A Man Of Many Voices

After watching Rob Paulsen perform some of the voices he is most noted for in Animaniacs Live, it is easy to see why he is a true voice artist. He segues between characters effortlessly while entertaining his audience never missing a beat. In the Animaniacs cartoon series alone Rob voiced Yakko Warner, Pinky and Dr. Scratchansniff. Other characters Rob has voiced include Carl Wheezer (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius) , Spike (The Land Before Time), Major Glory (Dexter's Laboratory) and the list goes on. Although I enjoyed watching all these characters I have to admit my favorite will always be Yakko. Rob continues to entertain the new generation as the voice of Sir Kirby in Disney Jr.'s Doc McStuffins. He has also created a Podcast that has been turned into a video webcast called Talkin' Toons, you can find this at nerdist.com and on itunes. In the show Rob is joined by other great voice artists to discuss their personal experiences, read scripts and even re-enact some of their favorite scenes. Although it is currently on hiatus.

Animaniacs Live is a great way to get insight to the song writing and voice over aspects of this famous cartoon, as well as hear interesting behind the scenes stories of what went into it's production. Rob is accompanied on stage by Emmy Award winning composer/song writer Randy Rogel. Randy demonstrates his song writing genius by relating stories of how he created songs for this cartoon that remain ingrained in it's fan's psyche to this day. Together they could tell fun, interesting stories all day!

The audience didn't want this Q/A session to end.

Seeing this show is a must for all Animaniacs fans! As if all the entertainment and behind the scenes talk isn't enough these two gentlemen are also happy to give career advise to those in the audience seeking it. I was only able to speak with them briefly after the show. Aside from being superbly talented, they are just as cordial of stage as they are on.

G'NIGHT EVERYBODY!

Be sure to check out Rob's website: robpaulsenlive.com
He is also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/robpaulsenlive
and Twitter: @yakkopinky

Randy is on Twitter: @MrRandyRogel

The Keeper of Memories

If you grew up in the late 60's through early to mid 70's you may have fond memories of the Rankin/Bass T.V. specials. "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Mad Monster Party", were just a couple of holiday main stays for children. I have to admit, even though these came before my time there are a few that I still watch every year. That's why I was excited when I recently had the pleasure of briefly meeting the keeper of those memories, Rick Goldschmidt, at Wizard World Chicago. Rick is the official historian/biographer for the body of work produced by Rankin/Bass productions. He's written books on the making of these holiday classics as well as the production company and it's founders Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass. He has dedicated much of his career to everything that is Rankin/Bass. Aside from being a published author, Rick's also an illustrator and musician. He has even recorded with members of Gin Blossoms, One of my followers. He's also an avid collector of T.V. and movie memorabilia. Rick happily makes personal appearances to share his knowledge and sell Rankin/Bass merchandise to anyone wanting to keep their childhood memories of The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass alive, at least in their personal collections.

For those of you in the West Hollywood, CA area on October 14th, Rick will be at his long-time friend and famous artist Shag's store to celebrate Mad Monster Party starring Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller! The festivities will begin at 7:00 pm. Rick has also informed me that he will have two screen used Animagic figures from Rankin/Bass with him: Smokey the Bear, from their 1966 T.V. special starring James Cagney and Octavia (voiced by Hilary Momberger, who Rick says may also be in attendance) from Rankin/Bass' The First Christmas from 1975. These will be appearing courtesy of Screen-Novelties in Hollywood. Screen-Novelties has animated A Spongebob Christmas, Elf T.V. special as well as a new Nickelodeon Halloween special that will premier this season. Rick says he will also be appearing at The Shag Store in Palm Springs, CA on October 22nd at 12:00 pm for a Mad Monster Party Brunch. Be sure to attend in costume! They have lots of surprises in store and Rick will be signing books and selling various Halloween themed Rankin/Bass merchandise. From there he will be heading to his second appearance at Chiller Theatre in New Jersey the weekend of the 23rd. He will be appearing alongside Michael Nesmisth of The Monkees, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers from Leave It To Beaver to name only a few. At this appearance he will be featuring the Animagic figures of Rankin/Bass' Father Time (Red Skelton) from Rudolph's Shiny New Year and Sister Theresa (Angela Lansbury) from The First Christmas courtesy of Deep Archives. There will also be Photo Ops with the puppets available!

If you can't meet Rick personally you can always follow his blog at www.enchantedworldofrankinbass.blogspot.com or check out Rankin/Bass items not available any where else, at www.miserbros.com 

Memories to Draw From

If you approached a group of twenty somethings on the street and started a conversation about "Rugrats" I could almost guarantee that they would all light up and begin to reminisce about their childhoods. Although most millennials will remember this show as well as "Rocked Power", "The Wild Thornberrys", and "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters". They would not be able to tell you what all these shows have in common aside from them all being produced by Nickelodeon. However these classic shows do have something else in common. They all had David Fontana working on their creative teams. Whether he was directing or storyboarding he brought a creativity to these shows which made them memorable. Currently in semi retirement from television David is now having fun by lending his immense talents to the caricaturist team at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Which is where I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with him. It is an unfortunate truth that we (the fans) too frequently leave the creative teams of our favorite shows unrecognized. So thank you David Fontana for being a part of my childhood, by helping bring the characters I love to life. Because of your work I have a big part of my childhood to pass on to my children someday.

P.S. I bought my Reptar Bars today and yes they do turn your tongue green.

Be sure to check out David's website here: http://www.davefontana.com/

Also follow him on Twitter: @DjScungilli

The Voice of Many

When you grow up watching cartoons as I did, there are certain voices you continue to recognize from show to show. However until recently there was one voice I could never quite pin down. The voice I am referring to is that of Nancy Cartwright's. I was totally surprised when I realized that the voice of so many of my favorite characters had come from the same person.

Starting in my early childhood watching the "Animaniacs" excited to see what wacky antics Mindy and her trusty dog Buttons got into this time. Then later in my preteen years finding a kindred spirit in Chuckie Finster and wanting a Naked Mole Rat as a pet just so I could name him Rufus. Even now in adulthood when I watch the "Simpsons" just to see what Bart's gonna say this time as she has been speaking for Bart for the past 29 years as well as providing the voice for other characters on the show. Needless to say Nancy Cartwright has had quite the impact on my life and I'm not the only one.

Not only has she made a difference through her talent but also through her charity work. Nancy supports many non profit organizations centered around helping children including but not limited to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Famous Fone Friends and The Way to Happiness Foundation. Not to mention she is the co-founder of Happy House, an organization that teaches kids the fundamentals of life and being part of a family in fun and exciting ways.

Nancy, congrats on the Emmy nomination! Thank You for being one of my followers.
https://twitter.com/nancycartwright?lang=en

Be sure to follow Nancy on Twitter: @nancycartwright
and check out her non-profit organization here: https://happyhouse.org/

A Princess By Any Other Name Is Karen David

I'm still enjoying thinking about all the great things that happened at the Once Upon A Time convention recently. One of which was my meeting Karen David who you may know as Princess Jasmine from "Once Upon A Time" but that's not the only role she is known for. She has also played Princess Isabella in, the unfortunately short-lived T.V. show "Galavant". Some of you may even remember her guest appearances on "Castle". Currently she has played Meera in her latest project "Amar, Akbar & Tony" now airing on Netflix worldwide. I still haven't had a chance to watch it but I am really looking forward to seeing her in it.

Not only is Karen an extremely talented actress but she is an amazing singer and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Even though she was pressed for time on the day that I met her, she still engaged in conversation with the fans as much as time would allow. I'm proud to welcome her as one of my newest followers.


Be sure to follow her on Instagram @karendavidofficial

and Twitter @KarenDavid

Once Upon A Convention

About a week ago I was able to have an amazing experience which came in the form of a three day convention. More specifically the "Once Upon A Time" convention in Chicago. Not only did I finally get to meet some of the actors that I look up to from one of my favorite t.v. shows but I made a lot of new and interesting friends as well! This convention was truly put together with the fans in mind. Creation Entertainment started in 1971 by two sci-fi fans so you know that anyone affiliated with this company totally gets where we, the fans, are coming from. Every day of this con was scheduled to the minute with autographs, photo-ops, panels and so many other fun activities. But the scheduling was not so strict that show activities suffered at all. A great time was had at the karaoke party and the Once Upon A Concert that ended the first two nights of the convention. At the karaoke party fans were actually able to sing side by side with Michael Coleman, Gil McKinney and many more. The energy was kept high at the concert where we got to enjoy the musical stylings of artists including but not limited to Karen David, Beverly Elliot and Lee Arenberg. Samurai Fish, the house band for the weekend, also did a great job of entertaining the crowd between events. I personally really enjoyed their brand of music.

Celebrities were extremely gracious, taking a good amount of time with each fan who went up for autographs and photo-ops. In fact Lana Parilla rescheduled her flight to New York so she wouldn't disappoint any of her fans who waited in line for her autograph. That's something that I have never seen a celebrity do at any show I have been to. From what I observed, the Creation Entertainment staff was very accommodating, as they went out of there way to make sure fans were happy.

If you are a true fan of the "Once Upon A Time" show and have never been to this convention, this is definitely an event you should try to attend.

Be sure to check them out on Twitter: @CreationEnt

Check out other conventions they produce here: https://www.creationent.com  

Sassy and Classy

As a child I would watch Hercules all the time, whether it be the original Disney movie or the animated series. The character I looked up to most from that movie would have to be Megara, voiced by Susan Egan. I believe she resonated so much with me because of how independent she is, her sense of humor and the sheer sassiness that she brings to this character. Being that I was a kid with a similar sense of humor, that most of my peers didn't understand. I really feel that I could relate to this character of hers. Then as I got older I was able to appreciate Susan's other projects. Including the DCOM, "Gotta Kick It Up" and her work on the live stage playing another beloved Disney Princess, Belle. Today the younger generation can enjoy her latest work in Cartoon Network's "Steven Universe" as Rose Quartz. 

Not only is Susan an incredible actress but she is an amazing singer too. Her in concert performances incorporate not only her amazing voice but also her storytelling skills as she paints a vivid portrait with music and her unique anecdotes, as evidenced in videos on her website. She recently came out with her newest album "Susan Egan Softly". Which can best be described as an acoustic show tune experience. Susan is also instrumental in the teaching of up and coming actors through her musical theatre Master Classes. She has now combined both of these experiences into one incredible opportunity with her new program "On Stage with Susan". In this program you are first taken into a rehearsal setting and the outcome is a concert performance showcasing all their hard work. I have to say as someone who has a very special place in their heart for musical theatre participating in this class would be a Complete Dream Come True. Susan Egan is one of my acting role models and now I am honored to say this very classy performer is also one of my followers!


To learn more about what Susan is up to check out these sites!

Twitter: @IAmSusanEgan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSusanEgan/ 


IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250743/

Susan Egan's offical site: http://www.susanegan.net/  

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

I recently took a trip to Orlando, Florida where I spent a lot of time in Universal Studios. I finally got to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and to revisit some old attractions too. There are many parts of that trip I liked but I have to say my favorite was when I had my caricature done. Not only did I get an awesome piece of artwork from it that will now be my featured photo for this blog, but I also got to talk with other very interesting creative people as well. Each had some very cool experiences to share with me. One of whom being the very talented Artist who drew me, Regis Brinston. The coolest part of the caricature process is how he incorporates each individuals personality into their drawing. I feel like this drawing captured me perfectly and he then enhanced it with airbrush colors and highlights. His talent doesn't stop at caricatures either, he is also incredible at airbrush art. Making for some of the most unique t-shirts and hats I've ever seen. To his credit he is mostly self taught. I could go on but why don't you take a look for yourselves!

You can check out more of Regis' work on Instagram: @sbnunltd

He is also on Twitter: @SBNunltd  

To His Credit

Many of you may not know Brad Everett Young by name, but I can guarantee you have seen him before. Not only is he a great actor, he is also a stunt double. Brad also has enjoyed a passion for still photography. He has made appearances in a slew of different movies and T.V. shows, such as "Charmed", "The Artist", "Jurassic Park III" and "I Love You Man" to name a few. His first credited role will be in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" as Winston. Which is set to come out some time this year.

For more about what Brad is up to be sure to follow him on 

Twitter: @BradEYoung

And check out his website and IMDB here

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2929237/

http://bradeverettyoung.com/

In Memorium

As we get ready to close the books on 2016, I'm thinking back about all the people I've met this year. Among those who stand out in my mind are the celebrities who were kind enough to take the time to have a conversation and show interest in my blog. Not the least of whom was Alan Thicke. I had the pleasure of meeting him just about four weeks before his untimely death. I told him about this blog thinking he would just say something like oh that's nice and move on. But he actually took it to the next level and showed a genuine interest in what I was doing, asking for more details etc. After I told him all about the blog and its focus, his response was "That's a really cool concept". By taking the time to want to more about what I was doing with this showed me that Alan Thicke had a genuine interest in people. That meant a lot to me, after all I was just another person he met along the way.

When I told him I wanted to blog about what he had been up to lately in his career, he was more than happy to fill me in. His face lit up as he told me about his character in the Netflix series "Fuller House" and that season three of "Unusually Thicke", with Tanya and Carter, was already in the can. The proud father in him came out as he asked me not to forget about mentioning Robin Thicke's newest single "One Shot" featuring Juicy J. 

While I was saddened to hear about his passing, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that I am happy that I at least had the opportunity to meet and speak with him. 

2016 also saw the unfortunate passing of another celebrity icon, Debbie Reynolds. I had the pleasure of shaking her hand over a decade ago, after one of her live performances in the Chicago area. She was both surprised and happy that a young person actually knew about her and her work. As I was the before in a room full of afters. With a gleam in her eye and a smile on her face she said "My you're a little one". I was only ten years old at the time but she was one of my acting idols. So, needless to say meeting her meant a lot to me. After her performance that day she was also kind enough to autograph a picture for me. As I got a little older, I checked out her other movie work and that was the spark that caused me to get involved in acting in community theatre.   

As I say rest in peace to both of them, I cannot even begin to explain how happy I am to have crossed paths with these two legends, even though our meetings were very brief.

The Dishes May Be Done, But Keith Coogan Is Still Going!

As a kid Disney movies are a staple in your daily agenda. One of my all time favorites that still chokes me up to this day is "The Fox and the Hound". Little did I know that I would eventually have the pleasure of meeting the very talented voice actor behind Young Tod, Keith Coogan. You may also remember Keith from some of your favorite movies from the 80's and 90's. Including but not limited to "Adventures in Babysitting", "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead", and "Toy Soldiers". Since then Keith has been in many T.V shows like "The Comeback Kids" and "TMI Hollywood". You can also expect to see him in the movie "Limelight" in the new year. 

Check out the trailer for Limelight here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4158316/?ref_=nv_sr_2  

Not only is Keith an amazing actor but he also directs! His latest project is a play called "Stay Tuned". It has been running since December 14th at Theatre 68 in North Hollywood. If you haven't caught it yet you still have a little time, its run ends tomorrow. It is a Christmas mash-up of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and Orson Welles' "War of The Worlds", performed like a radio play. What a great way to spend Christmas Eve Eve!

For more on what Keith has been up to, check out his website here: http://keithcooganonline.com/  

He is also on Twitter: @keithcoogan

I Triple Dog Dare Ya...

This is the line in that fameous scene of "A Christmas Story". You know, the one where Scott Schwartz, aka Flick, gets his tongue stuck to that pole. Being that this movie is part of some of my favorite Christmas memories, I was beyond excited to have the pleasure of meeting Scott Schwartz and his dog Miss Elizabeth this past weekend. They both were extremely pleasant, and Scott really took the time to talk with each fan individually. We had a great time recalling memories of fun scenes from "A Christmas Story". I caught up with him at RewindCon Chicago, but for my readers in Dallas, TX, he told me that he will be appearing at that RewindCon next. You can purchase your tickets for the Con here: http://www.rewindconvention.com/dallas. 

 Not only was Scott in "A Christmas Story" he was also in "The Toy", "Kidco", and "Raiders Of The Living Dead". Scotts newest endeavor is a web show that airs on Vimeo called "Flashback Fridays". He is the host of this show where he interviews some of your favorite celebrities of the 80's and 90's. If you have been feeling nostalgic then this is the show for you. Check it out here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/flashbackfridays  You can also learn more about Miss Elizabeth on her Facebook group, "Miss Elizabeth's Adventures" here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/981822991861584/.

On a side note...Memorabilia collectors in California may want to check out Sports and Movie Stuff, the store that Scott runs with his father in Simi Valley. Who knows, you may even be able to pick up one of those replica leg lamps! 

Scott is also on twitter: @scottakaflick

Charlie Kicks Buttowski!

Update! Update!

Had a chance to reconnect with a friendly acquaintance and one of my followers, Charlie Schlatter, at Rewind Con. We had a great conversation as always, and he reminded me that he is in the Nickelodeon animated show "The Loud House". In the show he plays DJ and Dr. Feinstein, two different characters. He also informed me that in addition the other characters he voices, he also provides the voice that says "AWESOME!" at the end of Toys R Us commercials. 

When I was younger there were certain shows that were my family's go to shows. The main one that sticks out in my memory is "Diagnosis Murder." One of my favorite actors from this show was Mr. Charlie Schlatter. Not too long ago I was fortunate enough to meet him. Not only is he extremely talented but he is also one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting. He actually takes time to have a brief conversation with each fan. Something that a lot of actors and actresses don't do. 

Previous to that Charlie was in the hit big screen comedy "18 Again!" starring alongside George Burns. Since "Diagnosis Murder" Charlie has had great success in the voice over field in T.V. shows as well as video games. Some of his most well known characters are Kick Buttowski, The Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, Lego Flash, and Lego Robin. Being the media master he is he has also dabbled in writing and directing. In November everyone in the Chicago area will have another opportunity to meet him as he will be appearing at Rewind Con at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale Illinois. I promise you won't regret it if you do!

You can learn more about Rewind Con here: http://www.rewindconvention.com/ 

Keep up with what Charlie is up to next by following him on Twitter

@MisterSchlatter

Also check him out on IMDb here:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0772116/

To New Friends!

On my recent trip to Las Vegas, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting a very talented entertainer, Steve Distler. He's a comedian, owns and operates Steve-N-Kids! Party Celebrations! and is a tour guide at Wayne Newton's Casa De Shenandoah. Through his party business he has provided entertainment for birthday parties of the children of numerous big name stars. As if that weren't enough, he also creates content for his own YouTube channel Toy Time Workshop. On his channel he critiques various children's toys. 

What made him very interesting to talk with was his first hand knowledge of the Las Vegas entertainment scene. He is very talented, has a great sense of humor and is an all around nice guy. I think he is worth checking out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stevenkidsnv/ and his YouTube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UC3KvGFy5pjgJsCsKwsRCzqQ?app=desktop 

If you work with him for your next party tell him Teri sent you!

And Here He Is Now...

If you were a fan of Nickelodeon back in the 90's, as I was, you surely remember Legends Of The Hidden Temple. One of the people that made the show so popular was the host, Kirk Fogg. I am very excited to officially welcome him as one of my followers. Since Legends, Fogg has appeared on Veronica Mars and Alien Space Avenger. He has also written, directed, produced, and starred in two movies, Distortion and Yeah Vous! His next project, Legends Of The Hidden Temple: The Movie, is set to premiere on Nickelodeon sometime this November. You can learn more about this here  http://www.eonline.com/news/782193/welcome-back-olmec-the-legends-of-the-hidden-temple-movie-trailer-is-finally-here 

In my opinion it wouldn't be The Hidden Temple without Kirk Fogg.

And be sure to check out his twitter! 
@Kirk_Fogg

Aaron Oh Aaron!

In case you haven't heard what Aaron Carter has been up to, here is the latest. He has been working on his first new album in thirteen years titled "Love". You can check out his new single "Fools Gold" here,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugskNSdZbac&sns=tw. This album is unlike anything you have ever heard from him. He's older now than he was when he first came on the scene, and has developed a different singing style than you may remember. Nonetheless, I think it suits him well. You can keep up to date with what's going on with Aaron, as well as see where he is appearing on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AaronCartermusic/?fref=ts.

Good Luck Aaron!

@aaroncarter

Keith Broke His Leg But Not His Funny Bone! 

Another person I am proud to call a follower is Keith Powell, you may also know him as Toofer on 30 Rock. Since his time on 30 Rock Keith Powell has made appearances on various shows including About A Boy, Law & Order, NCIS: Los Angeles, etc. His most recent project is his web series Keith Broke His Leg. Which can best be described as a satirical take on life in Los Angeles, my personal favorite is Soothsayer. Something you may not know about Keith Powell is that he has done extensive work in the theater, using both his acting and directing prowess. Check out his web series at http://www.getbroken.com/ don't forget to vote for his series at http://www.streamys.org/submissions/

@KeithPowell  

Country Fans Take Note Of High Valley

Another of my newest followers is High Valley. A Country duo with their own band, who last year released their single, Make You Mine, on the Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville label. Being a Country music fan I gave it a listen, and was not disappointed. Between the upbeat tempo and the catchy lyrics you can't help but get the urge to dance. You can check them out for yourself at http://www.highvalleymusic.com/ or on twitter @HIGHVALLEY. Hopefully we will be hearing more good things from these guys in the not too distant future.

If You Don't Know Who Fluffy Is, Get Out From Under That Rock!

I'm referring to Gabriel Iglesias, aka Fluffy. He refers to himself as Fluffy in a comedic way of talking about his weight. He first got his start on the show Last Comic Standing, and even though he didn't win he became a new household name almost instantly. His stand up is based on his life and life going on around him. He keeps his audience laughing continuously using his entertaining and creative style. Since Last Comic Standing he has had multiple comedy central specials, as well as making cameos in various movies and t.v. shows. You can currently check out his show Fluffy Breaks Even on the fuse network. I wish him a lot of continued success and am proud to welcome him as one of my new followers. 

http://fluffyguy.com/  @fluffyguy

A Wicked Evening

Recently I was in New York and I finally got to see my first Broadway show! I was so glad it was Wicked, I have waited years to see this show and it was well worth the wait. From the set and lighting to the amazing cast, crew and orchestra the entire experience was magical! After the show I had the immense pleasure of meeting some of the cast, including Carrie St. Louis, Jonah Platt, Michael Genet, and Zachary Noah Piser. Everyone was so nice and took their time with all of their fans. They not only did a great job of entertaining the audience but also showing their appreciation to their fans who waited patiently to meet them after the show. Needless to say it was an amazing experience I won't soon forget.    

@carriestlouis @JonahPlatt @MichaelGenet @Zach_Piser @Wicked