Israeli accent sounded weary and sometimes slurred.

Mr. Blix seemed his usual jovial self after the meeting, joking about the enormous document he is to receive.

On that Sunday, Mr. O'Farrill could barely speak because of a bout of laryngitis, but was still his jovial self.

"Hello," he said, trying to sound his normal jovial self.

Away from his buying lot, Happy Jack didn't appear to be his jovial self.

"Jean-Luc," began the olive-skinned man, no longer his usual jovial self.

Mot bustled in, and he was his usual jovial self in the face of what must be considerable personal anguish.